Carpenters
Union locals: Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council — Local 13 (Chicago) · Local 174 (Joliet/Will County) · regional locals downstate
How Carpenters Were Exposed to Asbestos
During normal duties, Carpenters were routinely exposed to asbestos-containing materials in Illinois industrial, commercial, and public construction work from the 1930s through the 1980s. Documented exposure pathways drawn from public litigation records and industrial hygiene literature include:
- Cutting and sanding asbestos-cement transite siding and roofing
- Removing vinyl-asbestos floor tile during renovation
- Installing ceiling tile with asbestos-containing backing
- Working with asbestos-containing joint compound and texture sprays
- Demolition framing through walls insulated with asbestos batt
Why This Matters for Illinois Workers
If you worked as an carpenters in Illinois during the asbestos era and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, or pleural disease, you may have a legal claim — even if your employer is no longer in business. Many asbestos product manufacturers have established bankruptcy trust funds that continue to pay qualified claimants based on documented exposure history.
Illinois Filing Deadlines — Two Separate Clocks
Illinois keeps the personal-injury clock (735 ILCS 5/13-202 — 2 years from diagnosis) and the wrongful-death clock (740 ILCS 180/2 — 2 years from date of death) on separate, independent tracks. Preserving one does not extend the other. An experienced Illinois asbestos attorney can keep both options open as your situation evolves.
Talk to an Experienced Illinois Asbestos Attorney
A free, confidential consultation with O’Brien Law Firm can evaluate your specific exposure history and filing-deadline situation. No fee unless they recover compensation.
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