Mesothelioma in Minnesota
Executive Summary
Mesothelioma in Minnesota is driven by the state's legacy of iron ore and taconite mining, Great Lakes shipping, and heavy manufacturing. Between 1999 and 2020, Minnesota recorded 1,285 mesothelioma deaths with an age-adjusted mortality rate of 11 per million — ranking the state eighth nationally.[1] The Mesabi Iron Range in St. Louis County is the primary exposure source, where tremolite asbestos occurred naturally in ore deposits, exposing generations of miners, processing workers, and nearby communities. Additional exposure pathways include Great Lakes port operations through the Duluth/Superior port, 3M manufacturing facilities in St. Paul and Maplewood, and the Ford Motor Company Ranger Plant in St. Paul. The median age at mesothelioma diagnosis in the state is 72.
Minnesota gives mesothelioma patients one of the longest filing windows in the country — a six-year statute of limitations from the date of diagnosis under Minn. Stat. § 541.05, tied with Maine for the longest among the ten highest-death-rate states.[2] In December 2025, a Ramsey County jury returned a $65.5 million compensatory verdict in Carley v. Johnson & Johnson — the largest asbestos verdict in state history.[3] Patients typically pursue both tort claims and asbestos trust fund claims in parallel, with no state-mandated disclosure requirement. For context on national compensation options, see Asbestos_Trust_Funds.
At a Glance
- 1,285 mesothelioma deaths (1999–2020) — Minnesota ranks eighth nationally with an age-adjusted mortality rate of 11 per million residents[1]
- Mesabi Iron Range: primary exposure source — tremolite asbestos in iron ore and taconite deposits exposed miners, processing workers, and surrounding communities in St. Louis County
- Great Lakes shipping through Duluth/Superior — bulk ore carriers used asbestos insulation, exposing longshoremen and crew in cargo holds and engine rooms
- 3M and Ford manufacturing — 3M facilities in St. Paul and Maplewood used asbestos in heat-resistant products; the Ford Ranger Plant exposed workers to brake and clutch asbestos. See 3M_Asbestos_Exposure
- 6-year statute of limitations — the longest personal injury filing window among leading mesothelioma states, starting at diagnosis under Minn. Stat. § 541.05[2]
- $65.5 million Carley verdict (2025) — the largest asbestos verdict in Minnesota history, awarded in Ramsey County District Court against Johnson & Johnson[3]
- Key trusts: Manville (5.1%), W.R. Grace (30.1%), Pittsburgh Corning (19%) — trusts relevant to Minnesota's mining, manufacturing, and power generation history[4]
- No trust disclosure law — Minnesota imposes no mandatory offset between trust fund recoveries and civil litigation awards, allowing claimants to pursue both pathways simultaneously
Key Facts: Mesothelioma in Minnesota
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Confirmed mesothelioma deaths (1999–2020) | 1,285 |
| Age-adjusted mortality rate | 11 per million (8th nationally) |
| Median age at diagnosis | 72 |
| Primary exposure source | Mesabi Iron Range (iron ore and taconite mining) |
| Statute of limitations (personal injury) | 6 years from diagnosis (Minn. Stat. § 541.05) |
| Statute of limitations (wrongful death) | 3 years from death (Minn. Stat. § 573.02) |
| Discovery rule | Yes — clock starts at diagnosis |
| Statute of repose | None identified |
| Largest verdict | $65.5 million — Carley v. Johnson & Johnson (2025) |
| National avg. mesothelioma settlement | $1M–$1.4M (Mealey's 2024) |
| National avg. mesothelioma trial verdict | $20.7M (Mealey's 2024) |
| Key trust funds | Manville (5.1%), W.R. Grace (30.1%), Pittsburgh Corning (19%) |
| Trust disclosure requirement | None |
| Primary filing venues | Hennepin County and Ramsey County District Courts |
How long do I have to file a mesothelioma lawsuit in Minnesota?
Minnesota gives mesothelioma patients six years from the date of diagnosis to file a personal injury lawsuit, under Minn. Stat. § 541.05. This is one of the longest personal injury windows in the United States and is tied with Maine for the longest among the ten states with the highest mesothelioma death rates. Minnesota applies the discovery rule, so the six-year clock starts when the disease is diagnosed, not when asbestos exposure occurred. If a patient dies from mesothelioma, surviving family members have three years from the date of death to file a wrongful death claim under Minn. Stat. § 573.02.[5]
What is the statute of limitations for mesothelioma in Minnesota?
The statute of limitations for mesothelioma personal injury claims in Minnesota is six years from the date of diagnosis, codified at Minn. Stat. § 541.05. The wrongful death statute of limitations is three years from the date of death under Minn. Stat. § 573.02. Minnesota recognizes the discovery rule, meaning the personal injury clock begins when the patient is diagnosed rather than when exposure occurred, and standard minority tolling applies for claims involving minors. Minnesota has no statute of repose identified for asbestos claims, which means there is no outer time bar cutting off claims based on the date a product was sold or installed. See Mesothelioma_Statute_of_Limitations_Reference for a full state comparison.
Filing Venues and Tort Reform in Minnesota
Most complex asbestos civil litigation in Minnesota is filed in Hennepin County (Minneapolis) or Ramsey County (St. Paul) District Court. Ramsey County District Court was the venue for Carley v. Johnson & Johnson, the largest asbestos verdict in state history. The six-year personal injury statute of limitations is itself a strategic advantage for plaintiffs: patients diagnosed years before consulting counsel often remain within the filing window that would already be foreclosed in shorter-SOL states. Minnesota has not enacted significant tort reform caps applicable to asbestos personal injury cases, and the state has no statute of repose identified for asbestos claims.
