Mesothelioma in Oregon

Mesothelioma in Oregon
Total Deaths (1999–2020)	927
Average Deaths/Year	~44
Mortality Rate	11 per million (age-adjusted)
National Ranking	10th
Median Age at Dx	72
Top Exposure Sites	Swan Island Shipyard, Oregon Shipbuilding Corp, Albina Engine, Trojan Nuclear Plant
SOL (Personal Injury)	2 years from diagnosis
SOL (Wrongful Death)	3 years from death
Key Trusts	Manville (5.1%), W.R. Grace (30.1%), Pittsburgh Corning (19%)
Notable Verdicts	$260M Lee v. J&J (2024); $34.2M Long v. John Crane (2025)
Trust Fund Disclosure	No disclosure statute
Liability Rule	Joint and several (hazmat cases)

Executive Summary

Oregon ranks tenth nationally for mesothelioma deaths, recording 927 deaths between 1999 and 2020 and an age-adjusted mortality rate of 11 per million residents. Shipbuilding on the Willamette River, Pacific Northwest lumber and wood products, and nuclear power generation exposed generations of Oregon workers to asbestos. A $260 million Lee v. J&J verdict survived a new-trial challenge in November 2024, and a $34.2 million verdict in Long v. John Crane was returned in September 2025 — both in Multnomah County Circuit Court in Portland.

Oregon permits mesothelioma lawsuits under a two-year statute of limitations measured from diagnosis (Or. Rev. Stat. § 12.110) and applies joint and several liability to hazardous materials cases — a significant plaintiff advantage allowing full recovery from any individual defendant. Oregon has no trust fund disclosure statute, meaning plaintiffs are not required to disclose trust claims during civil litigation. The national average mesothelioma settlement ranges from $1.0–$1.4 million, with the average trial verdict at $20.7 million.

At a Glance

• 927 mesothelioma deaths (1999–2020) — Oregon averages ~44 deaths per year with an age-adjusted rate of 11 per million
• Ranks 10th nationally — among all U.S. states for age-adjusted mesothelioma mortality
• 2-year statute of limitations — personal injury clock runs from diagnosis under the discovery rule (Or. Rev. Stat. § 12.110)
• Joint and several liability — Oregon applies full-recovery joint liability to hazardous materials cases, a major plaintiff advantage
• $260 million verdict (2024) — Lee v. J&J, 23CV40369, Multnomah County; $60M compensatory + $200M punitive, upheld November 2024
• $34.2 million verdict (2025) — Long v. John Crane, 23CV27457, Multnomah County; Richard Long, Swan Island shipyard laborer
• Six major asbestos trusts — Manville (5.1%), Pittsburgh Corning (19%), W.R. Grace (30.1%), Owens Corning (4.7%), Babcock & Wilcox (4.7%), Armstrong World (10.8%)
• No trust fund disclosure law — plaintiffs are not required to file or disclose trust claims before or during civil litigation

Key Facts: Mesothelioma in Oregon

Metric	Figure
Total mesothelioma deaths (1999–2020)	927
Average deaths per year	~44
Age-adjusted mortality rate	11 per million
National mortality ranking	10th
Median age at diagnosis (national)	72
Statute of limitations (personal injury)	2 years from diagnosis (Or. Rev. Stat. § 12.110)
Statute of limitations (wrongful death)	3 years from death (Or. Rev. Stat. § 30.020)
Primary litigation venue	Multnomah County Circuit Court, Portland
Liability rule (hazmat cases)	Joint and several
Largest Oregon verdict	$260M — Lee v. J&J (June 2024)
Most recent Oregon verdict	$34.2M — Long v. John Crane (Sept. 2025)
Avg. national mesothelioma settlement	$1.0–$1.4 million
Avg. national trial verdict	$20.7 million
Trust fund disclosure requirement	None

State Overview

Oregon averages approximately 44 mesothelioma deaths per year, ranking tenth nationally on an age-adjusted basis with 927 total deaths recorded between 1999 and 2020. The age-adjusted mortality rate is 11 deaths per million, with a national median age at diagnosis of 72. Primary industry drivers include WWII-era shipbuilding on the Willamette River at Swan Island Shipyard in Portland and the adjacent Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation; marine engine manufacturing at Albina Engine and Machine Works; Pacific Northwest lumber and wood products at Weyerhaeuser and Georgia-Pacific mills in Coos Bay, Springfield, and other locations; and nuclear power generation at the decommissioned Trojan Nuclear Plant in Rainier. Agriculture rounds out the state's occupational exposure profile.

