Onondaga County has been significantly affected by asbestos-related disease, with 350 asbestos-related deaths recorded from 1999 to 2013 and a death rate of 5 per 100,000 residents. Syracuse’s industrial history, including the Carrier Corporation heating and cooling manufacturing complex, utility facilities, government buildings, and dense pre-1980 construction throughout the city, put generations of workers in contact with asbestos-containing materials. If you or someone close to you has been diagnosed with mesothelioma after living or working in Syracuse, you may be entitled to significant compensation from the companies responsible for your exposure.
Attorney Joseph P. Williams and The Williams Law Firm, P.C. have represented over 1,000 mesothelioma victims and their families throughout New York, including workers from Syracuse industrial sites and construction projects across Onondaga County. Attorney Williams has never lost a mesothelioma case in over 30 years of practice, and our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for clients. Learn more about your options as a New York mesothelioma victim or contact us today for a free consultation.
⚠ Time-Sensitive — New York Law Limits Your Window to File
Diagnosed with mesothelioma in Syracuse? New York’s 3-year statute of limitations runs from your diagnosis date, not your exposure date.
Over 1,000 families represented. Hundreds of millions recovered. Joseph P. Williams has never lost a mesothelioma case. No fees unless we win.
Mesothelioma is a rare but aggressive cancer that develops in the lining of the lungs, abdomen, or heart after prolonged asbestos exposure. Symptoms typically do not appear until 20 to 50 years after initial contact with asbestos fibers, meaning that many Syracuse workers who were exposed during the industrial peak of the mid-20th century are only now receiving diagnoses. According to the New York State Department of Health, over 150 new mesothelioma cases are diagnosed in New York State each year, with occupational exposure being the primary driver.
Syracuse’s industrial economy was anchored by the Carrier Corporation, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment, which operated a massive manufacturing complex in Syracuse for decades. Workers at Carrier and across Syracuse’s network of manufacturing plants, utility facilities, government buildings, and construction sites encountered asbestos-containing insulation, gaskets, pipe covering, and building materials throughout their careers. Approximately 28 million Americans were exposed to asbestos in the workplace between 1940 and 1970, and Syracuse’s concentration of industrial employers placed Onondaga County workers among the most heavily exposed in upstate New York.
The following are documented asbestos exposure sites in Syracuse and Onondaga County. If you worked at any of these locations, you may have a viable mesothelioma claim:
These are the known documented sites, but they represent only a fraction of locations in the Syracuse area where asbestos exposure occurred. Many other industrial facilities, commercial buildings, schools, and residential properties in Onondaga County also contained asbestos-based materials. You can also view our complete New York asbestos job site inventory.
Workers in the following trades and occupations faced elevated asbestos exposure rates on Syracuse job sites throughout the mid-20th century:
Family members of workers in these trades also faced secondary or take-home exposure from asbestos fibers carried home on work clothing. Learn more about second-hand asbestos exposure and whether it can support a legal claim.
Many Syracuse mesothelioma cases involve secondary or take-home asbestos exposure, where workers at Carrier Corporation and other Onondaga County industrial facilities carried asbestos fibers home on their clothing and equipment. Courts in New York have long recognized secondary exposure as a valid basis for mesothelioma claims, and The Williams Law Firm has recovered compensation for Central New York family members who developed the disease through this type of indirect contact.
Syracuse mesothelioma lawsuits are filed through the New York City Asbestos Litigation docket, known as NYCAL, which is administered through Manhattan Supreme Court and has specialized procedures for expediting cases involving seriously ill plaintiffs. Attorney Williams has navigated NYCAL extensively throughout his career, including participation in consolidated trial groups of up to ten mesothelioma cases tried simultaneously. The process begins with a free case evaluation during which we review your exposure history, employment records, and medical documentation. Once all liable parties are identified, we file suit in NYCAL and pursue asbestos trust fund claims against bankrupt manufacturers simultaneously. We take all Syracuse mesothelioma cases on a contingency fee basis with no upfront costs. Learn more about your mesothelioma lawsuit options.
