Texas asbestos personal injury lawsuit Lawsuit History

Asbestos lawsuits have led to the bankruptcy of several businesses. An experienced mesothelioma lawyer can help you secure compensation.

Experts in the health field have warned for decades about the dangers of exposure to asbestos lawsuit lawyers. However, the industry's leaders hid the risks. Over time, asbestos-related diseases were becoming more prevalent.

The Third Case

Asbestos lawsuits really began to gain momentum in the 1970s, shortly after research studies began to link asbestos to serious illnesses such as mesothelioma or asbestosis. Because these diseases often don't manifest until years after exposure, thousands of lawsuits were filed. A majority of these lawsuits were filed in Texas, where favorable laws made it an ideal location for this litigation saga.

One of the most significant cases that shaped asbestos litigation was 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, placed company profits before the health and safety of his employees. In his deposition, Asbestos Related Lawsuits Brown admitted to being heavily dependent on Dr. Russell Budd, the chief medical advisor to his company. Budd, a doctor who was known for his smug disregard for the health of employees was a well-known character.

Johns Manville was found to have been aware of asbestos' dangers however, they did not take any steps to protect their workers. 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 ruled that the company was responsible for the family members of deceased workers.

Following the decision in Borel, many asbestos class action suit victims and their families sought compensation from the companies who used asbestos as a material. Most of these claims were rejected due to a variety of reasons. Some cases were permitted to proceed and the courts came up with up a series of guidelines that have governed the handling of Asbestos Related Lawsuits-related lawsuits.

In the 1990s, asbestos defendants still sought legal rulings to limit their liability. For instance, they wanted to argue that the asbestos exposure lawsuit settlements materials were not part of their product and thus shouldn't be held accountable for injuries suffered by those who worked with them. These arguments were not successful and the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the "asbestos products" defense.

Today, a mesothelioma patient's right to seek compensation from accountable parties in a case is protected by state and federal law. Insurance companies continue to fight these claims.