About the Shook & Fletcher Insulation Trust
Shook & Fletcher Insulation Co. was a prominent insulation contracting company based in Birmingham, Alabama, that performed insulation work at industrial facilities, power plants, shipyards, refineries, chemical plants, and manufacturing facilities throughout the Southeastern United States. The company was particularly active in Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee, where it installed, maintained, and removed asbestos-containing insulation on pipes, boilers, turbines, vessels, and other high-temperature equipment during the peak decades of asbestos use in American industry — roughly the 1940s through the early 1980s. Shook & Fletcher workers, as well as employees of other trades working at the same facilities, were regularly exposed to asbestos insulation dust during installation, cutting, mixing, and removal operations.
The health toll of decades of asbestos exposure eventually manifested in the form of mesothelioma diagnoses among former Shook & Fletcher employees and those who worked alongside them. Personal injury lawsuits mounted significantly, and the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2002. The Shook & Fletcher Insulation Settlement Trust was established in 2006 as part of the confirmed plan of reorganization, funded to provide compensation to all eligible asbestos personal injury claimants — both those who had already filed suits and the many future claimants expected to develop asbestos-related diseases in the coming decades as a result of past exposures. The trust is administered by a professional trustee who processes claims according to the trust distribution procedures approved by the bankruptcy court.
Trust Fund Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Trust Name | Shook & Fletcher Insulation Settlement Trust |
| Predecessor Company | Shook & Fletcher Insulation Co. |
| Bankruptcy Filed | 2002 (Chapter 11) |
| Trust Established | 2006 |
| Payment Percentage | Variable; determined per claim |
| Mesothelioma Claim Value | Typically $30,000–$80,000 depending on exposure documentation |
| Claims Processor | Shook & Fletcher Trust administrator |
| Claim Types Accepted | Mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, pleural disease, other asbestos-related diseases |
| Products/Work Covered | Asbestos insulation installed or supplied by Shook & Fletcher on industrial job sites |
| Primary Geographic Area | Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and surrounding Southeastern states |
Compensation ranges are estimates based on historical claim data. Actual amounts depend on individual claim circumstances and the trust's current payment percentage.
Who Is Eligible to File a Claim
Workers who can demonstrate occupational or bystander exposure to asbestos-containing insulation installed or handled by Shook & Fletcher Insulation Co. are potentially eligible. Key eligibility categories include:
- Direct Shook & Fletcher employees — insulators, laborers, and trade workers who were directly employed by the company at any point during its operations
- Co-workers at shared job sites — pipefitters, boilermakers, electricians, millwrights, and other tradespeople who worked alongside Shook & Fletcher crews at plants and facilities in the Southeast
- Industrial and power plant workers at Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee facilities where Shook & Fletcher regularly performed insulation work
- Refinery and chemical plant employees in the Gulf Coast and Southeastern U.S. who were present when Shook & Fletcher insulation work was performed
- Shipyard workers at Southeastern and Gulf Coast shipyards where Shook & Fletcher provided insulation services during ship construction and repair
- Steel and iron workers at Southeastern steel mills and metalworking facilities where Shook & Fletcher insulation was installed on furnaces, boilers, and process equipment
- Maintenance workers who disturbed or worked near Shook & Fletcher-installed insulation during facility upkeep and repairs
- Secondary (household) exposure claimants — family members of Shook & Fletcher employees who were exposed through asbestos-contaminated work clothing
- Workers exposed from approximately 1940 through the early 1980s, when asbestos insulation was routinely used at industrial facilities
How to File a Claim with the Shook & Fletcher Trust
- Contact a mesothelioma attorney familiar with Southeastern asbestos cases. Shook & Fletcher's operations were concentrated in specific geographic areas and industrial sectors. An attorney with knowledge of the company's work history, client facilities, and typical co-exposure sources will build the strongest possible claim on your behalf.
- Obtain complete medical records documenting your diagnosis. This includes pathology reports, biopsy slides, imaging studies (CT scans, X-rays), and letters from treating physicians confirming your mesothelioma or other asbestos-related disease.
- Build a detailed occupational history. Your attorney will compile a comprehensive work history, identifying every employer, facility, and time period relevant to your asbestos exposure. Union records from Heat and Frost Insulators locals in Alabama and Georgia can be especially valuable for documenting Shook & Fletcher employment.
- Gather exposure evidence linking your disease to Shook & Fletcher. Evidence may include former co-worker affidavits, union work records, employer payroll histories, and records from facilities known to have contracted with Shook & Fletcher for insulation services.
- Prepare and file the formal trust claim. Your attorney will complete the Shook & Fletcher Trust's standardized claim forms, attach all supporting documentation, and submit the package to the trust administrator. For mesothelioma patients, an expedited processing request will typically accompany the filing.
- Respond to any trust requests for additional information. The trust administrator may request clarification or supplemental documentation. Your attorney will respond on your behalf.
- Evaluate and accept the settlement offer. After the trust issues its determination, your attorney will explain the offer in context of your full compensation picture, including other pending trust claims and any litigation, and advise on whether to accept or seek further review.
Can You File Other Claims in Addition to the Shook & Fletcher Trust?
Yes, and this is standard practice in mesothelioma cases. Shook & Fletcher workers were invariably exposed to asbestos products made by many different manufacturers — Johns Manville pipe covering, Owens Corning block insulation, Armstrong ceiling materials, Pittsburgh Corning cellular glass insulation, Celotex, and dozens of other brands were all commonly present at the same industrial job sites. Each manufacturer that contributed to your asbestos exposure and that has since established an asbestos bankruptcy trust represents a separate source of compensation for which you may be eligible.
Beyond trust fund claims, mesothelioma victims can often pursue personal injury lawsuits against non-bankrupt defendants that contributed to their exposure, such as facility owners, equipment manufacturers, and other parties. These lawsuits are not barred by the existence of trust claims and can yield substantially higher compensation. Veterans who worked with asbestos during military service may also be entitled to VA benefits in addition to civil compensation. An experienced mesothelioma law firm will coordinate all of these potential sources of recovery for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Shook & Fletcher Insulation Settlement Trust was established in 2006 following the Chapter 11 bankruptcy of Shook & Fletcher Insulation Co. The company was a major insulation contractor in the Southeastern United States, primarily in Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee, and its workers and those who worked alongside them at industrial facilities were extensively exposed to asbestos-containing insulation products. The trust compensates individuals who developed mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases as a result of that exposure.
The trust pays a variable amount based on diagnosis, exposure history, and the quality of supporting documentation. For mesothelioma claims, compensation has typically ranged from approximately $30,000 to $80,000. The final amount depends on the current payment percentage applied to the scheduled value for your specific disease category. Your attorney can provide a more precise estimate based on current trust procedures.
No. While Shook & Fletcher was headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, the company performed insulation work throughout the Southeastern United States, including Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, and other states. Workers in any state who can document exposure to Shook & Fletcher-installed asbestos insulation may be eligible to file a claim regardless of their state of residence.
You may still be eligible. Many successful Shook & Fletcher Trust claims come from workers in other trades — pipefitters, electricians, boilermakers — who worked at the same industrial facilities as Shook & Fletcher crews and were exposed to asbestos dust generated during insulation installation, removal, or disturbance. Bystander exposure claims are recognized by the trust.
Processing times vary depending on the completeness of documentation and whether an expedited review is requested. For terminally ill mesothelioma patients, expedited review can shorten the process significantly. Well-documented standard claims typically resolve within several months to a year from submission. Your attorney will work to ensure your claim moves as efficiently as possible.