Beware Of These "Trends" Concerning Asbestos Lawsuit History
Texas Asbestos Lawsuit History
Many companies have been bankrupt due to asbestos lawsuits filed by the victims. A knowledgeable mesothelioma lawyer will help you obtain compensation.
Health experts and doctors have long warned about asbestos exposure's dangers. Industry leaders have minimized the dangers. As time passed, asbestos-related illnesses became more prevalent.
The Third Case
Asbestos lawsuits really took off in 1970s, after studies by scientists began to link asbestos with serious illnesses like mesothelioma or asbestosis. Because asbestos-related diseases don't typically show symptoms until decades after exposure, tens of thousands of lawsuits were filed. A majority of these lawsuits were brought in Texas, where favorable laws made it a popular venue for this litigation inferno.
One of the most significant cases that shaped asbestos litigation involved Johns Manville, the leading producer of asbestos-related products during the 1940s and 1950s. In the 1980s it was discovered that Lewis Brown, the CEO of the company, put profits over the safety and health of his employees. In his deposition testimony, he admitted to being heavily dependent on Dr. Russell Budd, the chief medical advisor of his company. Budd was a doctor well-known for his indifference to the health of workers.
The evidence revealed that Johns Manville knew about the asbestos hazards but did not take any action to protect its employees. The court decided that the company was responsible for the damages suffered by workers who later developed mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. The court also held 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 the material. Unfortunately, asbestos lawsuit history of claims were dismissed for a variety of reasons. Some cases were permitted to proceed and the courts set up a set of guidelines that have guided the handling of asbestos-related lawsuits.
In the 1990s asbestos defendants still sought legal rulings to limit their liability. They wanted to be able to argue that asbestos was not a part of their product, and therefore they shouldn't be held liable for injuries caused by people who employed with it. These claims were unsuccessful and the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the "asbestos products" defense.
Federal and state laws safeguard mesothelioma patients' rights. patient to seek compensation for their condition from the parties responsible in a particular case. However insurance companies continue to fight these claims with a hammer and a sledgehammer.