Keep An Eye On This: How Asbestos Lawsuit History Is Taking Over And What Can We Do About It

Texas Asbestos Lawsuit History

Asbestos lawsuits have resulted in the bankruptcy of several businesses. A knowledgeable mesothelioma lawyer will help you obtain compensation.

Health professionals and doctors for years warned about asbestos exposure's dangers. But, some industry leaders minimized the dangers. As time passed, asbestos-related illnesses became more common.

The Third Case

Asbestos lawsuits really took off in 1970s, after studies in science began to connect asbestos with serious diseases such as asbestosis or mesothelioma. Thousands of lawsuits were filed as asbestos-related diseases rarely manifest for years after exposure. These lawsuits were filed in Texas because of its favorable laws.

Johns Manville was the leading producer in the 1940s and 1950s of asbestos products. This case had a significant impact on asbestos litigation. In the 1980s, it came to the light that the company's CEO Lewis Brown prioritized company profits over the health of his employees. In his deposition testimony Brown admitted that he was heavily dependent on Dr. Russell Budd, the chief medical advisor to his company. Budd was a physician who was who was known for his smug disregard for employees' health, was a well-known figure.

The evidence proved that Johns Manville knew about the asbestos dangers but did not take any action to protect its employees.  first asbestos lawsuit  declared that the company was responsible for any damages that occur if employees later develop mesothelioma, or any other asbestos-related illness. The court also found that the company was liable for damages for families of deceased employees.

After the decision in Borel, many asbestos victims and their families sought compensation from companies that made use of asbestos as a material. Unfortunately, the majority of claims were dismissed for various reasons. A few cases were allowed to proceed, and the courts drew up a set of guidelines that have guided the handling of asbestos-related lawsuits.

In the 1990s, asbestos defendants continued to seek legal rulings to limit their liability. They wanted to to argue that asbestos materials were not part of their product and therefore, they shouldn't be held liable for injuries caused by people who worked with it. These claims were unsuccessful, and the U.S. Supreme Court refused to uphold the "asbestos product" defense.

Today, a mesothelioma victim's right to seek compensation from the parties responsible in a case is protected under federal and state law. However insurance companies continue to combat these claims with a hammer and a sledgehammer.