Fraser's Boiler Service Asbestos Liquidating Trust

About the Fraser's Boiler Liquidating Trust

Fraser's Boiler Service was a Washington State-based industrial contractor that provided boiler inspection, repair, retubing, and complete overhaul services at power plants, pulp and paper mills, refineries, and other heavy industrial facilities throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Unlike manufacturers of asbestos-containing products, Fraser's Boiler Service was a contracting company — it brought its own labor and supplied the materials, including asbestos insulation, needed to service and restore boilers to operating condition.

Throughout the mid-twentieth century, boiler work was inherently an asbestos-intensive trade. The exterior surfaces of large industrial boilers were typically covered with asbestos block insulation and then lagged with asbestos cloth or cement to maintain thermal efficiency. When Fraser's crews arrived at a plant for service work, the first step was often removing the old asbestos insulation — a process that generated dense clouds of respirable asbestos fibers. After completing mechanical repairs, fresh asbestos insulation was installed, further releasing fibers into the confined work environment. Boilermakers, pipefitters, helpers, and laborers on Fraser's crews typically worked without effective respiratory protection in eras before asbestos hazards were publicly acknowledged.

As asbestos-related disease claims from former Fraser's workers and bystanders multiplied over the following decades, the financial burden became unmanageable. Fraser's Boiler Service proceeded through a liquidation process, and a liquidating trust was established to pay the legacy asbestos personal injury claims of workers who were exposed during Fraser's contracting operations. A liquidating trust differs from a reorganization trust in that it has a fixed pool of assets with no ongoing business to generate revenue; this makes timely filing especially important, as the fund is finite.

The Fraser's Boiler Service Asbestos Liquidating Trust has been accepting and paying claims from eligible workers and their families. With a payment percentage of 48.87% on a mesothelioma scheduled value of approximately $180,000, successful mesothelioma claims can yield roughly $87,966 — a significant contribution to the total compensation available from multiple trust and litigation sources.

Trust Fund Details

Note: Because this is a liquidating trust with a fixed asset pool, payment percentages and fund availability may change over time. File promptly after diagnosis. Consult an asbestos attorney for current figures.

Who Is Eligible to File a Fraser's Boiler Trust Claim?

Eligibility requires showing that you worked on a project where Fraser's Boiler Service was the contracting company, that you were exposed to asbestos during that work, and that you have a qualifying asbestos-related disease diagnosis. The following categories of workers are most commonly eligible:

• Boilermakers who worked directly on Fraser's boiler service and repair crews at industrial facilities
• Pipefitters and steamfitters employed on Fraser's contracting projects where boiler-related piping was involved
• Boiler insulators who removed old asbestos insulation and installed new insulation on boilers serviced by Fraser's
• Laborers and helpers who assisted boilermakers and pipefitters on Fraser's job sites
• Power plant operators and maintenance workers who were bystanders in the work area while Fraser's crews performed asbestos-intensive work
• Pulp and paper mill workers at Pacific Northwest mills where Fraser's frequently provided boiler services
• Refinery maintenance workers who worked alongside Fraser's crews at petroleum refining facilities
• Ship repair workers at yards where Fraser's performed boiler work on vessel boilers and steam systems
• Secondary exposure claimants — spouses and family members exposed to asbestos brought home on work clothing

The exposure period most relevant to Fraser's Boiler Service claims spans roughly from the 1940s through the mid-1980s, when asbestos use in boiler insulation was most prevalent. Workers who later developed mesothelioma with latency periods of 20 to 50 years are still eligible to file claims today if their exposure occurred during this period.

How to File a Fraser's Boiler Liquidating Trust Claim

The Fraser's Boiler Trust claim process follows the standard asbestos trust framework. An experienced asbestos attorney can manage the entire process, and no attorney fees are owed until you receive compensation.

1. Contact an asbestos attorney immediately. Because this is a liquidating trust with finite assets, timely filing is especially important. An attorney can evaluate your eligibility and begin the process before any filing deadlines expire.
2. Secure your medical diagnosis documentation. The trust requires documented proof of a qualifying disease. For mesothelioma, this means pathology reports, operative reports, and oncology records. Your attorney may also obtain a physician affidavit confirming the asbestos-related nature of your diagnosis.
3. Establish your Fraser's Boiler Service work history. The critical evidence is documentation showing you worked on a project where Fraser's was the contracting company. Union dispatch records, project documentation from the host facility, co-worker affidavits, and Social Security earnings records can all support this connection.
4. Your attorney prepares and submits the claim package. Using the trust's standardized claim forms, your attorney compiles the medical records, work history documentation, and exposure narrative into a complete submission package and files it with the trust's liquidating trustee.
5. Select a review pathway. Expedited Review provides a faster payment at the standard scheduled value. Individual Review is available if exceptional circumstances warrant higher compensation, but requires additional preparation and takes longer to resolve.
6. The trustee reviews and approves your claim. The liquidating trustee evaluates the submitted documentation against the trust's eligibility criteria. If the claim meets the requirements, it is approved for payment at the current 48.87% payment rate.
7. Receive payment. Approved mesothelioma claims receive approximately $87,966. Your attorney's contingency fee is deducted from the gross payment. The process typically takes 6 to 12 months from filing to payment for mesothelioma claims.

Can You File Other Claims at the Same Time?

Yes. Boilermakers, pipefitters, and industrial workers who worked on Fraser's Boiler Service projects were almost certainly exposed to asbestos from multiple sources over their careers. The asbestos insulation used by Fraser's crews was manufactured by companies such as Johns Manville, Owens Corning, Armstrong, and others — each of which has its own asbestos trust fund. Workers also frequently worked at multiple sites where other asbestos products from valves, gaskets, packing, and insulation boards were present.

An asbestos attorney will review your complete work history to identify every applicable trust and evaluate whether civil litigation against still-solvent companies is warranted. Most mesothelioma patients file with five or more trusts and may also have viable litigation claims. There is no restriction on simultaneous trust claims, and the total compensation from all sources combined can be substantially higher than any single trust payment. For liquidating trusts like Fraser's, acting quickly is particularly advisable to ensure your share of the available funds.

Frequently Asked Questions