Illinois was the industrial heart of the Midwest for most of the 20th century. The Chicago Calumet region’s steel mills, the city’s rail yards and utilities, and downstate manufacturing operations created extensive asbestos exposure for hundreds of thousands of workers from the 1920s through the 1980s.
| Facility | Location | Industry | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Steel South Works | Chicago (South Side) | Integrated steel | Critical |
| Inland Steel East Chicago | East Chicago / Hammond | Integrated steel | Critical |
| Acme Steel / Interlake Steel | Chicago | Steel, coke production | Critical |
| Crane Co. (Chicago Valve Division) | Chicago | Industrial valves & fittings | Critical |
| Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) Power Plants | Statewide | Electric power generation | High |
| Caterpillar Peoria Complex | Peoria | Heavy equipment manufacturing | High |
| Illinois Central Railroad Yards | Chicago (Burnside) | Railroad maintenance | High |
| Pullman Standard Car Manufacturing | Chicago (Pullman) | Railroad car manufacturing | High |
| Industry | Active Period | Primary Locations | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Integrated Steel | 1900–1992 | Chicago South Side, Calumet region | Critical |
| Industrial Valves & Fittings | 1920–1985 | Chicago (Crane Co.) | Critical |
| Railroad Car Manufacturing | 1920–1981 | Chicago (Pullman) | High |
| Electric Power Generation | 1930–1985 | Statewide (ComEd) | High |
| Heavy Equipment Manufacturing | 1940–present | Peoria (Caterpillar) | High |
| Railroad Operations | 1920–1975 | Statewide | Moderate |
| Claim Type | Deadline | Governing Law | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal Injury | 2 years from diagnosis | 735 ILCS 5/13-202 | Discovery rule; measured from mesothelioma diagnosis |
| Wrongful Death | 2 years from death | 740 ILCS 180/2 | Same 2-year period for wrongful death claims |
| Trust Fund Claims | Varies by trust | Federal trust agreements | Can file independently of lawsuit |
| VA Benefits | No deadline | Federal | Available for military veterans |
Cook County Circuit Court (Chicago) handles the majority of Illinois asbestos cases and has experience with complex industrial litigation. Illinois courts allow cases to proceed quickly for plaintiffs with terminal diagnoses.
Crane Co.: Crane Co. is one of the most frequently named defendants in nationwide asbestos litigation due to the widespread use of its asbestos-containing valves, pumps, and pipe fittings at industrial facilities across the country. Workers at Illinois facilities who used Crane equipment may have direct product claims.