Asbestos Lawsuit History Explained In Fewer Than 140 Characters

Texas asbestos attorney Lawsuit History

Many companies have been bankrupt due to asbestos lawsuits filed by the victims. A knowledgeable mesothelioma lawyer will help you obtain 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 went on, asbestos-related diseases became more common.

The Third Case

Asbestos lawsuits really took off in 1970s, after studies in science began to connect asbestos with serious diseases like asbestosis or mesothelioma. Tens of thousands of lawsuits were filed due to the fact that these diseases don't usually exhibit symptoms until decades after exposure. A majority of these lawsuits were filed in Texas which had favorable laws made it a popular venue for this litigation inferno.

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

Johns Manville was found to have known about the dangers associated with asbestos however, they failed to take any steps to safeguard their workers. The court ruled that the company is responsible for any damages that occur if employees later develop mesothelioma, or any other asbestos-related illness. The court also found the company liable for damages to the families of deceased employees.

After the ruling in Borel, many asbestos victims and their families sought compensation from the companies that made use of asbestos. Most of these claims were rejected for a variety reasons. Certain cases were allowed to be heard and the courts drafted a set of guidelines for the handling of asbestos lawyer-related lawsuits.

In the 1990s, asbestos defendants still sought legal rulings to limit their liability. For instance, they sought to argue that the asbestos materials were not part of their product and therefore should not be held liable for injuries sustained by people who worked with asbestos attorney. These arguments were not successful and the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the "asbestos products" defense.

Federal and state laws protect the right of a mesothelioma patient to seek compensation for their condition from the parties responsible in a specific case. However insurance companies continue to combat these claims tooth and nail.