Florida Mesothelioma Lawyer: Shipyard-State Claims Under § 774.206
Florida wrote its discovery rule for asbestos directly into statute: the clock starts only when you discover an asbestos-related impairment (Fla. Stat. § 774.206). With Tampa and Jacksonville shipyard history and $20M/$18M Broward verdicts in 2025, Florida remains one of the most active mesothelioma states.
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Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated
Where Floridians Were Exposed
Florida's heaviest documented exposure sits in its shipyards: Tampa Shipbuilding & Engineering (founded 1917) built or repaired roughly 500 Navy vessels through the World Wars - with asbestos standard throughout - and Jacksonville Shipyards used it in insulation, pipe covering, fireproofing, gaskets and boiler lagging. Pensacola's naval-aviation maintenance facilities appear in exposure registries as well.
Beyond the yards: Florida's construction boom used asbestos-cement products extensively, and the state's huge retiree population brought exposure histories from workplaces across the country - which is why Florida counts among the top states for mesothelioma incidence (about 241 cases in 2022, CDC-attributed).
Case Details
Recent Florida mesothelioma trials have run in the 17th Judicial Circuit (Broward County) and the 11th Judicial Circuit (Miami-Dade). Florida also has asbestos-specific procedural statutes (Chapter 774, Part II) governing these claims.
What Florida Juries Have Done - Recent, Documented Cases
Who Can File in Florida
A qualifying diagnosis plus Florida exposure - or Florida residence with exposure elsewhere:
• Shipyard and Navy veterans and workers (Tampa, Jacksonville, Pensacola)
• Construction and trades workers from Florida's building booms
• Power, industrial and automotive workers
• Family members with take-home exposure
• Retirees exposed in other states - Florida's courts or the exposure state's may both be options; counsel compares them
Florida's two-disease rule (§ 774.206(2)-(3)) also matters: settling an earlier non-malignant asbestos claim does NOT waive a later mesothelioma claim - they are legally separate.
Florida's Deadlines - Statute-Written Discovery Rule
How a Florida Claim Proceeds
- 1
Diagnosis and Date-Fixing
The § 774.206 discovery date is established from your medical records - the single most consequential legal fact in a Florida asbestos case.
- 2
Exposure Reconstruction
Shipyard rosters, Navy service records, union and employer records map the exposure - Tampa and Jacksonville yard histories are well documented.
- 3
Filing in Circuit Court
Suit proceeds in circuit court (Broward and Miami-Dade host the recent mesothelioma trials), under Chapter 774's asbestos-specific procedures.
- 4
Settlement Rounds
Most defendants resolve before verdict; the two-disease rule protects a later cancer claim even if an earlier non-malignant claim settled.
- 5
Trial, If Needed
Broward juries returned $20M and $18M mesothelioma verdicts in 2025 alone - with appeals following, as usual for results this size.
Florida-Specific Cautions
Three traps for Florida claimants:
Confusing the 2/4-year numbers with your real deadline
The § 774.206 discovery trigger usually matters more than the base period - but only a lawyer applying your records can say when your clock started. Don't guess in either direction.
Thinking an old settlement bars a new cancer claim
Florida's two-disease rule says otherwise: a prior non-malignant asbestos settlement does not release a later mesothelioma claim. If someone tells you you're barred, verify with counsel.
Verdict-headline expectations
The 2025 Broward verdicts are real but exceptional, and appeals follow. Industry-reported settlement averages are the realistic planning range.
Florida Mesothelioma Claims - FAQ
What is the statute of limitations for mesothelioma in Florida?
Base periods: 2 years (negligence PI and wrongful death, § 95.11) or 4 years (product liability). But Fla. Stat. § 774.206(1) starts the clock only at discovery of an asbestos-related impairment - so your diagnosis timeline, fixed by counsel, is what actually controls.
I settled an asbestosis claim years ago - can I still sue for mesothelioma?
Under Florida's two-disease rule (§ 774.206(2)-(3)), yes: non-malignant and malignant claims are legally distinct, and a prior benign-disease settlement cannot release the later cancer claim.
Which Florida verdicts are actually documented?
Recent and verifiable: Casaretto v. J&J, $20M (Broward, Oct 28, 2025, appeal announced) and Cook v. Hennessey, $18M (Broward, Mar 14, 2025). Earlier: Batchelor ($21M, 2016 - partially reversed on appeal) and Taylor ($17M, 2015), both Miami-Dade.
I'm a Navy veteran who served out of Florida - do I have a claim?
Very possibly: shipyard and shipboard exposure is Florida's core asbestos history (Tampa Shipbuilding alone touched ~500 Navy vessels). VA benefits, trust claims and lawsuits are separate, compatible tracks - none sues the Navy itself.
I retired to Florida after working up north - where do I file?
Counsel compares Florida with the exposure state - deadlines, venue and defendant reach differ. Florida's large retiree population makes this the most common threshold question in the state's asbestos practice.
What does a Florida mesothelioma lawyer cost?
Contingency only: typically 33-40% for lawsuits, ~25% for trust claims, no upfront costs. Get the percentage in writing.
How common is mesothelioma in Florida?
About 241 cases in 2022 per CDC-attributed counts - among the highest state totals, driven by shipyard history, construction and the retiree population carrying exposure from elsewhere.
Separate from this case: were you injured in the last 2 years?
Class-action payouts are fixed amounts through an administrator. A personal injury claim is a different case — and often worth far more. Free estimate, no obligation.