Weitz & Luxenberg is continuing to retain and expand our dominance in handling asbestos exposure injury claims. Our firm stands out as a top filing law firm according to KCIC’s published annual industry report for 2025. Our firm’s leading role in this field is holding steady, as W&L continues to rank among the top three filing firms. KCIC’s report reflects claims filed through the end of January 2026. (1)
KCIC is a consulting firm that prepares its annual report specifically for defendant corporations, their counsel, and their insurers. Their goal is to help defendant companies manage their product liabilities. No national, comprehensive database exists officially for asbestos exposure filings. However, KCIC estimates that the organization analyzes 90% or more of all asbestos exposure and talc-related personal injury filings nationwide. (2)
Notable W&L Asbestos Exposure Filings in 2025
Weitz & Luxenberg is one of two firms that filed 500 or more asbestos-related personal injury lawsuits in 2025. In fact, W&L was the #2 firm nationally in 2025 for filing asbestos-related cases and #1 for all firms east of the Mississippi. W&L increased our filings by 53% from 2024 to 2025. (3)
Also, W&L was #1 nationally in filing talc-only exposure mesothelioma cases. This number is up 71.7% from 2024. (4)
Asbestos Exposure Illness Trends Across the Nation
By the end of January 2026, KCIC noted that 4,244 asbestos-related lawsuits were set in motion. KCIC expects law firms to continue to file more lawsuits for 2025 as 2026 continues. Overall case filings in the United States went up 5.8% from 2024 to 2025. (5)
In its report, KCIC separates asbestos court cases into four primary disease categories. Mesothelioma is the disease that continues to have the biggest impact on the total number of filed lawsuits. (6)
Here are the numbers for 2025: (7)
- Mesothelioma: 2,035.
- Lung cancer: 1,714.
- Other cancers: 109.
- Non-malignant: 272.
- Unknown: 114. (8)
Tragically, the number of firms filing talc-related asbestos exposure lawsuits is going up. In 2024, the total number of cases involving talc was 263. In 2025, that number increased to 386. (9)
In fact, 40% of KCIC’s 2025 lawsuits naming mesothelioma as the predominant illness included a talc component. This number should raise eyebrows for new possible defendants. Five years ago, a talc component was listed just 17% of the time. If this trend continues, new defendants will continue to emerge in the “scope of this already wide-reaching mass tort” litigation. (10)
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or another asbestos-related illness, you may have legal options. Speak with our experienced attorneys about your case at no cost.
Get a Free Case ReviewAsbestos Litigation and Gender
The percentage of men filing cases due to asbestos exposure continues to be higher than women: around 82%. The percentage of women filing asbestos exposure cases is around 18%. For asbestos talc filings specifically, 61.9% were male and 38.1% female. (11)
In 2025, the percentage of men filing mesothelioma claims was 74.1% and for women was 25.9%. For lung cancer, the percentage of men filing cases was even higher at 88.5%; women were 11.5%. (12)
Asbestos Litigation and Age
The report also considers age. Filings that do not include a date of birth for the plaintiff are not considered. (13)
The age reported is the plaintiff’s age at the time of the legal complaint. If the complaint names a deceased plaintiff, the person’s age at death is the age used. (14)
For 2025, the average age of all plaintiffs for all asbestos disease categories was 74 years. The plaintiffs ranged in age from 23 to 101 years. (15)
Of particular note, the youngest plaintiff at age 23 alleged he was exposed to talc only and did not claim traditional exposure to asbestos. The oldest plaintiff for 2025 originally filed his complaint in 2005. That case became part of a new consolidated lawsuit filed in 2025. The second oldest plaintiff was 97. He claimed both primary and secondary exposure to traditional asbestos-containing products. He also claimed exposure through use of talcum powder. (16)
Top Jurisdictions for 2025 Filings
The specific location where law firms file their cases is called the jurisdiction. In 2025, law firms filed their asbestos-related personal injury suits in 121 jurisdictions. This number is up by four from 2024. (17)
Just a few jurisdictions constituted most of the case filings. The top four jurisdictions for 2025 are identical dating back to 2023. The top four filing jurisdictions are: (18)
- Madison County, Illinois: 872.
- St. Clair, Illinois: 657.
- New York, New York: 399.
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: 380.
Three counties take turns switching places with each other during the past three years. These include: (19)
- Cook County, Illinois: 239, currently ranking fifth.
- St. Louis, Missouri: 176, currently ranking sixth.
- Wayne County, Michigan: 159, currently ranking seventh.
Los Angeles continues to rank eighth, having filed 135 lawsuits. This ranking has remained the same for past few years. (20)
W&L Makes It Our Mission to Help Clients
On day one, nearly four decades ago, Weitz & Luxenberg knew we had to make it our mission to help victims of asbestos exposure. Our clients suffered from terrible diseases, including one of the most deadly diseases out there, mesothelioma. One of the most heart-breaking truths is that these diseases are entirely preventable if corporations had simply chosen to do the right thing.
But they didn’t. They put profit first. The only thing that mattered to these corporations was their bottom line. They hoped their employees would not live long enough to develop an asbestos exposure illnesses. These companies were willing to take that gamble with our clients’ lives.
This ruthless indifference is why Weitz & Luxenberg opened its doors, and it’s why we’re still going strong today. We hope families struggling with a mesothelioma diagnosis, or another severe asbestos-related illness, can look into our history and our record of helping clients. So far, we have secured more than $13 billion dollars on behalf of victims of asbestos exposure.
Through this report, we hope Weitz & Luxenberg’s dominance in the field conveys our devotion and dedication to helping victims of asbestos exposure. If you were harmed by asbestos exposure, we encourage you to call us at (917) LAWYERS. We look forward to helping you explore your legal options.
