Texas Asbestos Lawsuit History
Asbestos lawsuits have led to the bankruptcy of several businesses. A mesothelioma attorney can assist you in obtaining compensation.
Experts in the health field have warned for years about the dangers of asbestos exposure. Industry leaders have downplayed the risks. Over time, asbestos-related diseases became more common.
The Third Case
Asbestos litigation began to take off in the 1970s, shortly after research studies began to link asbestos to severe illnesses like mesothelioma and asbestosis. Since these diseases typically don't manifest until years after exposure, hundreds of thousands of lawsuits were filed. These lawsuits were filed in Texas due to its favorable laws.
One of the most important cases that shaped asbestos litigation involved Johns Manville, the leading producer of asbestos products in the 1940s and 1950s. 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 Mount Pleasant asbestos lawsuits , Brown admitted to being heavily influenced by Dr. Russell Budd, the chief medical advisor of his company. Budd was an expert in his field who was known for his indifference to the health of employees.
The evidence revealed that Johns Manville knew about the dangers of asbestos and did not take any action to safeguard its workers. The court declared that the company was liable for damages if workers later develop mesothelioma, or other asbestos-related illnesses. The court also held the company liable for damages to the families of employees who died.
After the decision in Borel, many asbestos victims and their families sought compensation from companies that made use of the material. Unfortunately, the majority of these claims were dismissed for various reasons. Certain cases were allowed be heard, and the courts developed a set of guidelines for the handling of asbestos-related lawsuits.
In the 1990s, asbestos defendants continued to seek legal rulings to limit their liability. They wanted to be able argue that asbestos materials were not component of their product and therefore they should not be held liable for injuries incurred by those who worked with it. These claims were unsuccessful, and the U.S. Supreme Court refused to recognize the "asbestos product" defense.
Federal and state laws safeguard the rights of a mesothelioma patient to seek compensation for their condition from the responsible parties in a specific case. However, insurance companies continue to combat these claims with a hammer and a sledgehammer.