Michael Schafle, Esq.Michael Schafle, Esq.Most mesothelioma claims tied to Chester's shipyard and refinery history run on contingency — no fee unless there's a recovery. Chester Mesothelioma Law Center reviews Sun Ship, Congoleum, and refinery work records from Chester Park to Stratton Hill before any percentage is discussed.
| Fee Component | Typical Structure |
|---|---|
| Case review & work-history intake | No charge |
| Contingency fee (paid only if case recovers) | 25%–40% of settlement or verdict |
| Court filing & administrative costs | Advanced by firm, deducted from recovery |
| Medical & occupational expert review | Advanced by firm, deducted from recovery |
| Client cost before any recovery | $0 |
Mesothelioma Lawyer Fee Structure — Chester, PA
The contingency percentage isn't just the lawyer's cut — it's structured to also cover costs the firm advances during the case: court filing fees, records requests to former employers, and payment to occupational medicine experts who confirm the exposure timeline. Those costs are subtracted from the settlement, not charged to the client as the case moves forward. A family reviewing a fee agreement should see a single deducted percentage, not a separate invoice arriving mid-case.
A proper case review looks at union records, pay stubs, pension paperwork, and job titles held at sites like Sun Ship, the Congoleum plant, or the riverfront refineries — before a fee number is mentioned. This matters because whether exposure counts legally depends on job duties and dates, not just an employer's name on a W-2. The review itself doesn't require a fee decision to happen.
Fees are paid out of the settlement or verdict at the end of the case, not during it. Some asbestos defendants settle within months of filing; others — particularly bankruptcy trust claims tied to companies like Congoleum — pay out on a separate, often faster schedule than a courtroom verdict. The fee percentage applies to whichever source pays, and it's calculated after the fact, not billed hourly along the way.
Asbestos bankruptcy trusts — set up by companies including Congoleum after Chapter 11 filings — pay claims separately from a lawsuit against a solvent defendant. A single work history can support both a trust claim and a personal injury filing. Trust fund payouts are typically billed under the same contingency agreement as the lawsuit, not a second, separate fee structure.