Texas Asbestos Lawsuit History
Asbestos lawsuits have led to the bankruptcies of a number of businesses. An experienced mesothelioma lawyer can help you obtain compensation.
Doctors and health experts long warned of the dangers of asbestos exposure. However, the industry's leaders hid the dangers. As time passed increasing numbers of people were diagnosed with asbestos-related illnesses.
The Third Case
Asbestos litigation began to take off in the 1970s, just after studies by scientists began to link asbestos to serious diseases like asbestosis and mesothelioma. Tens of thousands of suits were filed because these diseases don't usually exhibit symptoms until decades after exposure. These lawsuits were filed in Texas due to its favorable laws.
Johns Manville was the leading producer during the 1940s and 1950s of asbestos products. This case had a major 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. Deposition testimony revealed that he was heavily influenced by his company's chief medical advisor Dr. Russell Budd. Budd was a doctor who was known for his callous disregard for employees' health was a well-known character.
The evidence proved that Johns Manville knew about the asbestos hazards but took no action to safeguard its workers. The court determined that the company was liable for damages to workers who later developed mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. The court also ruled that the company was liable for damages to the families of deceased workers.
Following San Leandro asbestos lawsuits in Borel, many asbestos victims and their families sought compensation from companies who used the material. Most of these claims were rejected for a variety reasons. Certain cases were allowed to continue and the courts drafted guidelines for handling asbestos-related lawsuits.
In the 1990s asbestos defendants were seeking legal rulings to limit their liability. For instance they wanted to be able to argue that asbestos materials were not part of their product and therefore could not be held responsible for injuries to people who worked with them. These claims were unsuccessful and the U.S. Supreme Court refused to accept the "asbestos product" defense.
Today, mesothelioma victims' right to pursue compensation from responsible parties in a case is protected by state and federal law. Insurance companies continue to fight these claims.