Asbestos Lawsuit History: What No One Has Discussed
Texas Asbestos Lawsuit History
Many companies have gone bankrupt due to asbestos lawyer lawsuits filed by the victims. An asbestos lawyer can help you get compensation.
Health professionals and doctors for years warned of the dangers of asbestos exposure. However, the industry's leaders hid the dangers. In time the number of people who were diagnosed with asbestos-related illnesses.
The Third Case
asbestos attorney litigation really took off in the 1970s, just after scientific studies began to link asbestos with serious diseases like asbestosis and mesothelioma. Because asbestos-related diseases don't typically manifest until years after exposure, thousands of lawsuits were filed. These lawsuits were filed in Texas due to its favorable laws.
Johns Manville was the leading producer in the 1940s & 1950s of asbestos products. This case had a major impact on asbestos litigation. In the 1980s, it was revealed that Lewis Brown, the CEO of the company, put company profits before the health and safety of his employees. The testimony of a deposition revealed that Brown was heavily influenced the chief medical advisor of the company, Dr. Russell Budd. Budd, a doctor who was known for his smug disregard for the health of employees was a well-known persona.
Johns Manville was found to be aware of the dangers associated with asbestos however, they failed to take any action to protect their employees. The court ruled that the company was responsible for the damages suffered by workers who later developed mesothelioma or other asbestos-related illnesses. The court also found that the company was liable for damages for the families of deceased employees.
Following the decision in Borel many asbestos attorneys victims and their families sought compensation from the companies that used the material. Most of the claims were denied for a variety reasons. Certain cases were allowed to be heard and the courts drafted guidelines for the handling of asbestos-related suits.
In the 1990s asbestos defendants were seeking legal rulings to limit their liability. They wanted to be able argue that asbestos materials were not a component of their product and therefore they shouldn't be held responsible for injuries caused by people who employed with it. The claims were rejected and the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the "asbestos products" defense.
Federal and state laws safeguard the right of a mesothelioma patient to seek compensation for their condition from the responsible parties in a specific case. Insurance companies continue to fight against these claims.