Zayed Law Offices is proud to serve Chicago and communities across Illinois with experienced personal injury representation, including cases involving asbestos exposure. For decades, asbestos was widely used in construction materials, insulation, automotive parts, and industrial equipment throughout Chicago’s factories, shipyards, and job sites. Even though its dangers have long been known, many workers and their families were never properly warned of the risks, and asbestos-related illnesses often do not appear until decades after exposure occurred.
Diseases caused by asbestos exposure, including mesothelioma and asbestosis, are serious and often life-threatening. Zayed Law Offices works to investigate these claims thoroughly, tracing exposure back to specific products, employers, or job sites, and pursuing compensation from the companies responsible.
Diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness in Chicago? Contact Zayed Law Offices for the representation you deserve — no fee unless we win.
How Asbestos Exposure Happens
Asbestos exposure most often occurred in workplaces where the mineral’s fire-resistant and insulating properties made it a popular material before its dangers were widely disclosed. Common sources of exposure include:
- Insulation materials in older buildings and industrial facilities
- Construction and demolition work involving older structures
- Shipyards and maritime vessels, where asbestos was used extensively
- Automotive parts, including brake pads and clutches
- Industrial and manufacturing facilities
- Power plants and refineries
- Roofing, flooring, and other building materials
- Secondary exposure from a family member’s contaminated work clothing
Because asbestos fibers are microscopic and often disturbed during renovation, demolition, or routine maintenance, individuals may have been exposed without any immediate warning signs, sometimes for years before symptoms of illness appeared.
Diseases Caused by Asbestos Exposure
Asbestos exposure is linked to several serious and often fatal diseases that can take decades to develop after the initial exposure. Zayed Law Offices represents clients and families dealing with:
- Mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer affecting the lining of the lungs, abdomen, or heart
- Asbestosis, a chronic lung disease causing scarring and breathing difficulty
- Lung cancer linked to asbestos exposure
- Pleural plaques and thickening
- Other asbestos-related respiratory illnesses
Because these conditions often take twenty to fifty years to develop after exposure, many victims are retirees who were exposed decades earlier during their working years, making it especially important to carefully document a full occupational history.
Identifying Responsible Parties in Asbestos Cases
Asbestos litigation often involves tracing a victim’s exposure history across multiple employers, job sites, and products used over the course of a career. Potentially responsible parties may include:
- Manufacturers of asbestos-containing products
- Employers who failed to provide adequate protective equipment or warnings
- Property owners where asbestos materials were present
- Contractors and subcontractors who worked with asbestos materials
- Distributors and suppliers of asbestos-containing products
Because many companies responsible for asbestos exposure have faced widespread litigation, some have established trust funds specifically to compensate victims, in addition to potential claims against parties who have not yet been held accountable.
Illinois’ Statute of Limitations for Asbestos Claims
Illinois generally requires personal injury claims to be filed within two years of the date an asbestos-related illness was discovered, or reasonably should have been discovered. Because asbestos diseases have such long latency periods, the discovery rule plays a particularly critical role in these cases, often allowing victims to pursue claims decades after their original exposure once a diagnosis is made. Consulting an attorney promptly after a diagnosis helps ensure important deadlines are not missed.
Illinois’ Modified Comparative Fault Rule
Illinois follows a modified comparative fault rule, meaning an injured victim can recover compensation as long as they are found less than 51 percent at fault for their own harm. In most asbestos cases, responsibility rests with the manufacturers, employers, and property owners who exposed workers to asbestos without adequate warnings or protection, rather than the workers themselves.
What to Do If You Have Been Diagnosed with an Asbestos-Related Illness
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or another asbestos-related condition, taking the right steps can help protect your legal rights.
- Seek appropriate medical treatment and request complete copies of your diagnostic records
- Document your full work history, including employers, job sites, and specific tasks performed
- Identify any known asbestos-containing products or materials you worked with
- Speak with former coworkers who may recall your work environment
- Avoid signing any statements from a company’s insurer before speaking with an attorney
The sooner Zayed Law Offices becomes involved, the sooner we can begin investigating your exposure history and identifying every responsible party.
Why Chicago Families Trust Zayed Law Offices
Zayed Law Offices is a nationally recognized personal injury firm known for taking on complex, high-stakes claims against corporations responsible for decades-old harm. Led by attorney Adam Zayed, the firm has represented injured clients and families throughout Cook County, including matters brought before the Cook County Circuit Court at the Richard J. Daley Center, and understands the detailed investigative work required to trace an asbestos diagnosis back to its source.
Asbestos cases require patience, resources, and a thorough understanding of a victim’s occupational history. Our team works to identify every available source of compensation, including litigation claims and asbestos trust funds, allowing clients and their families to focus on treatment and time together. Consultations are always free, and there is no fee unless we win your case.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chicago Asbestos Claims
Why did it take so long for my illness to develop? Asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma often have latency periods of twenty to fifty years, meaning symptoms may not appear until decades after the original exposure occurred.
How long do I have to file a claim after being diagnosed? Illinois generally requires claims to be filed within two years of when the illness was discovered or reasonably should have been discovered, with the discovery rule playing a central role given the long latency of these diseases.
What if I don’t remember every job site where I may have been exposed? An attorney can help investigate your work history, including employment records and coworker testimony, to help identify all potential sources of exposure.
Can I file a claim if I was exposed through a family member’s work clothing? Yes. Secondary or “take-home” asbestos exposure has been recognized as a basis for claims in many cases, and an attorney can help evaluate the specific circumstances involved.
What compensation might be available for an asbestos-related illness? Depending on the case, victims may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and in some cases, compensation from asbestos trust funds established by responsible companies.
What does it cost to hire Zayed Law Offices? Nothing upfront. Zayed Law Offices handles asbestos exposure cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning there is no cost unless we recover compensation for you.
Contact Zayed Law Offices Today
Victims and families across Chicago have trusted Zayed Law Offices when they needed a powerful advocate after an asbestos-related diagnosis. Don’t wait — important filing deadlines could limit your right to recover. Contact Zayed Law Offices today for your free consultation.
Visit Our Personal Injury Law Office in Chicago, IL
Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys
10 S La Salle St STE 1230, Chicago, IL 60603
(312) 726-1616
Business Hours: 24/7
