Real-Time Court Decisions and Other Developments in Asbestos Litigation.
A jury found defendant Dana Companies not negligent in manufacturing and/or selling asbestos containing gaskets without adequate warning in a recent New York mesothelioma case despite a finding of exposure to the defendant’s gaskets. The plaintiff, Michael Colsten, claimed exposure to asbestos while working as an automotive mechanic at General Tire from 1965 through 1969 and …
David Baeza and Vana Baeza filed suit against defendants including Special Electric Company, a distributor of raw crocidolite asbestos fibers called ML-6 following his diagnosis with mesothelioma. Special Electric had supplied ML-6 raw asbestos fibers to Johns-Manville beginning in the mid-1970s. David Baeza’s father had worked at a Johns-Manville plant in Long Beach, California, and …
Plaintiff Dan Freeman filed a Seaman’s Petition for Damages against a number of defendants under state law, general maritime law, and the Jones Act on July 26, 2011. Freeman alleged that while he was working on drilling rigs, he was exposed to asbestos drilling mud products, and ultimately developed “asbestos maladies” as a result of …
Plaintiff James Collier filed suit against defendant CSX Transportation, Inc. in 2015 after a diagnosis of lung cancer, allegedly arising from his exposure to asbestos while working for railroad company CSX in the 1960s and 70s. Collier had settled an earlier 1994 action against CSX relating to injuries after suffering from asbestosis allegedly caused by …
Indian Head acquired a gasket manufacturing company that had for some time produced gaskets containing asbestos and continued to manufacture and sell such gaskets for five years after the acquisition. Shortly after acquiring the manufacturing company, Indian Head purchased three consecutive liability insurance policies from Continental Casualty Company. Later, Indian Head was sued in thousands …
The William Powell Company makes industrial valves. Some valves manufactured before 1987 contained asbestos. In 2001, Powell began receiving personal-injury claims emanating from asbestos exposures involving its products. Faced with potentially thousands of claims, Powell sought defense and indemnification under various insurance policies. At issue here were occurrence-based policies that were written by a predecessor …
This case is part of the consolidated asbestos products liability multidistrict litigation (MDL 875), and is on the court’s maritime docket. The plaintiffs alleged the decedent William Lawrence was exposed to asbestos while working aboard various ships. Ship owners represented by Thomson Hine (the defendants) filed a motion for summary judgment, which the court denied. …
The plaintiff was a machinist, pipe fitter and electrician from the 1950s-1970s and alleged asbestos exposure during his work at a variety of locations, including during home repair and automotive maintenance. In 2013, he was diagnosed with asbestosis. The plaintiff testified as to working with pumps as a machinist helper on the USS Kitty Hawk …
The plaintiffs, wife and sons of Henry Linsowe, filed a complaint in 2011 alleging causes of action for negligence, strict liability, and loss of consortium. In their complaint, the plaintiffs alleged that Linsowe worked as a brake mechanic at Downey Ford from 1969 to 1986 and that he was exposed to asbestos “during various activities, …
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 …