An asbestos claim or lawsuit ordinarily refers to a legal claim against an entity responsible for causing a person to be injured as the result of exposure to asbestos. An asbestos lawsuit, or civil action, is filed in a court of law against solvent (non-bankrupt) companies who may be legally responsible for a person�s asbestos exposure. With bankrupt companies, asbestos claims can be made outside of court with a bankruptcy trust fund that has been established to compensate those who have suffered asbestos-related injuries as the result of exposure to asbestos from the bankrupt company�s products.