Asbestos Lawsuit History: 11 Thing You re Not Doing

Texas Asbestos Lawsuit History

Many companies have been bankrupt due to asbestos lawsuits (information from Funsilo) filed by victims. A mesothelioma lawyer can assist you in getting compensation.

Experts in the health field have warned for decades about the dangers of exposure to asbestos. Industry leaders have minimized these risks. As time passed, asbestos-related illnesses were becoming more prevalent.

The Third Case

Asbestos litigation began to take off in the 1970s, shortly after scientific studies began to link asbestos to serious illnesses like mesothelioma and asbestosis. Thousands of lawsuits were filed due to the fact that asbestos-related diseases do not usually exhibit symptoms until decades after exposure. These lawsuits were filed in Texas because of its favorable laws.

One of the most significant cases that shaped asbestos litigation involved Johns Manville, the leading producer of asbestos-related products during the 1940s and 1950s. In the 1980s it was discovered that Lewis Brown, the CEO of the company, placed profits above the safety and health of his employees. The testimony of a deposition revealed that Brown was heavily influenced his company's chief medical advisor, Dr. Russell Budd. Budd, a doctor known for his callous disregard for the health of employees was a well-known character.

The evidence proved that Johns Manville knew about the asbestos dangers but did nothing to safeguard its workers. The court decided that the company was responsible for damages to workers who later developed mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases. The court also determined that the company was liable for the families of deceased workers.

Following the decision in Borel many asbestos victims and families sought compensation from the companies that made use of this material. Most of these claims were denied due to a variety of reasons. Some cases were permitted to proceed, and the courts drew up a set of guidelines that guide the handling of asbestos attorney-related lawsuits.

In the 1990s, asbestos defendants still sought legal rulings to limit their liability. They wanted to argue that asbestos attorney materials were not component of their product and therefore, they shouldn't be held liable for injuries caused by people who employed with asbestos. The claims were not successful, and the U.S. Supreme Court refused to recognize the "asbestos product" defense.

Federal and state laws safeguard the rights of a mesothelioma patient to seek compensation for their condition from the parties accountable in a particular case. Insurance companies continue to fight against these claims.