Real-Time Court Decisions and Other Developments in Asbestos Litigation.
Court: Circuit Court of Cook County A Cook County jury on July 29 returned a Plaintiff’s verdict after a weeks-long trial against personal care and cosmetic manufacturer Avon Products Inc. Plaintiff Cipriano Ramirez worked as a janitor at an Avon facility in Morton Grove, Illinois in the 1980s. The facility produced various products, including …
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Plaintiff Leona Rhoades, on behalf of the estate of her husband, Dewey T. Rhoades, commenced this action against a variety of defendants, alleging that their products contained asbestos that contributed to her husband’s lung cancer and eventual passing. Mr. Rhoades had been employed as a mechanical …
The U.S. Supreme Court on June 6 unanimously held in Truck Insurance Exchange v. Kaiser Gypsum Company Inc. that insurers with financial responsibility for bankruptcy claims are a “party in interest” that may object to a reorganization plan under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code. In 2016, building material manufacturer Kaiser Gypsum Co. and its parent …
California Superior Court, Alameda County Decedent Gene Hankes Sr. passed away of mesothelioma at 85 years old. His estate brought this action against various brake manufacturers and auto-parts suppliers. At the time of trial, the only remaining defendant was O’Reilly Auto Enterprises LLC, an auto parts supplier. Each side presented their case, with experts. A …
Fourth Judicial District Circuit Court for Mulnomah County, Oregon (Portland) In this matter, plaintiff Kyung Lee claimed that she developed mesothelioma from her use of Johnson & Johnson baby powder, which she alleges was contaminated with asbestos. After a multi-week trial, the jury determined that Johnson & Johnson was responsible for the plaintiff’s mesothelioma and …
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana Plaintiff Wilson Goffner, Sr. was diagnosed with malignant lung cancer in March 2020following his employment at the Avondale shipyard in the late 1960s and 1970s. In February 2021, the plaintiff filed a petition for damages in the Civil District Court for the Parish of New Orleans, …
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California Plaintiffs James and Lucretia Sarjeant brought suit in California state court following Mr. Sarjeant’s diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma. He alleged exposure from asbestos-containing products through his employment at the Todd Shipyards, on the RMS Queen Mary, automotive work, and home renovation projectsfrom the 1960s to 1990s. …
Court: United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts Decedent Arnold L. Pritt was diagnosed with singular mesothelioma, epithelioid type in September 2019. He alleged he was exposed to asbestos during his service in the U.S. Navy and as a civilian electrician. During his service, Pritt served aboard the USS Purdy as a machinist mate from …
Jurisdiction: United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida Plaintiff Douglas S. Johnson, one of the surviving children and personal representative of the estate of decedent French E. Johnson, filed an amended complaint against 50 defendants, including The Dow Chemical Company. The amended complaint alleged that decedent developed mesothelioma due to his exposure …
Court: Supreme Court of New York, Appellate Division, First Department In September 2023, the trial court denied talc defendant Colgate-Palmolive Co.’s motion for summary judgment to dismiss the complaint against it. On appeal, the First Department unanimously reversed and granted Colgate’s motion. “When a foreign resident’s exposure to a toxin occurs in foreign states, New …