If you or someone you love has been affected by the presence of asbestos in your home, workplace or environment, you may be entitled to financial compensation. If you can trace your asbestos exposure back to the Western MacArthur Company – one of the major manufacturers of asbestos products in the 1900s – you may qualify for compensation from the Western Asbestos Trust.
For assistance with an asbestos trust fund claim, contact Bailey & Glasser, LLP. Our attorneys have years of experience handling asbestos and mesothelioma claims across the country. We have what it takes to help you pursue financial compensation for your serious illness or a loved one’s death from the Western MacArthur Trust.
What Is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a group of six minerals that have all been confirmed as carcinogenic by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. This means they can potentially cause cancer in those who are exposed to these minerals. Asbestos takes the form of microscopic fibers and particles that can become airborne if disturbed. Anyone in the area could inhale or ingest the asbestos particles and eventually become ill.
One illness associated with asbestos is mesothelioma. This is an aggressive type of cancer that forms in the mesothelial tissues, or the protective membrane around the lungs, heart, abdomen and other areas of the body. The most common type is pleural mesothelioma, which can be caused by breathing asbestos particles into the lungs. When asbestos enters the body, it can get stuck there for many years. Over time, the presence of these particles can cause enough irritation and damage to lead to cancer and other serious illnesses.
What Asbestos Products Is Western MacArthur Responsible For?
The MacArthur Company was founded in 1913 as a manufacturer of pipe coverings that contained asbestos as a key ingredient. Asbestos was used for many pipe insulation materials to add strength, durability and heat resistance to the products. In 1967, MacArthur Company merged with Western Asbestos to form Western MacArthur. It continued to manufacture asbestos products until the late 1970s, when the Environmental Protection Agency began regulating the use of this toxic mineral in consumer goods.
Western MacArthur was responsible for the following widely used asbestos products:
- 1-V Insulation Cement
- 7-V Insulation Cement
- Low Pressure Pipe Cover
- No. 1 Insulation Cement
- No. 28 Insulation Cement
- Unifil Vermiculite Insulation
The people who are most at risk of developing asbestos-related illnesses from items produced by Western MacArthur are those who worked with or around these products, such as construction workers, insulation installers, pipefitters, plumbers, electricians, boiler workers, maintenance crews, shipyard workers, and industrial or factory workers.
Members of the armed forces, including the U.S. Navy, could also be at risk of health issues related to Western MacArthur products in shipyards. Anyone who lived with these workers could be at risk of secondhand asbestos exposure, where particles of asbestos are carried home on the worker’s clothing. Finally, people living in homes built with these asbestos-containing materials could be a risk of exposure if they are disturbed, such as during renovation projects.
What Is the Western Asbestos Trust?
Beginning in the 1970s, people began filing lawsuits against Western MacArthur Company for injuries and illnesses caused by exposure to the manufacturer’s asbestos-containing products. The costs of litigation and settlement payments for affected individuals eventually led to Western MacArthur filing for bankruptcy in 2002.
By 2004, the company had established the Western Asbestos Settlement Trust to compensate victims of asbestos exposure. Asbestos trust funds are reserves set up by manufacturing companies and supplied with money to compensate people who are diagnosed with mesothelioma and other serious illnesses due to asbestos being present in the company’s products.
How Much Compensation Is Available From the Trust?
The Western Asbestos Trust began with $2 billion in funds. It currently has around $500 million still available to reimburse asbestos-exposure victims. Claimants may be eligible for payment from the trust for the illnesses and losses they have suffered because of the company’s contaminated products. The financial compensation available from a trust fund claim could help a claimant pay for medical bills, lost wages and other damages associated with a mesothelioma diagnosis.
The potential value of your asbestos trust fund claim will depend on your unique situation. Claim values are calculated using information specific to each claimant, such as the victim’s diagnosis, prognosis for the future, severity of current symptoms, how many other claimants have access to the funds and the time of application. Values are also based on Trust Distribution Procedures, which vary across different funds. The Western Asbestos Trust has indexed base case values, for example, which currently stand at $313,000 for economic losses and $353,000 for medical losses as of 2023.
What Is the Current Western MacArthur Settlement Trust Payment Percentage?
Like all asbestos trust funds, the Western Asbestos Trust operates on payment percentage. It currently pays out 51.1 percent of a claim’s value. This is one of the highest payment percentages of all asbestos product manufacturing company trust funds. Payment percentages are in place to help preserve the funds so that they will remain available for future victims of asbestos exposure. The payment percentage is reconsidered by Western MacArthur once every three years and may be increased or decreased.
How to File a Claim With the Western Asbestos Trust Fund
The Western Asbestos Trust offers an online claims filing system that can be complicated to navigate on your own. Bailey & Glasser, LLP has attorneys and staff who are well-versed in how these systems work. We can navigate your claim for you, such as obtaining and submitting the required documentation to support your case. This may include asbestos exposure evidence and medical records that prove your diagnosis.
Help for Victims of Asbestos Exposure From Western MacArthur
To determine if you are eligible for compensation from the Western Asbestos Trust, consult with an attorney at Bailey & Glasser, LLP. We will carefully review your case to help you understand your legal options. If we find that you qualify for an asbestos trust fund claim, we can help you with the filing process.
To learn more about your rights as a victim of asbestos exposure, contact us to request a free case consultation. Our attorneys can help you file a claim with the Western Asbestos Trust for injuries caused by Western MacArthur, as well as explore the possibility of filing a mesothelioma lawsuit against the manufacturing company. A trust fund claim might not be your only option for pursuing financial compensation. Call (866) 871-7971 for more information.
