Across the country, thousands of individuals are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year after being exposed to asbestos. Families affected by this cancer often take legal action against companies that made products with asbestos and failed to warn the public about the risks.
Mesothelioma trial attorneys work to hold these companies accountable, secure compensation for victims, and ensure the stories of those affected are heard.
Taylor Kerns is a partner at Simmons Hanly Conroy, experienced mesothelioma lawyer, and asbestos trial team lead. Part of his role involves creating individualized legal strategies tailored to the unique circumstances of each case.
He has recovered millions of dollars in mesothelioma verdicts and settlements, guiding clients through the legal process as they seek justice.
Hear from Taylor about how asbestos cases work, what families need to know when filing a claim, and the ways lawyers can build a strong case on your behalf.
Who gets mesothelioma?
Most people who develop mesothelioma were exposed to asbestos through their jobs. Many of our clients worked directly with this toxic mineral at construction sites, shipyards, and other industrial settings before being diagnosed with cancer in their 70s or 80s.
More and more frequently, though, we’re seeing women and younger people diagnosed with mesothelioma, and their exposure story often looks very different. Many never worked with asbestos themselves. Instead, they were exposed secondhand through a husband or father who unknowingly brought asbestos fibers home on their work clothes.
What’s particularly alarming is we’re now seeing diagnoses in people with no occupational asbestos exposure whatsoever. Their only known contact was talc-based products — baby powder, makeup. Talc can be contaminated with asbestos right at the mine, and for years, that risk was known and not disclosed. That’s what makes these cases so important to me.
Recently, we secured a verdict of more than $24 million on behalf of a Chicago janitor who developed mesothelioma after working around asbestos-contaminated talc at an Avon facility.
Mesothelioma doesn’t just affect one type of worker or one generation — it affects countless individuals who trusted that the products they used and the jobs they showed up for were safe.
What happened in the Cook County asbestos verdict?
Cipriano Ramirez worked as a janitor at Avon’s manufacturing facility in the early 1980s. He was doing the kind of work nobody thought twice about back then — cleaning up a facility that was processing and manufacturing talc-based products that were contaminated with asbestos. He was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in January 2023. Forty years later.
The jury found in favor of Cipriano and his wife Maria after a trial that lasted more than a month — and they did it despite Avon’s attempts to undermine Mr. Ramirez’s credibility and cast doubt on the science.
The jury saw through that. This verdict sent a clear message: Companies cannot hide behind their branding while exposing workers to lethal toxins.
Mr. Ramirez wasn’t a pipefitter or an insulation worker. He was a janitor. And that matters, because it shows how pervasive this exposure was — it wasn’t just the people working directly with the product. It was everyone in that building.
Why can people sue for mesothelioma?
People can sue for mesothelioma because this disease is entirely preventable. For decades, asbestos companies knew this mineral was dangerous, but they continued to mine it and use it in products without warning the public about the risks. Those decisions put profits ahead of safety, and people are still paying the price for that today.
Filing a mesothelioma lawsuit is about accountability. When companies choose to ignore known risks or hide them altogether, the law provides a way to hold them responsible for the harm they caused.
We can uncover what companies knew and when they knew it, while also seeking compensation for the medical, financial, and personal losses families have suffered.
How does filing work if your loved one passes away?
When a loved one passes away from mesothelioma, their family may still be able to pursue a legal claim. In these cases, the claim is typically filed as a wrongful death lawsuit, which allows family members to seek compensation for medical bills, funeral expenses, and the financial and emotional impact of losing someone.
We’ve helped spouses, children, parents, siblings, and estate representatives take action after a loved one’s death, making sure their story is heard and their experience isn’t overlooked.
Filing a mesothelioma claim in these situations is about more than compensation — it’s about honoring your loved one’s legacy, recognizing the impact of what they endured, and seeking justice from the companies responsible for their illness.
How do mesothelioma cases work?
Mesothelioma cases are complex and require a team approach. We identify how and when someone was exposed to asbestos, figure out which products were involved, and uncover what the companies that made or sold those products knew about the risks. This can involve reviewing medical records, work history, product information, and corporate documents.
