Kokomo Mesothelioma Lawyer

Were you or a loved one diagnosed with mesothelioma in Kokomo?

At Ward & Ward Personal Injury Lawyers, we are trial-tested mesothelioma attorneys committed to thorough preparation in every matter.

If you or someone in your family has received a mesothelioma diagnosis tied to asbestos exposure in or around Kokomo, you may be facing significant medical bills, lost income, and difficult treatment decisions. An experienced attorney can help you identify every responsible party and pursue the compensation your family needs. Ward & Ward Personal Injury Lawyers has been representing injured clients for more than three decades, and we handle mesothelioma cases on a contingency basis. Reach out to our firm to speak with a Kokomo, IN mesothelioma lawyer about your claim.

Mesothelioma Lawyer Kokomo, IN

Mesothelioma is a cancer that forms in the mesothelium, the thin tissue lining the lungs, abdomen, and other internal organs. It is caused almost exclusively by exposure to asbestos fibers. Indiana recorded more than 1,120 mesothelioma deaths between 1999 and 2017, with the state’s industrial corridors driving much of that toll. The disease takes 20 to 50 years to develop after initial exposure, which means workers who handled asbestos decades ago in Kokomo’s auto plants and steel facilities are still receiving diagnoses today.

A mesothelioma attorney in Kokomo, IN helps patients and families pursue claims against the manufacturers, suppliers, and employers who used asbestos-containing materials despite knowing the risks. These claims may include personal injury lawsuits, wrongful death actions, and filings against asbestos bankruptcy trust funds. Because the disease is so aggressive, early legal action matters.

Types of Mesothelioma Cases We Handle in Kokomo

Ward & Ward Personal Injury Lawyers represents mesothelioma patients and their families across a range of exposure circumstances. Kokomo’s manufacturing history left behind significant asbestos contamination in facilities that employed thousands of local workers. The following are the types of cases we pursue on behalf of our clients.

• Asbestos. Many Kokomo workers were exposed to asbestos insulation, gaskets, and brake components in factories and industrial buildings. These claims hold manufacturers and employers accountable for failing to warn workers or provide adequate protection. We investigate each client’s full work history to identify responsible parties.
• Occupational mesothelioma claims. Machinists, maintenance workers, pipefitters, and electricians who worked in Kokomo’s industrial plants faced some of the highest levels of asbestos contact. Occupational claims connect the specific job duties to the asbestos products used at each facility.
• Secondary exposure claims. Family members of industrial workers sometimes developed mesothelioma after breathing in asbestos fibers brought home on clothing, shoes, or hair. These take-home exposure claims target the same manufacturers and employers responsible for the original workplace contamination.
• Wrongful death claims. When a mesothelioma patient passes away, Indiana law allows surviving family members to file after death within two years. These actions seek compensation for funeral costs, lost financial support, and the pain endured before death.
• Veterans’ asbestos claims. Military service members who were stationed at Indiana bases or served on ships and in facilities insulated with asbestos may have grounds for both VA benefits and civil claims. Indiana has a documented history of veteran asbestos exposure tied to military installations and defense contractors.
• Product liability claims. Asbestos was used in thousands of commercial products, from pipe insulation to automotive parts. When a specific product can be linked to a patient’s exposure, we pursue the manufacturer under Indiana’s product liability laws.
• Construction and demolition exposure. Workers who built, renovated, or demolished older buildings in Kokomo encountered asbestos in floor tiles, roofing materials, joint compounds, and pipe wrap. Many of these safety violations went unaddressed for decades.
• Asbestos trust fund claims. Dozens of former asbestos manufacturers have established bankruptcy trust funds to compensate victims. We identify which trusts apply to each client’s exposure history and file claims on their behalf to recover additional compensation.

Why Choose Ward & Ward Personal Injury Lawyers as My Mesothelioma Lawyer in Kokomo, IN?

Decades of Plaintiff-Side Trial Work

Charles P. Ward and Donald W. Ward founded the firm on a straightforward principle: injured people deserve dedicated, prepared representation. Donald Ward has spent 72 years practicing law in Indiana and was a former Deputy Trial Prosecutor for Marion County. Charles Ward clerked for Justice Richard M. Givan on the Indiana Supreme Court before entering private practice in 1989. Together, they bring more than a century of combined trial preparation to every mesothelioma case.

Both attorneys hold AV Preeminent Peer Review Ratings from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest distinction for professional ability and ethical standards. Charles Ward has been recognized by Super Lawyers every year since 2005 and is listed among the Best Lawyers in America. Donald Ward received the Indiana Bar Foundation Legendary Lawyer Award in 2015 and served as President of the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association. That is the kind of preparation and recognition you want from a personal injury lawyer in Kokomo, IN.

Ward & Ward Personal Injury Lawyers has helped clients recover millions of dollars in personal injury matters. We handle mesothelioma cases on a contingency fee basis, which means there are no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.

What Is Important to Understand About a Mesothelioma Case?

Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Mesothelioma Cases

Mesothelioma claims involve several categories of damages. Understanding them helps you evaluate what your case may be worth.

• Medical expenses. This includes surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, hospital stays, prescription costs, and ongoing palliative care. Mesothelioma treatment is among the most expensive of any cancer.
• Lost wages and earning capacity. Many patients are unable to work after diagnosis. Compensation covers both past income and the wages a patient would have earned going forward.
• Pain and suffering. The physical pain, emotional distress, and diminished quality of life caused by mesothelioma are compensable under Indiana law.
• Wrongful death damages. If a patient dies from mesothelioma, surviving family members may recover funeral expenses, loss of companionship, and the financial support the deceased would have provided.

Liability in mesothelioma cases typically falls on the companies that manufactured, distributed, or installed asbestos-containing products. Indiana follows a modified comparative fault standard, meaning a plaintiff may still recover damages so long as they were not more at fault than the defendant. Multiple defendants are common in asbestos litigation, and each may bear a share of responsibility.

What Are Important Aspects of a Mesothelioma Case?

Mesothelioma litigation differs from most other personal injury claims in several important ways. The latency period between exposure and diagnosis, often spanning 20 to 50 years, creates unique challenges around evidence preservation and identifying the right defendants.

• Exposure history documentation. Your attorney must reconstruct where you worked, what products you handled, and which companies manufactured those products. Employment records and co-worker testimony are often critical.
• Medical causation. A physician must confirm that your mesothelioma was caused by asbestos exposure. This typically involves pathology reports and testimony from medical professionals.
• Defendant identification. Multiple manufacturers, employers, and distributors may share liability. A thorough investigation determines which companies are still solvent and which have established trust funds.
• Statute of limitations compliance. Indiana gives mesothelioma patients two years from the date of diagnosis to file a personal injury claim under Ind. Code § 34-11-2-4. Missing that deadline typically bars the claim entirely.

What Is the Mesothelioma Case Timeline?

Every case moves at its own pace, but most mesothelioma claims follow a similar structure. Given the seriousness of the diagnosis, courts often expedite proceedings for terminally ill plaintiffs.

• Initial consultation and case evaluation. The attorney reviews your diagnosis, work history, and potential exposure sources.
• Investigation and evidence gathering. The legal team collects medical records, employment documentation, deposition testimony, and product identification evidence.
• Filing the lawsuit. Claims are filed against identified defendants in the appropriate jurisdiction.
• Discovery and depositions. Both sides exchange evidence. Depositions may be taken on an accelerated schedule due to the patient’s health.
• Settlement negotiations or trial. Many mesothelioma settlements are reached before trial, but Ward & Ward prepares every case as if it will go to a jury.

What Should You Bring to Your Mesothelioma Consultation?

Gathering the right documents before your first meeting helps your attorney evaluate your case more quickly. The more detail you can provide about your exposure history, the stronger your claim will be.

• Employment records, pay stubs, or W-2s from jobs where you may have been exposed to asbestos
• Medical records and pathology reports confirming your mesothelioma diagnosis
• Names and locations of employers and jobsites where asbestos was present
• Any correspondence from former employers or government agencies about asbestos exposure
• Military service records, if applicable

Your consultation with Ward & Ward is free and confidential. We will review what you bring, explain your legal options, and outline the next steps if you decide to move forward.

Known Asbestos Exposure Sites in Kokomo

Kokomo’s industrial history left a significant asbestos footprint. Several facilities that employed thousands of area workers over the 20th century used asbestos-containing materials in their operations. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency designated the Continental Steel Corp. site, a 183-acre former steel mill on West Markland Avenue, as a federal Superfund site after the company declared bankruptcy in 1986.

Other Kokomo facilities linked to asbestos exposure include:

• Chrysler Corporation transmission and casting plants
• Delco Electronics and Delco Radio Division facilities
• Haynes Stellite Division (now Haynes International)
• General Motors and General Electric operations
• Kokomo Foundry and Kokomo Casting Plant
• Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company
• Kingston Products
• Union Carbide Corporation

Workers at these sites handled asbestos in brake pads, clutch facings, pipe insulation, gaskets, and furnace linings. OSHA has stated that there is no safe level of asbestos exposure, and even short-duration contact can contribute to mesothelioma risk. According to the CDC, the United States reported 2,669 new mesothelioma cases in 2022 alone.

If you worked at any of these locations, or if a family member did, you may still have grounds for a claim. Indiana’s discovery rule means the statute of limitations begins at the date of diagnosis, not the date of exposure.

Reach Out to Ward & Ward Personal Injury Lawyers to Schedule a Consultation

Ward & Ward Personal Injury Lawyers represents mesothelioma patients and their families throughout Kokomo and across Indiana. We handle every mesothelioma case on a contingency fee basis, so you will not owe attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. Your initial consultation is free and confidential. Our attorneys respond promptly and will work with you to build the strongest possible case. Contact us to schedule a free case review with an experienced Kokomo mesothelioma attorney today.