Lincoln Electric

Highest-Risk Occupations

Lincoln Electric Company sold its asbestos-containing products to a wide variety of customers, including shipyards, auto makers, oil rigs, factories, power plants, railways, and the U.S. Navy.

Despite Lincoln’s claims that its products were safe, anyone who worked with or near Lincoln welding rods or electrodes before 1981 was at risk of asbestos exposure.  

Who Is at Highest Risk for Exposure?

Companies like Lincoln failed to warn workers about the dangers posed by their asbestos-containing products. Many workers handled asbestos products daily, without protective equipment, working in poorly ventilated environments that increased inhalation risks. 

Welders

Welders who came into direct contact with Lincoln Electric’s asbestos-containing products faced significant occupational exposure.

Airborne fibers from grinding, breaking, handling, or using these products can cause serious asbestos-related illnesses, such as mesothelioma and lung cancer, in workers decades after exposure occurred. 

Shipyard Workers

Lincoln Electric welding rods and electrodes were widely used for vessel repairs and construction. Shipyard workers were at risk of inhaling asbestos dust from these products, and areas with poor ventilation created additional dangers. 

U.S. Navy Veterans

Lincoln Electric was a major supplier for the U.S. Navy. Service members may have been exposed to airborne asbestos fibers when Lincoln Electric products were handled or disturbed during repairs.

Roughly 30% of the mesothelioma cases diagnosed each year affect veterans. 

Family Members Exposed to Secondhand Asbestos

Family members of asbestos workers may be eligible for compensation in their own right if they became ill due to secondhand asbestos exposure.

Others may qualify for compensation from wrongful death lawsuits if they’ve lost a loved one to an asbestos-related illness.

Lincoln Electric Asbestos Products

Lincoln Electric used asbestos in its products for roughly 50 years. In Lincoln welding rods, which were consumable materials used to join two metal components, asbestos was added to the flux.

Rods are encapsulated in flux to prevent rust and other surface contaminants. Models like the Fleetweld 5 and Fleetweld 5P used a flux containing up to 2.8% asbestos.

Some Lincoln Electric electrodes also contained asbestos. Electrodes conduct an electrical current to create a welding arc and may be consumable, depending on the model. Lincoln’s Shield-Arc HYP manual electrodes contained up to 14% asbestos-containing material in the flux.

Top asbestos-containing products were:

• Electrodes
• Welding rods

Securing Compensation From Lincoln Electric

Lincoln Electric has never admitted that its products were dangerous, claiming that the heat from the welding process and the formulation of the flux prevented the release of asbestos fibers.

Despite these denials, if you or a member of your family is one of the thousands of workers injured by Lincoln’s asbestos use, you may still be entitled to compensation.

Additionally, many people with occupational exposure from Lincoln also qualify for compensation from other asbestos manufacturers. Some claimants may be eligible for other forms of compensation, like VA benefits or workers’ compensation.

We can help you determine your eligibility for free. Contact us today to get a free case consultation.

Filing a Lawsuit

Lincoln Electric has never declared bankruptcy and does not have an asbestos trust fund. Injured workers and their family members must file lawsuits to secure compensation.

There are two primary types of lawsuits claimants use when pursuing compensation for Lincoln:

• Personal injury lawsuit: This allows living victims of asbestos exposure to seek compensation for their losses.
• Wrongful death lawsuit: This allows dependents or family members of deceased asbestos exposure victims to recover damages for the loss of their loved one.

Most asbestos companies prefer to settle claims out of court, negotiating monetary agreements with claimants. Settlements provide claimants with a quicker route to compensation, avoiding the stress of a trial. 

Key Requirements to File

• Diagnosis: Claimants must have a diagnosis of an asbestos-related illness (such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis) OR proof of a wrongful death from an asbestos-related illness. 
• Proof of exposure: Claimants must have documentation linking the victim’s illness to asbestos exposure from Lincoln Electric through employment or use of their products. 
• Statute of limitations: Potential claimants have a limited time to file a claim. Deadlines vary by state, with most averaging just two to three years, so it’s critical to move quickly.

Notable Lawsuits Against Lincoln Electric

Since January 1, 1995, Lincoln Electric has been named in more than 58,000 asbestos-related claims, with over 1,100 cases still pending as of December 31, 2025. 

Unlike many asbestos manufacturers, Lincoln shows a strong preference for fighting claims against it in court, using aggressive tactics to get claims dismissed and verdicts overturned on appeal. According to its 2025 annual report, the company has settled only one claim during the entire 30-year period from 1995 to 2025. 

Working with a law firm specializing in asbestos litigation gives claimants the best chance of obtaining the compensation they need. If you or a loved one has developed an asbestos-related disease due to asbestos exposure from Lincoln Electric’s products, you can contact us today to get a free case assessment.

Major Verdicts

In its 2025 annual report, Lincoln Electric Company claims that all of the seven cases that resulted in compensation for victims were “reversed or resolved” on appeal. These were two of the largest verdicts:

Lincoln Electric’s Involvement With Asbestos

Lincoln Electric was founded in 1895 in Cleveland, Ohio. By 1911, the company had invented and launched its first variable-voltage arc welder, eventually becoming a global leader in arc welding and cutting.

Between 1930 and 1981, the company incorporated asbestos into the flux coating used on some welding rods and electrodes. Flux is the material that surrounds the rod and forms a protective barrier during welding, helping to prevent rust and contamination. Asbestos was added to improve heat resistance and control during the welding process. 

Any welding rod or electrode produced by Lincoln Electric before 1981 may have contained asbestos in its flux. Use of these products released dangerous asbestos fibers into the air, endangering workers and anyone else nearby.

To this day, Lincoln Electric insists that its asbestos-containing products were not dangerous, claiming that the temperatures involved in welding and the encapsulation process prevent asbestos fibers from being released during use.

Contact Us for a Free Case Assessment

The Lincoln Electric Company has been named in over 58,000 asbestos claims since 1995. Its negligence hurt thousands of people, many of whom developed serious asbestos-related illnesses, such as mesothelioma or lung cancer, decades after exposure occurred. 

If you or a loved one has been injured by Lincoln Electric’s asbestos products, you may qualify for lawsuit compensation. Our partner law firm, Meirowitz & Wasserberg, specializes in providing individualized support to asbestos victims at no upfront cost.

We can help you start your claim in just a few minutes. Contact us today for a free case assessment to determine your eligibility and learn more about your claim options.