The USG asbestos trust compensates people who developed mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease after exposure to products made by United States Gypsum and related USG companies. USG reorganized through Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the 2000s, and a trust created in that process now handles its asbestos personal injury claims. For anyone who has sanded joint compound, mixed plaster, or worked around drywall finishing in recent decades, this trust is often one of the first places to look.
United States Gypsum History and Asbestos Products
United States Gypsum is one of the best-known names in American building materials. Its products have been used in homes, schools, offices, and commercial buildings across Pennsylvania and the rest of the country. For many years, until the company phased asbestos out in the 1970s, some USG finishing products contained asbestos. These included certain joint compounds, plasters, and texture products. Those products were typically mixed from powder, sanded smooth, and swept up. Each step could send fine dust into the air. Today, USG continues to operate as part of the Knauf family of companies.
Asbestos Joint Compound Exposure on Construction Sites
Drywall finishing was dusty work. Finishers applied compound, let it dry, and sanded it, often overhead and in closed rooms. Painters, carpenters, electricians, and laborers working nearby breathed the same air. Homeowners who did their own renovations could be exposed to. So could family members who washed dusty work clothes. Many people associate asbestos disease only with shipyards and factories, but joint compound shows that everyday residential and commercial construction carries a real risk.
Mesothelioma Latency and Why Diagnoses Come Decades Later
Asbestos diseases usually take many decades to develop after exposure. A person who finished drywall or plastered walls years ago may only now be receiving a diagnosis. That long gap does not weaken a claim. Still, filing deadlines apply to both lawsuits and trust claims, and the clock can start running at the time of diagnosis. Families should speak with an attorney promptly after a diagnosis to protect their options.
How the USG Asbestos Bankruptcy Trust Was Created
Mounting asbestos lawsuits led USG to file for Chapter 11 protection. Its reorganization plan created and funded a trust to assume responsibility for asbestos personal injury claims, and the company emerged from bankruptcy and continued operating. Claims involving USG asbestos products now go to the trust under its written procedures rather than to court against the company. The trust continues to accept qualifying claims.
USG Trust Claim Requirements and Eligibility
The trust generally reviews three things:
- Medical evidence. A documented diagnosis of mesothelioma or another recognized asbestos-related disease.
- Exposure evidence. Proof of connection to a covered USG product. This can come from work records, job site history, co-worker statements, or product identification from earlier cases.
- Standing to file. The claim can be filed by the diagnosed person or by the estate and family after a death.
Review is administrative. The trust decides on the written record, not in a courtroom. Claims may be filed after a loved one has passed, with the estate stepping into their place. Payment amounts depend on the disease, the evidence, and the trust’s current procedures, so we do not quote figures on this site. For a broader view, see our full list of asbestos trust funds.
Filing Multiple Asbestos Trust Claims Alongside a Lawsuit
A construction career rarely involves just one manufacturer. A finisher who used USG compound may also have handled products now covered by other trusts, such as Celotex. They may also have used products from companies that never went bankrupt, and those claims can still be pursued in court. Pennsylvania law sets out how responsibility is shared among these companies. Because trust filings can be requested in litigation, an experienced lawyer ensures consistency across all submissions and carefully plans the order of claims. Our overview of asbestos trust funds explains how trust claims and lawsuits work together.
Free USG Asbestos Trust Case Review for Families
If drywall finishing, plastering, painting, or general construction appears in your family’s work history, the USG trust belongs on the list to check. You do not need receipts, product names, or old pay stubs to get started. Identifying which products were used on which job sites is our job, and we do it with records and testimony, not just your family’s memory.
To have a construction work history reviewed against the USG trust and every other trust that may apply, request a free case review.