Why Wilmington Families Choose Meirowitz & Wasserberg
Wilmington families choose Meirowitz & Wasserberg because we have recovered millions for clients in North Carolina and across the country. Our office at 105 N. 6th St. in the Historic District gives Wilmington families direct access to our national trial experience close to home.
Many Wilmington mesothelioma cases trace directly to the city’s wartime shipbuilding boom, its proximity to Camp Lejeune and chemical and industrial facilities along the Cape Fear River. These cases connect to specific companies, products and decades of Wilmington’s history. Our attorneys know how to trace exposure and hold responsible manufacturers accountable.
We build every Wilmington case in accordance with the state’s legal standards, gathering detailed documentation and anticipating defendants’ strategies. Samuel Meirowitz and Daniel Wasserberg hold active North Carolina licenses and handle Wilmington cases personally. Our team communicates in 15+ languages, ensuring every family gets clear counsel.
Wilmington Mesothelioma Compensation Results
Meirowitz & Wasserberg has secured significant compensation for people diagnosed with mesothelioma, with some settlements exceeding $17 million. Many of our results connect directly to the kinds of exposure that defined Wilmington’s industrial and military history.
Our Results for Mesothelioma Clients
- $17.5M settlement: Our attorneys negotiated this settlement for the daughter of an insulator who worked at industrial jobsites across the Carolinas and developed mesothelioma from secondhand asbestos exposure.
- $4.5M settlement: We negotiated this settlement for a shipyard laborer whose asbestos exposure was consistent with what workers at Wilmington’s North Carolina Shipbuilding Company experienced for decades.
- $3.6M settlement: A Navy boiler tender who went on to work in the boiler rooms at CIA headquarters received this negotiated settlement. The case required tracing exposure across both military and civilian careers.
- $2.6M settlement: A machinist mate in the U.S. Navy whose exposure was connected to asbestos-laden ship systems received this settlement our attorneys negotiated on their behalf. Military asbestos exposure was common among Wilmington-area veterans.
- $2.45M settlement: We negotiated this settlement for a shipyard worker who later became an auto mechanic and developed lung cancer from asbestos exposure.
Our past case results results don’t guarantee a specific outcome in other cases. They reflect our understanding of the industries that shaped Wilmington and our commitment to pursuing the compensation our clients deserve.
Compensation Options for Wilmington Families
People diagnosed with mesothelioma in Wilmington and across southeastern North Carolina often qualify for more than one type of compensation through lawsuits, trust funds, workers’ compensation and VA benefits. Wilmington’s exposure history spans shipbuilding, military service, chemical manufacturing and construction, so responsible companies and the compensation options can vary significantly for each person.
How Wilmington Mesothelioma Clients Can Seek Compensation
- Asbestos trust funds: More than 60 active trust funds have more than $30 billion to support people with asbestos-related diseases. Several companies that supplied asbestos products to Wilmington’s shipyards, chemical plants and military facilities contributed to these funds.
- Personal injury lawsuits: If you have a mesothelioma diagnosis, you can file a lawsuit directly against the companies whose products caused your exposure.
- VA benefits: Camp Lejeune, located just 45 miles from Wilmington, exposed generations of Marines and their families to asbestos in barracks, vehicles and base facilities. Veterans who develop mesothelioma may qualify for VA disability compensation and health care.
- Workers’ compensation: If you experienced asbestos exposure at a North Carolina jobsite, you may qualify for workers’ compensation benefits.
- Wrongful death lawsuits: If you lost a family member to mesothelioma, you may be eligible to file a wrongful death lawsuit.
Every Wilmington mesothelioma case is different. Our attorneys review the details of your work history, military service and medical records to identify all compensation sources available to you.
Asbestos Exposure Sites in Wilmington
Wilmington’s Cape Fear River waterfront was home to shipbuilding, chemical manufacturing and industrial activity for generations. North Carolina ranks ninth in the nation for mesothelioma cases. Wilmington’s industrial corridor accounts for a significant share of that burden. Construction workers, shipyard laborers, chemical plant operators and military personnel who had careers in and around the city faced exposure risks.
Wilmington Asbestos Exposure Sites
- Allied Chemical, Wilmington: This chemical facility used asbestos in pipe insulation, equipment protection and building materials throughout its operations, exposing maintenance workers, operators and construction crews.
- Camp Lejeune, Jacksonville: Camp Lejeune used asbestos in its buildings, vehicles and equipment until the 1980s. Builders included asbestos in construction materials like insulation, flooring and pipes, putting military personnel and residents of on-base housing at risk. Located 45 miles from Wilmington, Camp Lejeune’s reach extended across the entire southeastern North Carolina region.
- Cape Fear Plant, Textile Fibers Department: This textile facility exposed workers to asbestos in machinery, boiler systems and building insulation throughout its operations.
- Horton Iron and Metal, Cape Fear River: The 42-acre Horton Iron and Metal Superfund site sits along the Northeast Cape Fear River. The site served as a shipbreaking facility during World War II and exposed workers to asbestos throughout ship dismantling operations. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lists this site on its Superfund cleanup registry.
- New Hanover County schools: Many older school buildings across Wilmington and New Hanover County used asbestos in floor tiles, ceiling materials, insulation and boiler rooms. Teachers, custodians and maintenance workers who spent careers in these buildings faced regular exposure.
- North Carolina Shipbuilding Company: The North Carolina Shipbuilding Company built more than 200 ships during World War II, including 54 vessels for the U.S. Navy. At its peak, it employed more than 20,000 workers. Asbestos appeared in virtually every part of shipbuilding, from boiler rooms and engine rooms to pipe insulation and sleeping quarters. A 2001 lawsuit connected this shipyard to asbestos exposure during the 1940s.
