Real-Time Court Decisions and Other Developments in Asbestos Litigation.
NEW YORK — On October 3, 2017, the plaintiffs filed two lawsuits in New York state court against two different groups of defendants. One lawsuit was filed against 83 defendants, not including Crane Co. (Crane), alleging that John Grimes developed mesothelioma as a result of exposure to defendants’ asbestos-containing products. At present, that matter remains … Continued
WISCONSIN –Weyerhauser operated a manufacturing facility in Marshfield, Wisconsin from 1960 to 2000. Among other wood products manufactured at the mill, Weyerhauser produced asbestos-core doors in Marshfield from 1971 to 1978. The plaintiffs’ decedents Elvira Kilty and Herbert Spatz each worked at the Marshfield Weyerhauser mill. Due to the Wisconsin Workers’ Compensation bar, they alleged … Continued
NORTH CAROLINA — The plaintiff Ann Finch’s decedent Franklin Finch worked at a Firestone tire factory in Wilson, North Carolina from 1975-1995 and alleged that he was exposed to asbestos during his time there, causing his mesothelioma. Among other allegations of exposure, the plaintiff alleged that the decedent was exposed to talc-contaminated asbestos at Firestone, … Continued
ILLINOIS — Plaintiff John Crane Inc. (JCI) brought Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) suits against two plaintiffs’ firms in Illinois alleging the firms conspired to hide evidence related to exposure to other asbestos products throughout discovery in numerous cases. The defendants, the Shein Law Center and Simon Greenstone Pantier Bartlett (Simon), moved to … Continued
WASHINGTON — The plaintiff Barbara Brandes brought a personal injury action against Brand Insulations Inc. (Brand) and other entities after she was diagnosed with mesothelioma. During the pendency of the litigation, Mrs. Brandes passed away, and her action against Brand and others was converted into a survivorship action. During trial, the estate confirmed that it was not … Continued
NEW JERSEY — In April of this year, a New Jersey jury awarded $37 million in compensatory damages and $80 million in punitive damages to plaintiff Stephen Lanzo, who alleged that he developed mesothelioma from years of use of defendants’ talcum powder, which the plaintiff claimed was contaminated with asbestos. On Wednesday, May 23, 2018, … Continued
On May 14, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court accepted the petition of Air & Liquid Systems, CBS Corporation and Foster Wheeler to resolve a split among circuits regarding the viability of the bare metal defense under maritime law. Specifically, the parties appealed the Third Circuit’s ruling in October 2017 that the bare metal defense is inapplicable … Continued
MISSOURI—This suit involves multiple insurance policies covering the same dates of exposure. The spouse of an Anheuser-Busch (AB) employee developed mesothelioma from asbestos exposure acquired while laundering the clothes of her husband, who worked for AB from 1971-1996. Suit was filed in 2008, and AB tendered its defense to Zurich American Insurance Company (Zurich), which … Continued
NEW JERSEY — Following up on a prior ACT post regarding a compensatory damages verdict of $37 million dollars against Johnson & Johnson and Imerys Talc America, Inc., the same New Jersey jury awarded a total of $80 million in punitive damages. This case involved allegations that plaintiff Stephen Lanzo developed mesothelioma after years of use … Continued
NEW JERSEY — On April 5, 2018, a Middlesex County, New Jersey jury awarded $37 million in compensatory damages to Plaintiff Stephen Lanzo III and his wife, Kendra, in a mesothelioma case. The plaintiffs alleged that Lanzo developed mesothelioma from his decades-long exposure to asbestos-containing talcum powder sold by Johnson & Johnson and supplied by … Continued