10 Top Facebook Pages Of All Time Asbestos Lawsuit History
Texas Asbestos Lawsuit History
Asbestos lawsuits have resulted in the bankruptcies of a number of businesses. A knowledgeable mesothelioma lawyer will help you secure compensation.
Health experts and doctors have long warned of the dangers of asbestos exposure. Industry leaders have minimized these risks. As time went on, asbestos-related diseases were becoming more prevalent.
The Third Case
Asbestos lawsuits really took off in the 1970s, when scientific studies started to link asbestos with serious illnesses like asbestosis or mesothelioma. Because asbestos-related diseases don't typically show symptoms until decades after exposure, tens of thousands of lawsuits were filed. A majority of these lawsuits were filed in Texas which had favorable laws made it a preferred location for this inferno of litigation.
Johns Manville was the leading producer in the 1940s and 1950s of asbestos-related products. This case had a major impact on asbestos litigation. In the 1980s it was discovered that Lewis Brown, the CEO of the company, placed profits above the safety and health of his employees. Deposition testimony revealed that he was heavily influenced by his company's chief medical advisor Dr. Russell Budd. Budd was an expert in his field who was known for his callous disregard of the health of workers.
Johns Manville was found to have known about asbestos's dangers, but did not take any action to protect their workers. The court ruled that the company is responsible for any damages that occur if employees later develop mesothelioma, or other asbestos-related illnesses. The court also held the company liable for damages for the families of employees who passed away.
After the decision in Borel, many asbestos victims and their families sought compensation from companies who used asbestos as a material. Unfortunately, the majority of claims were rejected for a variety of reasons. Some cases were allowed to proceed, and the courts drew up a series of guidelines that guide the handling of asbestos-related lawsuits.
In the 1990s asbestos defendants were seeking legal rulings to restrict their liability. They wanted to to argue that asbestos was not a part of their product, and therefore, they shouldn't be held responsible for the injuries suffered by people who worked with asbestos. These arguments were rejected and the U.S. Supreme Court refused to uphold the "asbestos product" defense.
Scottsdale asbestos attorneys , mesothelioma victims' right to seek compensation from parties responsible in a case is protected under federal and state law. However insurance companies continue to combat these claims tooth and nail.