For years, shipyards and power plants on St. Petersburg’s waterfront put workers at risk for asbestos exposure without warnings or protections. Decades later, many of the men and women who helped build the city’s economy are facing horrific illnesses. At Wallace & Graham, P.A., our St. Petersburg, FL mesothelioma & asbestos exposure lawyers help victims understand how and where they were exposed, identify negligent companies, and fight for the compensation these families deserve.

At Wallace & Graham, P.A., founding attorneys Mona Lisa Wallace and Bill Graham have more than 30 years of national leadership in mesothelioma litigation. They have secured landmark verdicts and settlements, including one of the Top 10 Jury Awards in U.S. history for an asbestos case.
Our St. Petersburg legal team continues that tradition, combining experience, investigation, and compassion to fight for victims and families across Florida’s Gulf Coast.
The industrial sector in the city included ship repair and marine-service businesses near 1st Avenue South and the Bayboro Harbor industrial area. The area’s service jobs existed alongside businesses heavily contaminated by asbestos. Workers installed the insulation, ceiling tiles, and pipe coatings without knowing their toxicity.
St. Petersburg workers who were exposed to the toxic material decades ago are now receiving mesothelioma diagnoses. Our legal team at Wallace & Graham, P.A., reviews employment histories, supplier invoices, and building blueprints to identify links between unsafe work environments and current diagnoses. We work with our clients to hold companies responsible for negligence.
Filing a successful mesothelioma claim requires more than submitting the right forms. To recover the maximum compensation, you must provide evidence to a jury that demands a verdict in your favor. Our legal team in St. Petersburg relies on a team of medical professionals, industrial hygienists, and product specialists to review the details of how the exposure took place.
An estimated 2,669 people received a new mesothelioma diagnosis nationwide in 2022, according to the CDC. These medical professionals serve as witnesses who provide the missing link between the current diagnosis and the negligence of past decades.
Mesothelioma cases can be traumatic, and families often need more than legal support. We have found in St. Petersburg that there are several other resources available to help families while we work on the legal case. Our St. Petersburg clients have found the following to be useful:
Workers in many trades within St. Petersburg’s heavy industrial and maritime sectors were likely to encounter asbestos each day. The industrial workforce, including shipbuilders on First Avenue South and electricians at old power plants alongside construction crews renovating waterfront properties, worked with materials that could release fatal fibers.
Our attorneys take the time to research employment records, vendor lists, and building layouts to understand how a client’s diagnosis is directly tied to a certain worksite and defendant company.
Residents of St. Petersburg have a few specialty hospitals in their area. Both Bayfront Health St. Petersburg and Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa provide mesothelioma patients with a multidisciplinary team approach as well as access to clinical trials.
We partner with medical providers to help clients get the care they need in a timely manner, while we focus on investigation and claim preparation.
All asbestos exposure claims require patients to submit their medical records along with evidence of asbestos exposure for initial processing. St. Petersburg injury attorneys analyze job histories and talk to coworkers to identify workplace product exposure evidence.
After exposure is linked to certain companies, products, or job sites, we file a claim with the defendant’s insurance company, negligent trust fund, or responsible company directly. Wallace & Graham fight to secure compensation so families can focus on treatment.
Mesothelioma cases must connect the illness with the exposure that could have occurred many decades prior. In St. Petersburg, that means sifting through paperwork for shipyards, navy bases, or military records. We have attorneys who can access investigators and professional witnesses who can prove negligence over time and through complex medical information.
In St. Petersburg, families may have a direct interest in filing for compensation if a loved one is diagnosed with mesothelioma. Spouses, children, and legal representatives of the estate may file personal injury or wrongful death claims in Florida to recover for medical bills, loss of income, and emotional distress.
By consulting a local asbestos attorney, families can ensure these claims are properly filed and initiated within legal time limits.
At Wallace & Graham, P.A., we know that behind every mesothelioma case in St. Petersburg is a family searching for answers. From shipyards near the harbor to power plants along 34th Street, asbestos exposure has left its mark on this community.
Our attorneys combine decades of experience with compassion, uncovering how and where exposure occurred to hold negligent companies accountable. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed, hire a mesothelioma & asbestos exposure lawyer today to begin your confidential, no obligation consultation.