So I've been getting asked this a bunch since my diagnosis last December, and honestly the answer is kinda complicated because it depends on where you live and what kind of claim you're going after.
From what my lawyer explained to me, most states have a window that starts when you get diagnosed, not when you were actually exposed back in the day. In Michigan where I'm at, I think it's three years from diagnosis to file a personal injury claim. Some states are two years, some are longer. And if the person passes away, the family usually gets their own timeline which might be different.
Then there's the whole other thing with trust fund claims, which is totally separate and has its own deadlines depending on which asbestos companies went bankrupt and when. That stuff can be trickier because the companies set up these trusts with their own rules.
The thing that really matters is don't wait around. I'm glad I got my diagnosis early enough that I'm not in some race against the clock, but I've heard stories of people who waited too long and lost the chance to file. Get a lawyer who knows meso law in your state because the rules are different everywhere and you don't want to miss your window.
Anybody else dealing with this timing question right now?