Top Asbestos Exposure Sites in Minnesota
Minnesota's highest-risk exposure industries are iron ore and taconite mining, heavy manufacturing, Great Lakes shipping, and coal-fired power generation; for a broader overview of occupational and environmental exposure pathways, see these asbestos exposure legal resources. Documented exposure sites include:
- Mesabi Iron Range (St. Louis County) — Minnesota's iron ore and taconite mining region. Tremolite asbestos occurred naturally in the ore deposits, exposing miners, processing workers, and nearby community members.
- Great Lakes port operations (Duluth/Superior) — Bulk ore carriers used asbestos insulation; longshoremen and crew were exposed to asbestos in cargo holds and engine rooms.
- 3M Company (St. Paul and Maplewood) — Manufacturing facilities used asbestos in heat-resistant products and industrial tape. 3M has also been named as a defendant in mesothelioma litigation for asbestos-containing products. See 3M_Asbestos_Exposure.
- Ford Motor Company Ranger Plant (St. Paul) — Automotive assembly with brake and clutch asbestos exposure.
- Minnesota Power and Light / Great Lakes power plants (Duluth area) — Coal-fired generation with asbestos boiler and turbine insulation.
- Northern States Power (now Xcel Energy) — Power generation facilities used asbestos insulation at sites across the state.
What mining operations in Minnesota caused asbestos exposure?
Minnesota's iron ore and taconite mining industry on the Mesabi Iron Range in St. Louis County is the state's most significant source of occupational asbestos exposure. Tremolite asbestos occurred naturally within the iron ore deposits, so miners who drilled, blasted, and hauled ore and processing workers who crushed and pelletized taconite inhaled asbestos fibers as part of normal operations. Family members faced secondary exposure through dust carried home on work clothes, and residents of mining communities encountered ambient exposure from dust and tailings. W.R. Grace's vermiculite operations also affected workers handling materials processed through Minnesota industrial facilities. See Iron_Ore_Mining_and_Mesothelioma for detail.
Notable Minnesota Mesothelioma Verdicts and Settlements
On December 19, 2025, a Ramsey County District Court jury returned a $65.5 million compensatory verdict in Carley v. Johnson & Johnson — the largest asbestos-related verdict in Minnesota history.[3] The plaintiff, Anna Jean Carley, is a 37-year-old mother of three diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in 2025 after childhood exposure to Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder; the case was filed in March 2025. The jury awarded compensatory damages only and did not award punitive damages, and Johnson & Johnson has appealed. Nationally, Mealey's Litigation Report: Asbestos 2024 reports that mesothelioma settlements average $1 million to $1.4 million and trial verdicts average $20.7 million.[6] Past verdicts do not guarantee future results.
What mesothelioma verdicts have been won in Minnesota?
The largest mesothelioma verdict in Minnesota history is the $65.5 million compensatory award in Carley v. Johnson & Johnson, entered in Ramsey County District Court on December 19, 2025. The plaintiff, Anna Jean Carley, was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma at age 37 after childhood exposure to Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder; the jury awarded compensatory damages only and Johnson & Johnson is appealing. Historically, mesothelioma recoveries in Minnesota track national benchmarks reported by Mealey's: settlements averaging $1 million to $1.4 million and trial verdicts averaging $20.7 million. Past verdicts do not guarantee future results.
Trust Fund Interaction and Disclosure Laws
Minnesota has no asbestos trust fund transparency or disclosure statute, meaning plaintiffs are not required by state law to file trust claims or disclose trust recoveries before or during tort litigation. Mesothelioma patients in Minnesota typically pursue both tort claims and asbestos trust fund claims in parallel; experienced mesothelioma trust fund attorneys can file against multiple trusts simultaneously to maximize recovery. The trusts most relevant to Minnesota's iron mining, manufacturing, and power generation history include the Manville_Personal_Injury_Settlement_Trust (5.1% payment percentage), the W.R. Grace Trust (30.1%), the Pittsburgh Corning Trust (19%), the Combustion Engineering Trust (18.5%), Armstrong World Industries (10.8%), and Babcock & Wilcox (4.7%).[4]
Local Resources for Minnesota Mesothelioma Patients
The Minneapolis VA Health Care System is the primary Veterans Affairs medical center serving Minnesota veterans and is the state's main referral point for VA-enrolled mesothelioma patients. Veterans who served aboard Navy ships, in shipyards, or at military installations before the 1980s face elevated mesothelioma risk from on-board asbestos insulation, boilers, and related materials; see Navy_Veterans_and_Mesothelioma for benefits guidance. Minnesota workers' compensation claims for occupational asbestos disease are administered by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry, and employees diagnosed with mesothelioma linked to workplace exposure may pursue workers' compensation concurrently with third-party tort and trust-fund claims.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://wonder.cdc.gov/ucd-icd10.html CDC WONDER Underlying Cause of Death Database, ICD-10 code C45, 1999–2020.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/541.05 Minn. Stat. § 541.05 (six-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims including latent disease).
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 https://www.startribune.com/johnson-and-johnson-talc-asbestos-lawsuit-minnesota-woman-wins-65-million-verdict/601550012 Carley v. Johnson & Johnson, Ramsey County District Court, Minnesota (December 19, 2025); $65.5 million compensatory verdict.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 https://wrgraceasbestostrust.com W.R. Grace Asbestos Trust; https://mantrust.claimsres.com Manville Personal Injury Settlement Trust. Payment percentages from published trustee filings.
- ↑ https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/573.02 Minn. Stat. § 573.02 (three-year wrongful death statute of limitations).
- ↑ https://store.lexisnexis.com/en-us/products/mealeys-litigation-report-asbestos-grpussku41082.html Mealey's Litigation Report: Asbestos (LexisNexis, 2024), average mesothelioma settlement and trial verdict data.