Most cases are resolved through mesothelioma settlements, which often provide families with compensation without the time and uncertainty of a trial. But not every company will settle voluntarily, and some cases require going to court to hold them accountable.
I’ve taken cases to trial where the evidence was overwhelming — and the company still fought us every step of the way. That’s the reality of mesothelioma litigation. These are billion-dollar corporations with teams of defense attorneys, and they do not settle easily. Clients need a firm that has been in that room and won.
These companies have the resources to fight indefinitely. My job is to make sure that doesn’t work.
How do mesothelioma trial lawyers prepare a case for trial?
When a mesothelioma lawsuit goes to trial, our team works hard to prepare every aspect of the case. We’ll gather evidence, track down witnesses, and bring in medical and industry experts to help tell your story clearly and effectively to a jury.
With 20 years of experience as an attorney, I know how to anticipate the tactics the defense may use and plan accordingly to protect our clients’ interests. If you’re asked to give a statement or answer questions during a deposition, we’ll prepare you thoroughly and will be by your side every step of the way.
Our goal is to make the process as straightforward and easy as possible, so you always feel comfortable and know what to expect.
How long do families have to file asbestos claims?
Each state has a law that sets a time limit for filing asbestos claims called the statute of limitations. This period varies and can depend on factors like when a loved one was diagnosed or when they passed away. In most states, families have 1 to 3 years from the date of diagnosis or death to file a claim.
Because these deadlines are strict, it’s important to contact an attorney and get started with the legal process as soon as possible. Acting promptly can help ensure you have the opportunity to seek justice and compensation from an asbestos claim.
What if someone doesn’t remember how they were exposed to asbestos?
Many people who develop mesothelioma or their families don’t remember exactly when or how they were exposed — and that’s completely normal. Asbestos was used in so many products and workplaces without any warnings for decades, so exposure can be hard to pinpoint.
Our job is to piece together that asbestos exposure history for you. We have professional investigators on staff and extensive resources to trace exposure, including documentation of asbestos use at thousands of job sites across the country.
Mesothelioma litigation is cumulative, and the firm has assembled quite an array of evidence, which can give us a head start in building a strong case. When a new client comes to me, I’m often already familiar with the ship they served on, the brake manufacturer they worked with, the facility where they were exposed. That evidence doesn’t disappear between cases.
For clients, that means we’re not starting from scratch. We already have the evidence — sometimes literally in the form of documents these companies spent decades trying to keep out of courtrooms.
Even if someone doesn’t remember all the details of their asbestos exposure, our team has the tools and experience needed to uncover the truth.
How much are mesothelioma cases worth?
What I can tell you is that these cases account for a lifetime of exposure, a diagnosis that changes everything, medical costs that accumulate fast, and the impact on a spouse, children, a family that’s now carrying something they didn’t expect. All of that gets weighed. The companies responsible for this knew the risks and chose profit over safety — and juries understand that.
What a case is worth depends entirely on the facts. My job is to make sure none of those facts get left on the table, so compensation is meaningful for families who need it.
What motivates you to represent mesothelioma patients and their loved ones?
Honestly, it’s the clients. You sit across from someone who spent 30 years doing honest work — serving their country, going to work each day, or providing for their families — and they’re now facing a diagnosis with a median survival of 12 months.
They didn’t know. Nobody told them. And the companies that made those products did know, for decades, and made a calculation that it was cheaper to pay claims than to stop using asbestos. That calculation is what I wake up thinking about.
These aren’t cases where the facts are murky. The documents exist. The internal memos exist. My job is to make sure those documents see a courtroom, and that the people who made those decisions are held accountable by a jury of their peers — not quietly settled away where nobody finds out what happened.
Simmons Hanly Conroy: Fighting for Asbestos Exposure Victims Nationwide
At Simmons Hanly Conroy, our asbestos attorneys can help victims in all 50 states seek justice after a mesothelioma diagnosis.
Find out why families put their trust in our firm:
- Over 25 years of asbestos litigation experience
- No hourly fees or out-of-pocket costs
- More than $10.6 billion secured for mesothelioma clients
You don’t have to navigate the legal process alone. Let our mesothelioma trial attorneys put their resources and decades of experience to work for you.
Call (800) 326-8900 now or fill out our contact form to get started with a free legal consultation.