- Wilmington Chemical Terminal: This industrial facility handled chemical products and exposed workers to asbestos in pipe insulation, equipment and building systems throughout its operational history.
- Wilmington construction sites: Southeastern North Carolina’s construction boom from the 1950s through the 1980s relied heavily on asbestos-containing materials in flooring, ceiling tiles, insulation and roofing. Construction workers, electricians and plumbers across New Hanover County faced regular asbestos exposure during this period.
Family members who lived with someone who worked at Wilmington’s jobsites where asbestos exposure was common may have experienced secondary exposure and be able to pursue legal claims. Our attorneys can help you document the worksites and products responsible for the asbestos that was accidentally brought home to you on skin, clothes, hair and shoes to build a solid case. Contact us for a free consultation.
Filing a Mesothelioma Lawsuit in Wilmington
If you’re in Wilmington and want to pursue compensation, first schedule a free consultation with us. North Carolina Senate Bill 470 of 2018 requires mesothelioma patients to file claims with asbestos bankruptcy trusts before going to trial and share that information with defendants. Our attorneys manage this requirement as part of every case we handle.
Steps to Filing Your Wilmington Mesothelioma Lawsuit
- Free case evaluation: We review your diagnosis, work history and military service at no cost. We identify every exposure site, potentially responsible company and product involved.
- Case investigation: Our team gathers employment records, military service records, product documentation and witness testimony to document your exposure.
- Trust fund filings: Under North Carolina Senate Bill 470, trust fund claims must go forward before trial. Our attorneys identify every trust you qualify for and file all claims for you.
- Filing your lawsuit: We file your lawsuit in the New Hanover County Superior Court. We handle every deadline and document.
- Discovery and negotiation: Both sides exchange evidence and conduct depositions. North Carolina’s contributory negligence rule makes this phase critical. Our attorneys manage it entirely, building a case that leaves no opening for defendants to shift blame.
It’s important to work with experienced attorneys familiar with the complexities of North Carolina’s legal processes. It’s one of four states in the U.S. that follow pure contributory negligence. Under this rule, defendants may argue a person filing the lawsuit shares some portion of fault. We anticipate these tactics and build every Wilmington case to withstand them.
We’ll review your case and manage your lawsuit for you and your family. We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning we don’t receive money from you unless you receive compensation.
Meirowitz & Wasserberg’s Wilmington Mesothelioma Attorneys
Meirowitz & Wasserberg’s attorneys know North Carolina’s demanding legal standards and the city’s industrial and military exposure history. Co-founders Samuel Meirowitz and Daniel Wasserberg hold active North Carolina licenses and handle Wilmington cases personally.
Daniel Wasserberg has built his career on taking the most challenging cases. He’s succeeded with cases other firms declined or where defendants believed a plaintiff’s exposure history was too old or too complicated.
Samuel Meirowitz spent four years as a Bronx District Attorney. His understanding of the law, like North Carolina’s contributory negligence standard, has allowed him to secure landmark victories in cases across the country. He brings that dedication to every Wilmington case.
Attorney Robert Greenberg handles cases from our Wilmington office and brings direct local knowledge to every southeastern North Carolina case. His presence in Wilmington means our clients always have local, in-person support without sacrificing the national resources and trial experience our firm provides.
Wilmington Mesothelioma Lawyer FAQs
My exposure happened at the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company during World War II. Can I still file a claim decades later?
Yes. North Carolina’s statute of limitations starts at the date of diagnosis, not the date of exposure. Workers who built ships at the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company in the 1940s are still receiving mesothelioma diagnoses today because the disease takes 20 to 60 years to develop after asbestos exposure.
How does North Carolina's contributory negligence rule affect my mesothelioma case?
North Carolina is one of four states that follow pure contributory negligence. Under this rule, defendants may argue that you share some fault for your exposure in order to try to bar your claim entirely. However, we gather the evidence needed to document defendants’ responsibility and help our clients successfully pursue compensation.
How does the Horton Iron and Metal Superfund site connect to mesothelioma claims in Wilmington?
The Horton Iron and Metal site along the Northeast Cape Fear River served as a shipbreaking facility during World War II. Workers who dismantled ships at this site encountered asbestos in insulation, piping, engine rooms and boiler systems throughout the dismantling process.
What is North Carolina Senate Bill 470, and how does it affect my case?
North Carolina Senate Bill 470, which became law in 2018, requires mesothelioma plaintiffs to file all available asbestos bankruptcy trust fund claims within 30 days of filing a lawsuit and share that information with defendants. Courts can pause a lawsuit until all trust claims go forward.
Can I file a Wilmington mesothelioma claim if the company I worked for no longer exists?
Many of the companies responsible for asbestos exposure at Wilmington’s shipyards, chemical plants and military facilities went bankrupt decades ago. Before closing, many those companies established asbestos trust funds to compensate people who later receive mesothelioma diagnoses. More than 60 active trust funds hold more than $30 billion nationwide.
About The Author
Daniel Wasserberg
Founding Partner
Daniel Wasserberg, a founding partner of Meirowitz & Wasserberg, is a Best Lawyers-recognized and Super Lawyers-rated mesothelioma attorney with over 20 years of experience. Named a Top 100 Trial Lawyer and Top 10 Asbestos-Mesothelioma Lawyer, he leads the firm's national asbestos practice.
