Real-Time Court Decisions and Other Developments in Asbestos Litigation.
With the holiday season upon us, I came across a vintage picture of asbestos snow. There were several manufacturers of asbestos snow, which used to be a product that provided some ambiance to Christmas trees. Common brands were Pure White, Snow Drift and White Magic. The directions called for sprinkling the powder freely over and beneath …
The plaintiff filed this complaint against multiple defendants asserting claims in negligence, willful and wanton misconduct, and loss of consortium for her decedent’s development of mesothelioma. The decedent was alleged to have been exposed to asbestos while serving in the U.S. Navy on board the USS Maryland from 1941-46. Three defendants moved to dismiss the …
Charleen Guedry brought this action against multiple defendants for her alleged development of mesothelioma as a result of exposure through her husband’s work clothes. Mr. Guedry worked at International Maintenance/Turner from 1983-2005. The plaintiffs moved to dismiss claims without prejudice against defendant Arnco on May 12, 2016. Co-defendant Brock indicated to the plaintiffs its intent …
The plaintiff brought a wrongful death lawsuit after her husband died of mesothelioma, alleging asbestos exposure during her husband’s service in the Navy. Originally filed in Madison County, Illinois, defendant Crane Co. removed on the basis of the federal officer removal statute. The plaintiff filed a motion to remand, arguing that Crane waived its right …
Plaintiffs Breck Williams and Tarsi Williams, the children of decedent Frank Williams, filed this suit in Louisiana state court on June 2, 2016, after Frank Williams contracted mesothelioma and died as a result of alleged asbestos exposure. The plaintiffs allege their father’s exposure was caused by, among other defendants, Fiat S.p.A. for the installation, use, …
Two cases addressed whether employers or landowners owed a duty to prevent secondary exposure to asbestos. Trial and appellate courts reached varying conclusions on this issue; here, the California Supreme Court determined that while employers and premises owners had a duty to prevent asbestos exposure carried home on the bodies and clothing of on-site workers, …
On November 30, 2016, the Georgia Supreme Court issued a ruling, that affirmed in part and reversed in part, a Georgia Court of Appeals decision, which was previously reported on in the ACT. For a brief background, the plaintiff, Marcella Fletcher originally filed suit against CertainTeed after being diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma. Fletcher attributed …
For the second time this month, the Asbestos Case Tracker blog has been honored as one of the best legal blogs online today! Editors of the ABA Journal announced this week they have selected Asbestos Case Tracker as one of the top 100 best legal blogs. Now included on the ABA Journal’s Blawg 100, Asbestos Case Tracker …
Two opposing decisions were rendered by two different judges in two factually and legally similar groups of smoking lung cancer cases. In Harrell et al. and Boston et al., asbestos defendants filed nearly identical motions for summary judgment, arguing that the plaintiffs could not recover because (1) the plaintiffs knew the hazards of smoking and …
Third-party defendant Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa, Limited (IDC) filed a motion to dismiss defendant Cooper/T. Smith Stevedoring Company, Inc.’s (Cooper) third party complaint. The court granted IDC’s motion and remanded the case to state court. The plaintiffs filed suit on behalf of decedent Earl Lindsay, who died of lung cancer. The plaintiffs alleged …