Construction Laborers
Union locals: LIUNA Local 1 (Chicago) · Locals under Chicago Laborers’ District Council and Downstate IL Laborers’ DC (Locals 218, 397 Metro East)
How Construction Laborers Were Exposed to Asbestos
During normal duties, Construction Laborers 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:
- Tear-off and demolition of insulated piping, boilers, and equipment
- Cleanup of asbestos debris and dust from work areas
- Mixing and tending insulating cement for insulators
- Hauling waste asbestos materials to dumpsters before abatement standards
- General labor in refineries, mills, and power plants during outages
Why This Matters for Illinois Workers
If you worked as an construction laborers 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.
☎ (314) 588-0558