In New York, the statute of limitations for mesothelioma personal injury claims is three years from the date of diagnosis. For wrongful death claims, surviving family members have two years from the date of death. New York applies the discovery rule, meaning the clock begins at diagnosis, not at the time of your original asbestos exposure. You can verify current filing deadlines through the New York Courts statute of limitations chart. Missing this deadline is irreversible.
Syracuse mesothelioma victims and their families may recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, household services, punitive damages where applicable, and wrongful death damages. View our client success stories to understand the results we have achieved for New York families.
Many manufacturers whose asbestos-containing products were used at Carrier Corporation and other Syracuse industrial facilities have declared bankruptcy and established compensation trusts. Over 60 active trusts currently hold billions of dollars for mesothelioma victims. We identify every applicable trust based on your specific exposure history and file claims simultaneously with civil litigation. Learn more about asbestos trust funds and how they work alongside New York mesothelioma litigation.
Joseph P. Williams has dedicated his entire 30-year legal career to asbestos and mesothelioma litigation in New York. He has represented members of nearly every New York union, including workers from Syracuse’s manufacturing and industrial trades, and handles every case personally from first consultation through resolution. He meets clients in their Syracuse homes and has never lost a mesothelioma case.
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“Joe Williams is absolutely the best lawyer I have ever seen in a courtroom. He is meticulous, organized, articulate, and has a presence about him that is very professional. He delivers such a clear picture for the jury, that the result is always in our favor.”
— Verified Client
Yes. Carrier Corporation’s Syracuse manufacturing complex is one of the most documented asbestos exposure sites in Central New York. Workers in manufacturing, maintenance, pipefitting, and electrical trades who handled asbestos-containing insulation, gaskets, and equipment at Carrier and who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma may have viable claims against the manufacturers of those products. Attorney Williams has represented manufacturing workers throughout New York and understands the specific exposure patterns at large industrial facilities like Carrier.
Under New York law, you generally have three years from the date of your mesothelioma diagnosis to file a personal injury lawsuit. For wrongful death claims, surviving family members have two years from the date of their loved one’s passing. New York applies the discovery rule, so the clock starts at diagnosis, not at the time of your original asbestos exposure. These deadlines are strictly enforced.
Yes. Secondary asbestos exposure, where a worker brings fibers home on their clothing, is a recognized basis for mesothelioma claims in New York. If a family member in Syracuse developed mesothelioma from contact with a worker’s contaminated gear from Carrier, a construction site, or another Onondaga County facility, they may be entitled to compensation. Surviving family members can also file wrongful death claims.
There is no upfront cost. The Williams Law Firm, P.C. handles all mesothelioma cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. Attorney Williams also meets clients in their Syracuse homes so there are no logistical barriers to getting experienced representation.
The most frequently cited asbestos exposure sites in Syracuse mesothelioma claims include Carrier Corporation, the Veterans Administration Hospital, H.S. Kaiser Company, and various pre-1980 commercial and institutional buildings throughout Onondaga County. Workers in manufacturing, construction, and maintenance trades across Syracuse’s industrial and institutional building stock account for a significant portion of the claims our firm handles.
A mesothelioma diagnosis changes everything, but you do not have to face this challenge alone. The Williams Law Firm, P.C. provides the experienced, dedicated representation you need during this difficult time. Attorney Williams’ 30 years of experience, undefeated record in mesothelioma cases, and membership in the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum and National Trial Lawyers Top 100 reflect a career built entirely on fighting for asbestos exposure victims across New York and the country.
We handle all aspects of your case so you can focus on your health and your family. Attorney Williams will personally meet with you at your Syracuse home to begin evaluating your case. We work on a contingency fee basis, so you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. Schedule a free consultation to learn how we can help you pursue the justice and compensation you deserve.
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