Statute of Limitations

Oregon imposes a two-year statute of limitations on mesothelioma personal injury actions under Or. Rev. Stat. § 12.110, and a three-year statute of limitations on wrongful death actions under Or. Rev. Stat. § 30.020. The personal injury clock runs from the date the plaintiff knew or reasonably should have known of the mesothelioma diagnosis; the wrongful death clock runs from the date of death. Oregon applies the discovery rule, preventing the personal injury statute from starting at the date of original asbestos exposure. No statute of repose has been identified for Oregon asbestos claims.

How long do I have to file a mesothelioma lawsuit in Oregon?

Two years. Or. Rev. Stat. § 12.110 requires personal injury actions — including mesothelioma claims — to be filed within two years of the date the plaintiff discovered or reasonably should have discovered the mesothelioma diagnosis. Wrongful death actions filed by a deceased patient's estate must be filed within three years of the date of death under Or. Rev. Stat. § 30.020. Oregon's discovery rule prevents the personal injury clock from starting at the time of original asbestos exposure, which can be decades before diagnosis. Oregon has no asbestos-specific statute of repose, so construction, premises, and installation defendants remain exposed regardless of when the underlying work was completed.

What is the statute of limitations for mesothelioma in Oregon?

The statute of limitations for mesothelioma in Oregon is two years for personal injury under Or. Rev. Stat. § 12.110 and three years for wrongful death under Or. Rev. Stat. § 30.020. The personal injury clock runs from the date of mesothelioma diagnosis under Oregon's discovery rule, not from the date of asbestos exposure decades earlier. Wrongful death claims run from the date of death rather than the date of diagnosis. No statute of repose has been identified for Oregon asbestos claims, leaving premises, contractor, and product liability defendants fully exposed regardless of when construction or installation occurred. See Mesothelioma_Statute_of_Limitations_Reference.

Filing Venue Advantages and Tort Reform

Multnomah County Circuit Court in Portland is the primary venue for Oregon mesothelioma lawsuits; both Lee v. J&J and Long v. John Crane were tried there. Oregon applies joint and several liability to hazardous materials cases — a plaintiff advantage that allows full recovery of a judgment from any individual defendant regardless of that defendant's apportioned percentage of fault. In Lee v. J&J, 23CV40369, a June 2024 Multnomah County jury returned a $260 million verdict ($60M compensatory plus $200M punitive) that J&J challenged with a new-trial motion citing alleged attorney misconduct, inadmissible evidence, and improper argument; the judge initially indicated at a September 13, 2024 hearing that she favored a new trial, but ultimately denied J&J's motion in November 2024 and the $260M verdict was upheld. In Long v. John Crane, 23CV27457, the same court returned a $34.2 million verdict on September 5, 2025 after a first trial ended in mistrial.

Where should I file a mesothelioma lawsuit in Oregon?

File in Multnomah County Circuit Court in Portland. Multnomah County is Oregon's most experienced mesothelioma venue and hosted both the 2025 Long v. John Crane $34.2 million verdict and the 2024 Lee v. J&J trial. Proper venue in Oregon is typically based on where a corporate defendant regularly transacts business, where the plaintiff's asbestos exposure occurred, or where the plaintiff resides. Exposure at Swan Island Shipyard, the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation site, Albina Engine and Machine Works, or Portland-area industrial facilities supports Multnomah County venue. Oregon's joint and several liability rule for hazardous materials cases allows a plaintiff to collect the full judgment from any solvent defendant.

