Halliburton/Harbison-Walker Asbestos Personal Injury Trust
Eligibility, payouts, and how to file. Last reviewed: 2026-05-03.
See if you qualify for the Harbison-Walker Trust
About the Harbison-Walker Trust
Harbison-Walker Refractories was, for over a century, one of the dominant U.S. manufacturers of refractory bricks and high-temperature industrial materials. Its products lined steel mill furnaces, oil refinery process equipment, glass plants, cement kilns, and boiler systems across heavy industry. Many of these refractory products contained asbestos as a binding fiber. Harbison-Walker became part of Halliburton through a 1967 acquisition, and the combined Halliburton/Harbison-Walker asbestos liability led to a 2002 Chapter 11 reorganization.
The trust was confirmed in 2005 with $2 billion in funding and pays at 20% pro rata on a $75,000 scheduled mesothelioma value.
Bankruptcy and trust establishment
The Halliburton/Harbison-Walker Trust is a primary filing for industrial workers — steel mill operators, refinery workers, glass plant employees, cement and lime kiln operators, and any heavy-industry worker who maintained or operated equipment lined with refractory bricks. Estimated payouts run in the $13,000–$17,000 range. Oil and gas industry workers also have well-established claim paths through Halliburton's industrial services operations.
Products and exposure sources covered
The trust covers Harbison-Walker refractory bricks, kiln linings, and high-temperature industrial materials, plus various Halliburton industrial services exposures during the asbestos era. Refractory work is particularly hazardous because bricks were cut, dressed, and installed with grinding and chipping — generating large amounts of asbestos-containing dust in confined industrial spaces.
Specific asbestos-containing products manufactured or distributed by this company:
- Refractory products
- Industrial bricks
- Kiln linings
Eligibility criteria
To file a claim with the Harbison-Walker Trust, you generally need to demonstrate:
- Qualifying diagnosis: Mesothelioma, Lung cancer, Asbestosis
- Documented exposure to Harbison-Walker Trust products during the trust's covered exposure window (1945–1985)
- Work history records placing you at a job site where these products were used (employer records, union records, witness statements, military service records)
- Medical documentation (pathology reports, imaging, treating physician records)
Steel workers (especially blast furnace operators, electric arc furnace operators, and bricklayers who maintained furnace linings) are core claimants. Refinery workers and petrochemical plant operators are the second largest cohort. Cement plant, glass plant, and lime kiln operators also have established paths. Halliburton's oil-services field crews from the 1960s-1980s can have eligible exposure documentation through specific industrial product encounters.
How to file with the Harbison-Walker Trust
- Gather documentation — diagnosis records, work history, military service records (DD-214), product identification
- Complete the trust's claim form — Each trust has its own form
- File with all applicable trusts — multi-trust filing simultaneously is the standard approach
- Trust review — typically 3–9 months
- Payment — typically 2–6 months after approval
Most claimants qualify for several trusts, not just one. Filing with all applicable trusts at once maximizes total compensation. Start your free case review and we'll identify every applicable trust for your specific work history.
Compensation amounts
Reported scheduled value for mesothelioma claims: $75,000. The trust's current pro rata payment percentage is 20%, meaning the actual payout typically falls in the range of $13,000–$17,000.
These figures are based on Trust Distribution Procedures (TDPs) and historical payout data. Pro rata percentages can change. Actual recovery varies by case factors including diagnosis severity, exposure documentation, and trust funding levels at the time of payment. Past payouts do not guarantee future amounts.
Common qualifying occupations
The Harbison-Walker Trust commonly accepts claims from workers in these occupations:
Multi-trust filing strategy
The Harbison-Walker Trust is rarely the only trust a mesothelioma claimant qualifies for. Most workers exposed to refractory products were also exposed to products covered by other bankruptcy trusts. Filing with multiple trusts simultaneously is standard practice and significantly increases total compensation.
Related trusts that often apply alongside the Harbison-Walker Trust
- A.P. Green Trust — 13% pro rata, est. payout $5,000–$7,500
- ABB Lummus Trust — 11% pro rata, est. payout $4,500–$6,500
- Quigley Trust — 7.5% pro rata, est. payout $2,200–$3,000
- Garlock Trust — 22% pro rata, est. payout $14,000–$19,000
- Combustion Engineering Trust — 11.5% pro rata, est. payout $6,500–$8,500
Deadlines and statute of limitations
The Harbison-Walker Trust generally accepts claims on a rolling basis with no fixed annual deadline, though the trust may modify procedures from time to time. The applicable statute of limitations for the underlying asbestos claim depends on your state of residence and typically runs from the date of diagnosis (1–3 years in most states for personal injury; longer for wrongful death in some jurisdictions).
Always verify current deadlines with the trust administrator or a licensed attorney before filing. We track deadlines for our clients so you don't miss a filing window.
Frequently asked questions
I was a steel mill bricklayer. Is this the right trust?
Yes — refractory bricklayers have one of the strongest documentation paths to Harbison-Walker claims. You should also file with North American Refractories Trust, A.P. Green Industries Trust, and Quigley Trust, which covered competing refractory product lines.
I worked at an oil refinery. Does Halliburton apply?
Likely yes. Refineries used substantial quantities of refractory materials in catalytic cracking units, distillation tower internals, and process heaters. Refinery operators, mechanics, pipefitters, and insulators from the 1950-1985 era typically have eligible Halliburton/Harbison-Walker exposure paths.
What's the difference between refractory and insulation?
Refractory bricks are dense, high-density materials designed to withstand extreme heat (1,500°F+) inside furnaces, kilns, and process equipment. Asbestos insulation is lighter, designed to retain heat or block heat transfer at lower temperatures (steam pipes, building walls). Refractory bricks contained asbestos as a binding fiber; insulation was structurally asbestos. Both pose exposure risks during installation and demolition.
Were Halliburton oil-services products asbestos?
Various Halliburton industrial-services materials including some cementing products and well-completion materials contained asbestos through the 1980s. Field operations workers and equipment maintenance personnel may have eligible exposure claims.
My grandfather was an iron worker — does this apply?
Iron workers and steel construction trades who worked alongside refractory installation crews or in environments with refractory work in progress can have eligible exposure. Cross-trade exposure was common in steel mill construction and overhaul projects.
Sources and verification
Information on this page is based on publicly available Trust Distribution Procedures (TDPs), bankruptcy court Plans of Reorganization (PACER), trust annual reports, and RAND Institute for Civil Justice asbestos trust research. Reviewed quarterly.
Last reviewed: 2026-05-03 · Next scheduled review: 2026-08-03
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