🏛 Asbestos Exposure by State
Asbestos exposure was concentrated in specific industries and facilities — refineries, shipyards, steel mills, power plants, and chemical plants. Each state's industrial history shaped the pattern of exposure. Find your state to see which specific facilities operated, which occupations were most at risk, and what state-specific regulations govern testing and removal today.
These states had the highest concentrations of asbestos-intensive industry and are covered with facility-level detail, occupational history, state testing and removal regulations, and statute of limitations information.
Every state sets a deadline — the statute of limitations (SOL) — for filing an asbestos lawsuit. The clock typically starts from the date of diagnosis, not the date of exposure. Missing this deadline can permanently bar your right to compensation.
| State | SOL (Personal Injury) | SOL (Wrongful Death) | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 2 years from diagnosis | 2 years from death | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §16.003 |
| California | 1 year from diagnosis | 1 year from death | CCP §340.2 |
| Pennsylvania | 2 years from diagnosis | 2 years from death | 42 Pa. C.S. §5524 |
| Louisiana | 1 year from diagnosis | 1 year from death | La. Civ. Code Art. 3492 |
| Washington | 3 years from diagnosis | 3 years from death | RCW 4.16.190 |
| Virginia | 2 years from diagnosis | 2 years from death | Va. Code §8.01-249 |
| West Virginia | 2 years from diagnosis | 2 years from death | WV Code §55-2-12 |
| Maryland | 3 years from diagnosis | 3 years from death | Md. Code Cts. & Jud. Proc. §5-108 |
SOL information is for general reference only and is not legal advice. Consult a mesothelioma attorney in your state to confirm current deadlines and any applicable exceptions.
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