A mesothelioma lawyer in Chester begins with a work-history conversation, not a settlement pitch, because the site, the years, and the union local determine whether a claim exists at all. Families searching for a mesothelioma lawyer near Chester are usually calling within days of a diagnosis at Crozer-Chester Medical Center, already worn out from appointments, and they need someone who can explain the next 30-60 days plainly before anyone talks about money.
A mesothelioma lawyer in Chester is an attorney who reviews decades-old asbestos exposure at sites like Sun Ship, the riverfront refineries, Congoleum, and Westinghouse to determine whether a diagnosis qualifies for a lawsuit, a trust fund claim, or a VA benefit.
Focused representation for Chester & Delaware County — each matter handled with the same diligence, discretion, and preparation.
A first conversation covering diagnosis date, job sites, and union records to see which legal paths are even open — this determines everything that follows.
Learn more →Filing against bankruptcy trusts set up by manufacturers such as Congoleum, which can pay out even when the original employer no longer exists.
Learn more →
Filed by a spouse or adult child after a mesothelioma-related death, built from the worker's own employment and medical history.
Learn more →
Case support for Navy and shipyard veterans pursuing VA disability benefits tied to service-related exposure, run alongside any civil claim.
Learn more →
Investigation of exposure at Delaware River refineries and manufacturing sites like Westinghouse, where asbestos insulation and gaskets were common.
Learn more →
Locating and interpreting decades-old union local records and personnel files that establish the years and locations of exposure.
Learn more →
Legal review for asbestosis or lung cancer diagnoses connected to the same job sites, evaluated separately from a mesothelioma claim.
Learn more →
Comparing a workers' comp filing against a lawsuit against equipment or materials manufacturers, since the two rarely overlap and one can limit the other.
Learn more →You deserve to know exactly who is handling your case. Verify our credentials for yourself.
Admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania · Bar No. 94298. Pennsylvania (January 12, 2005)
Verify →Temple University Beasley School of Law · 2004
A mesothelioma lawyer in Chester is an attorney who reviews decades-old asbestos exposure at sites like Sun Ship, the riverfront refineries, Congoleum, and Westinghouse to determine whether a diagnosis qualifies for a lawsuit, a trust fund claim, or a VA benefit.
Tell us what happened. You'll get a straight answer about your options in Chester — no cost, no obligation, and nothing leaves this office.
Not a call center, not a hand-off to a paralegal. The Chester attorney who takes your case is the one who handles it.
On contingency matters you pay nothing up front — our fee comes out of the recovery only if we win. If we don't, you owe us nothing.
If your loved one worked directly at Sun Ship or a Delaware River refinery, the first step is a wrongful death or personal injury claim built from employment and union records — the strongest cases start there. If the employer went bankrupt (Congoleum and similar manufacturers set up trust funds), a trust fund claim can run alongside or instead of a lawsuit, and it usually resolves faster but with a set payout schedule rather than a negotiated settlement. If the exposure happened during Navy service or shipyard work tied to the Chester waterfront, a VA disability claim is worth filing regardless of whether a civil case moves forward, since the two are evaluated separately. The trade-off across all three paths is speed versus completeness: trust funds and VA claims often pay sooner, while a fully investigated lawsuit takes longer but accounts for the full scope of exposure history.
No confusing rate sheets. Your first conversation is always free.
Every case starts with a free, confidential consultation. No cost, no obligation — just a clear answer about where you stand and what your options are.
On contingency matters you pay nothing up front. Our fee comes out of the recovery only if we win your case — if we don't, you owe us nothing.
Tell us what happened and we'll get back to you quickly — usually the same day. Everything you share is confidential, and there's no cost to speak with a Chester attorney.
(610) 817-3302
Chester's industrial history along the Delaware River — Sun Ship, the riverfront refineries, Congoleum, and Westinghouse — means a large share of local mesothelioma diagnoses trace back to a small number of job sites, which makes employment-record research faster than in a city with scattered exposure history. Many patients are treated at Crozer-Chester Medical Center, blocks from Governor Printz Park and the Chester Transportation Center, and case reviews can be scheduled around those appointments rather than adding a separate trip. Because so many affected workers are Navy veterans from the shipyard era, VA disability filings and civil claims are frequently pursued together rather than one instead of the other.
Free, confidential consultations for Chester & the surrounding area.
Michael Schafle (PA Bar ID 94298) is a Pennsylvania mesothelioma lawyer based at 2332 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19145. He represents mesothelioma patients and families across Chester, Delaware County, and southeastern Pennsylvania — meeting clients at home or in the hospital when travel is hard.
In 2023, Michael Schafle resolved two multi-million-dollar mesothelioma settlements — including a $3,000,000+ wrongful-death recovery for a family that lost a loved one, and a $3,000,000+ recovery for a laborer exposed to asbestos on the job. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Read the full profile of Pennsylvania mesothelioma lawyer Michael Schafle, or call (610) 817-3302 for a free, confidential case review.
Michael Schafle, Esq.