How Exposure Is Documented for a Claim

Social Security earnings statements list employers by year and are often the backbone of a work history. Union records can show membership, local halls and job dispatches. Pension and retirement plan records confirm employment periods. Military records, including the DD-214 and service assignments, document where veterans served. Tax records, old pay stubs, W-2 forms, company newsletters and ID badges can fill in gaps. Even if you no longer have these papers, many can be requested from agencies, unions and former employers. Starting these requests early helps, because some agencies take weeks or months to respond.

Coworkers are often the most valuable source of detail. They can describe the job sites, the tasks performed, the products used and the dust in the air. Family members can confirm dusty work clothes, job locations and timelines. Former supervisors and union officials may recall specific projects. Written statements or affidavits from these people can support a claim, and some may be asked to give testimony. Because witnesses age, it is helpful to contact them sooner rather than later and record what they remember. Obituaries, reunion lists and union newsletters can help locate people you have lost touch with.

Investigators match your job sites and years to the asbestos products known to be present there. They use historical purchase records, invoices, product catalogs, prior deposition testimony and site lists maintained by bankruptcy trusts. Your own memories of brand names, packaging, colors and suppliers help narrow the possibilities. This product identification step determines which companies and trusts may be responsible. The more specific your recollections, the more complete the picture investigators can build. Keeping a notebook where you jot down memories as they come back can be surprisingly helpful. Details often surface days after an interview, and writing them down means they are not lost.

1. 1

   Request your Social Security earnings statement to confirm employers and years.

2. 2

   Contact your union local for membership and dispatch records.

3. 3

   Write down the names and contact details of coworkers who could confirm your work.

4. 4

   List brand names, packaging details and suppliers you remember from each job site.