USG Asbestos Personal Injury Settlement Trust
Eligibility, payouts, and how to file. Last reviewed: 2026-05-03.
See if you qualify for the USG Trust
About the USG Trust
USG Corporation (formerly United States Gypsum) is the dominant U.S. manufacturer of joint compound, drywall, and ceiling tiles. From the 1930s through about 1980, USG joint compounds — sold under brand names including Sheetrock, Ready-Mix, and Multi-Patch — contained chrysotile asbestos as a binding and texturing agent. The product was used in essentially every commercial and residential construction project of the era. Drywall installers, finishers, and tapers sanded and mixed these compounds daily, generating massive quantities of asbestos-containing dust.
USG filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2001 and the USG Asbestos Personal Injury Settlement Trust was confirmed in 2006. The trust pays at a healthy 30% pro rata on a $70,000 scheduled mesothelioma value.
Bankruptcy and trust establishment
The USG Trust is the most important asbestos trust for construction-trade claimants. With approximately $4 billion in initial funding and a relatively high pro rata percentage, it produces estimated payouts in the $18,000–$24,000 range per claim. The trust is particularly well-positioned for drywall installers, tapers, painters, plasterers, and general construction workers — anyone who handled joint compound, drywall, or ceiling tiles during the 1930-1980 exposure window.
Products and exposure sources covered
The trust covers asbestos-containing joint compounds (Sheetrock brand and others), drywall accessories, ceiling tiles, and various USG building products manufactured during the asbestos era. Joint compound exposure is particularly significant because installers mixed it from dry powder (creating dust) and sanded the cured product (creating more dust) — both highly inhalable.
Specific asbestos-containing products manufactured or distributed by this company:
- Joint compound
- Ceiling tiles
- Drywall accessories
Eligibility criteria
To file a claim with the USG Trust, you generally need to demonstrate:
- Qualifying diagnosis: Mesothelioma, Lung cancer, Asbestosis
- Documented exposure to USG Trust products during the trust's covered exposure window (1930–1980)
- 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)
Drywall installers and tapers have the strongest documentation paths for USG claims. General construction workers who worked alongside drywall trades are also frequently eligible. Painters and plasterers who finished walls had secondary exposure during sanding operations. Family members of drywall workers sometimes qualify for take-home exposure claims (asbestos brought home on work clothes).
How to file with the USG 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: $70,000. The trust's current pro rata payment percentage is 30%, meaning the actual payout typically falls in the range of $18,000–$24,000.
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 USG Trust commonly accepts claims from workers in these occupations:
Multi-trust filing strategy
The USG Trust is rarely the only trust a mesothelioma claimant qualifies for. Most workers exposed to joint compound 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 USG Trust
- Kaiser Gypsum Trust — 20% pro rata, est. payout $12,000–$16,000
- Bondex Trust — 14% pro rata, est. payout $7,000–$9,500
- Armstrong Trust — 17% pro rata, est. payout $16,000–$21,000
- Johns Manville Trust — 5.1% pro rata, est. payout $1,100–$4,500
- Owens Corning / Fibreboard Trust — 26.2% pro rata, est. payout $45,000–$70,000
Deadlines and statute of limitations
The USG 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 drywall installer in the 1970s. Is USG the right trust to file with?
Yes — USG is typically the primary trust for drywall installers. You should also consider Kaiser Gypsum Company Trust, Bondex/RPM International Trust, and Synkoloid Asbestos Trust, all of which covered competing joint compound products. Most drywall installers qualify for multiple trusts simultaneously.
Did Sheetrock contain asbestos?
The Sheetrock-brand joint compound (mixing/finishing compound) contained chrysotile asbestos through approximately 1980. The drywall panels themselves contained gypsum and paper, generally not asbestos. The exposure risk was almost entirely from the joint compound and texturing products.
My husband was a tradesman and I was exposed when I washed his work clothes. Can I file?
Take-home (secondary) exposure claims are accepted by the USG Trust if you can document that your spouse worked with USG products during the exposure window. Family-member exposure claims are an established category for asbestos compensation.
Were ceiling tiles a major exposure source?
Some asbestos-containing ceiling tiles were manufactured by USG during certain product lines and time periods. Acoustical ceiling tile installers and demolition workers handling those tiles can qualify, though joint compound exposure is the dominant USG claim path.
How long does a USG claim take?
Typically 4–9 months from filing to payment. The USG Trust is generally efficient at processing well-documented claims; complex cases or those requiring supplemental documentation may take longer.
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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