Weitz & Luxenberg is ranked by KCIC as one of the USA’s top three plaintiff firm filers of asbestos cases again. For years, we have been rated #1 in the eastern United States. We are pleased to report W&L remains #1 for 2022 according to KCIC’s findings. KCIC is a product liability consulting firm.
Choosing a Top Asbestos Law Firm
When you are diagnosed with mesothelioma or lung cancer, you face many challenges. Selecting the most capable law firm to represent you may seem overwhelming.
Law firms across the region are vying for your attention. You find yourself inundated with ads on TV and online. All seemingly boast the same capabilities.
In making your decision, consider two key criteria:
- Experience.
- Track record.
Looking at a law firm’s experience and track record across decades, not merely months or years, provides invaluable information. We suggest you get acquainted with Weitz & Luxenberg’s almost 40 year record.
National Mesothelioma Filings
In 2022, law firms across the country filed 3,550 asbestos cases, a 7% decrease compared to 2021.
Despite this overall decrease, the number of mesothelioma filings increased 2.2% between 2021 and 2022. In 2022, law firms filed 1,859 total cases. In 2021, law firms filed 1,819 cases.
Approximately half of all mesothelioma filings in the last five years were filed in Illinois. These other states also ranked in the top five positions for mesothelioma case filings:
- New York.
- California.
- Pennsylvania.
- New Jersey.
All four of these states showed increased filings in 2022. The increases ranged from 18% to 36%, as compared to 2021.
National Lung Cancer Filings
Asbestos lung cancer cases have been on the rise. Filings have varied significantly since 2015. For 2018-2021, lung cancer case filings increased by 37%. This is up from roughly 1,100 per year to more than 1,500 per year in 2021. In 2022, lung cancer case filings decreased, approximately 18% compared to filings from 2021.
National Asbestos Talc Filings
Asbestos talc case filings for Weitz & Luxenberg in 2022 showed an increase to 48 talc suits, up from 41 in 2021. This number represents a 17.1% increase.
The top five plaintiff firms filing asbestos talc cases for 2022 are pretty much the same for 2018-2022. Between 2018 and 2022, Weitz & Luxenberg filed a total of 153 asbestos talc cases.
Jurisdiction Trends in Asbestos Lawsuits
Jurisdiction refers to the place where law firms filed asbestos cases. In 2022, law firms filed asbestos lawsuits in 130 different jurisdictions.
However, 84% of all asbestos cases were filed in just 15 jurisdictions. The three top jurisdictions that demonstrated the most significant increases in lawsuit filings were:
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- Los Angeles, California.
- Wayne County, Michigan.
The increase in lung cancer case filings in Philadelphia was driven by Weitz & Luxenberg’s 56% increase in the number of lung cancer cases filed.
Plaintiff Firm Trends
In 2022, a total of 129 plaintiff firms filed asbestos lawsuits across the country. However, over 70% of those cases were filed by only 15 plaintiff firms.
Weitz & Luxenberg ranked #3 for 2022. We filed 363 asbestos lawsuits.
Mesothelioma Filing Top 10
In 2022, as usual, Weitz & Luxenberg ranks in the top 10 for filing. We filed 164 mesothelioma suits, up 1.2% from 2021.
Lung Cancer Filing Top 10
In 2022, only one top jurisdiction showed a significant increase in lung cancer filings: Philadelphia. There was a 14% increase in filings compared to 2021. This increase was mostly due to Weitz & Luxenberg.
Trends in Gender
Historically, asbestos litigation involved mostly men who, because of their historic occupational exposure, suffered most asbestos diseases. For 2022, this trend remained unchanged. Men filed 83% of asbestos cases. Women filed 17%.
In 2022, women filed 25% of mesothelioma lawsuits, while men filed around 75%. For lung cancer, women filed roughly 9% of suits and men filed around 91% of suits.
However, since 2018, the number of women filing asbestos cases overall has increased slightly. From 2018-2022, the percentage of women who filed mesothelioma cases has averaged around 21%, ranging from 19% in 2019-2020 to 25% in 2022.
Also, the percent of women who filed all asbestos cases in 2022 increased to 17%. The average over the past five years was 14%.
In 2022, the percent of women who filed lung cancer cases, 9%, also exceeded the average from 2018-2022. That average was 8%. However, men still make up the majority of lung cancer cases filings.
Trends in Age
KCIC included age in its calculations when the age was noted in the lawsuit. In 2022, only 32% of suits included this information.
KCIC calculated age as the difference between the person’s date of birth and the earlier of either the date of death (if deceased and provided in the legal action) or the date of filing.
For 2022, the average age of individuals filing asbestos cases was 74, consistent with the average age dating back to 2017.
Also, the average age of individuals filing a mesothelioma case remained constant at 74. Between 2021 and 2022, the average age for individuals filing a lung cancer or non-malignant asbestos disease case decreased slightly from 74 to 73 for lung cancer and 78 to 77 for non-malignant disease.
