The legal framework for asbestos claims varies state by state. Statute of limitations periods range from 1 year in Kentucky to 5 years in Missouri. The choice of where to file can be strategically significant for operating engineers whose careers crossed state lines.
Industrial Exposure Archive — 9 state partner sites
The sites below are the state-specific archives in the Industrial Exposure Archive network. Each documents the jobsites, the courts, the statute of limitations, and the procedural framework specific to that state.
| State | Asbestos Archive | Personal-Injury SOL | Wrongful-Death SOL | IUOE Local |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri | asbestosmissouri.com | 5 years (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120) | 3 years | Local 148 St. Louis · Local 101 Kansas City |
| Illinois | illinoismesothelioma.com | 2 years (735 ILCS 5/13-202) | 2 years | Local 399 Chicago · Local 649 Peoria |
| Indiana | indianamesothelioma.com | 2 years (Ind. Code § 34-11-2-4) | 2 years | Local 150 Merrillville · Local 841 Terre Haute |
| Iowa | iowamesothelioma.com | 2 years (Iowa Code § 614.1) | 2 years | Local 234 Des Moines |
| Kansas | mesotheliomakansas.com | 2 years (K.S.A. § 60-513) | 2 years | Local 101 Kansas City metro |
| Kentucky | kentuckymesothelioma.com | 1 year (Ky. Rev. Stat. § 413.140) | 1 year | Local 181 Henderson |
| Michigan | michiganmesothelioma.com | 3 years (Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5805) | 3 years | Local 324 Detroit |
| Ohio | ohioasbestosexposure.com | 2 years (Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.10) | 2 years | Local 18 Cleveland (statewide) |
| Wisconsin | wisconsinmesothelioma.com | 3 years (Wis. Stat. § 893.54) | 3 years | Local 139 Pewaukee (statewide) |
Cross-state operating-engineer careers
Many operating engineers worked across state lines during their careers, following the heavy-construction and plant work. A Local 148 member from St. Louis may have run a crane at the Wood River refinery in Illinois. A Local 150 member from the Chicago area may have operated on jobs across Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa. A Local 324 member from Detroit may have worked the Ohio jobs. A Local 181 member from Henderson may have worked sites in Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois — different SOL jurisdictions.
For cross-state cases, an experienced attorney can analyze which state’s law is most favorable to the specific facts — sometimes filing in the state where the worker lived, sometimes in the state where the exposure occurred, sometimes in a third state where the manufacturer’s bankruptcy trust was administered. Missouri’s 5-year SOL is often the most favorable for cases with any Missouri exposure connection.
States outside the Industrial Exposure Archive network
For operating engineers in other states, the same general principles apply — statute of limitations runs from the date of medical diagnosis (not the date of exposure), and the choice of court can be strategically significant. The (314) 237-3332 consultation line at O’Brien Law Firm covers all 50 states; the firm associates with locally licensed counsel for cases requiring local court representation.