Texas Asbestos Lawsuit History
Asbestos lawsuits have resulted in the bankruptcies of a number of companies. An asbestos lawyer can assist you in obtaining compensation.
Experts in the field of health have warned for years about the dangers asbestos exposure. But, some industry leaders minimized the risks. As time passed, more and more people fell ill with asbestos-related ailments.
The Third Case
Asbestos lawsuits really began to gain momentum in the 1970s after studies by scientists began to link asbestos to severe illnesses such as mesothelioma or asbestosis. Thousands of lawsuits were filed as these diseases don't usually exhibit symptoms until decades after exposure. A majority of these lawsuits were brought in Texas, where favorable laws made it a popular venue for this litigation inferno.
Johns Manville was the leading producer in the 1940s and 1950s of asbestos-related products. This case had a significant impact on asbestos litigation. In the 1980s, it came to be known that the company's chief executive Lewis Brown prioritized company profits over the 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 was an expert in his field lawsuit asbestos who was known for his sloppy disregard for the health of workers.
Johns Manville was found to have known about asbestos's dangers however, they failed to take any action to protect their employees. The court declared that the company was accountable for any damages suffered by workers who later develop mesothelioma, or any other asbestos-related illness. The court also found that the company was liable for damages for families of employees who passed away.
After the decision in Borel many asbestos-related victims and their families demanded compensation from the companies that made use of this material. Most of the claims were denied for a variety reasons. Some cases were permitted to proceed and the courts set guidelines that have guided the handling of asbestos-related lawsuits.
In the 1990s, asbestos defendants were still seeking legal rulings to limit their liability. They wanted to be able to argue that asbestos materials were not part of their product and therefore, they shouldn't be held liable for the injuries suffered by people who employed with asbestos. These arguments were rejected, and the U.S. Supreme Court refused to accept the "asbestos product" defense.
Federal and state laws safeguard the right of a mesothelioma patient to seek compensation for their illness from the responsible parties in a particular case. Insurance companies continue to fight these claims.