Pennsylvania Asbestos Exposure Background
Pennsylvania was a powerhouse of American industry for over a century. Its steel mills, coal mines, oil refineries, shipyards, and manufacturing plants made it one of the most asbestos-intensive states in the country. The Pittsburgh region's steel industry and the Philadelphia area's naval operations exposed hundreds of thousands of workers to dangerous asbestos levels.
Pennsylvania Statute of Limitations
Pennsylvania deadline: Under 42 Pa. C.S. § 5524, you have 2 years from the date you knew or reasonably should have known of your asbestos-related injury and its cause to file a personal injury claim. In practice, this means 2 years from the date of your mesothelioma diagnosis. Wrongful death claims also carry a 2-year deadline from the date of death.
Major Asbestos Exposure Sites in Pennsylvania
Shipyards (Philadelphia)
- Philadelphia Naval Shipyard — One of the oldest and most active naval shipyards in US history; closed in 1995 but employed tens of thousands during its peak years
- Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Chester
- Bethlehem Steel Shipyard, Sparrows Point (adjacent Philadelphia region)
Steel Industry (Pittsburgh Region)
- Bethlehem Steel, Bethlehem
- U.S. Steel, Edgar Thomson Plant, Braddock
- Jones & Laughlin Steel, Pittsburgh
- Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel, Monessen
Coal Mining & Power
- Anthracite coal mines in Northeastern Pennsylvania (Luzerne, Schuylkill counties)
- Bituminous coal operations in Western Pennsylvania
- PECO Energy (Philadelphia) power generating stations
- PP&L (now PPL Corporation) power plants statewide
Advertisement
Pennsylvania Asbestos Litigation
Philadelphia has one of the most active asbestos court dockets in the country, administered through Philadelphia County's Court of Common Pleas. The Philadelphia asbestos program is known for efficient case management and has produced significant plaintiff verdicts in mesothelioma cases. Pittsburgh (Allegheny County) also handles substantial asbestos litigation.