Top Exposure Sites

Oregon's documented asbestos hotspots cluster in Portland shipbuilding, Pacific Northwest lumber, and coastal industrial corridors:

• Swan Island Shipyard (Portland) — Kaiser Company-operated WWII liberty ship facility; one of the most productive WWII-era shipyards in the nation.
• Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation (Portland) — adjacent to Swan Island; WWII-era naval and commercial construction.
• Albina Engine and Machine Works (Portland) — marine engine and industrial manufacturing with asbestos insulation.
• Weyerhaeuser lumber mills (multiple Oregon locations) — asbestos insulation in drying kilns, boilers, and wood processing equipment.
• Georgia-Pacific mills (Coos Bay, Springfield) — lumber and paper manufacturing with asbestos in steam and heat systems.
• Trojan Nuclear Plant (Rainier) — decommissioned 1992; nuclear power generation with asbestos insulation in pipes, gaskets, and equipment.

What shipyards in Oregon caused asbestos exposure?

Swan Island Shipyard and the adjacent Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation in Portland were Oregon's primary asbestos-exposure shipyards. Swan Island, operated by Kaiser Company during World War II, was one of the nation's most productive liberty ship facilities; workers handled asbestos gaskets, packing, pipe insulation, and boiler lagging throughout the vessels. Richard Long, the plaintiff in Long v. John Crane, worked as a Swan Island laborer from 1972 to 1985. The Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation site, directly adjacent to Swan Island, produced naval and commercial vessels during the war. Albina Engine and Machine Works added marine engine manufacturing with asbestos insulation throughout its equipment. See Shipyard_Workers_and_Mesothelioma.

Notable Verdicts and Settlements

In Long v. John Crane Inc., 23CV27457, the Multnomah County Circuit Court returned a $34.2 million verdict on September 5, 2025 — $33 million in non-economic damages with apportioned liability — for Richard Long, a living 71-year-old former Swan Island shipyard laborer (1972–1985) diagnosed with biphasic pleural mesothelioma. The jury found John Crane 30% liable and apportioned the remainder to three nonparties; no punitive damages were awarded and the first trial had ended in mistrial. Evidence showed John Crane had actual knowledge of the asbestos hazard by the early 1970s but never warned workers. In Lee v. J&J, 23CV40369, a June 2024 $260 million Multnomah County verdict ($60M compensatory plus $200M punitive) was challenged by J&J's new-trial motion citing alleged attorney misconduct; the judge initially signaled she might order a new trial at a September 2024 hearing, but ultimately denied J&J's motion in November 2024 and the verdict was upheld. For national context, Mealey's 2024 report placed the average mesothelioma settlement at $1.0–$1.4 million and the average trial verdict at $20.7 million. Past verdicts do not guarantee future results.

Trust Fund Interaction and Disclosure Laws

Oregon has no trust fund transparency or disclosure statute — plaintiffs are not required to file or disclose trust claims before or during civil litigation, and Oregon courts do not mandate pre-trial trust claim disclosure. The trusts most relevant to Oregon's shipbuilding and lumber workforce include the Manville_Personal_Injury_Settlement_Trust (5.1% payment percentage, insulation used at Swan Island and lumber-mill boilers), the Pittsburgh Corning Trust (19%, Unibestos at Oregon naval and industrial facilities), the W.R. Grace Trust (30.1%, insulation products at Oregon industrial facilities), the Owens Corning Sub-Account (4.7%, Kaylo pipe insulation at Oregon shipyards), the Babcock & Wilcox Trust (4.7%, boilers at power plants and mills), and the Armstrong World Industries Trust (10.8%, floor and ceiling products in industrial buildings). Trust claims are pursued in parallel with civil lawsuits. See Asbestos_Trust_Funds.

Local Resources

The primary VA facility for Oregon veterans with asbestos-related disease is the VA Portland Health Care System, serving Navy, Army, and shipyard veterans across Oregon; see Navy_Veterans_and_Mesothelioma. The Oregon Workers' Compensation Division administers occupational disease claims against employers under the Oregon Workers' Compensation Act, but workers' compensation does not preempt third-party civil suits — injured Oregon workers can pursue workers' compensation benefits against their employer while simultaneously filing product liability claims against asbestos manufacturers, insulation suppliers, and equipment makers. Free case evaluations are available through state and national mesothelioma legal resources. Oregon workers and veterans exposed to asbestos may also qualify for mesothelioma trust fund attorneys who can identify applicable trust funds, and asbestos exposure legal resources provide additional guidance on filing options.