Texas Asbestos Lawsuit History
Many companies have gone bankrupt because of the
asbestos lawsuits filed by the victims. An experienced mesothelioma lawyer can assist you in obtaining compensation.
Experts in the health field have been warning for years about the dangers asbestos exposure. Yet, industry leaders downplayed the risks. As time passed, asbestos-related illnesses became more prevalent.
The Third Case
Asbestos lawsuits really took off in the 1970s, when studies by scientists began to link asbestos with serious illnesses like mesothelioma or asbestosis. Thousands of lawsuits were filed due to the fact that
asbestos lawyers-related diseases do not usually show symptoms for 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 significant impact on asbestos litigation. In the 1980s it was discovered that Lewis Brown, the CEO of the company, placed company profits before the safety and health of his employees. The testimony of a deposition revealed that he was heavily influenced by the company's chief medical advisor Dr. Russell Budd. Budd was an expert in his field who was known for his callous disregard of the health of workers.
Johns Manville was found to have known about the dangers associated with asbestos, but did not take any action to protect their 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 to the families of deceased employees.
After the decision in Borel, many
asbestos lawsuits victims and their families sought compensation from companies that used asbestos. Most of these claims were denied for a variety reasons. Some cases were permitted to proceed and the courts set guidelines that guide the handling of asbestos-related lawsuits.
In the 1990s
asbestos lawyer defendants were seeking legal rulings to restrict their liability. For instance they sought to argue that asbestos materials were not part of their product and thus shouldn't be held accountable for injuries to people who worked with asbestos. These arguments were rejected, and the U.S. Supreme Court refused to uphold the "
asbestos lawyers product" defense.
State and federal laws protect the rights of a mesothelioma patient to seek compensation for their illness from the parties accountable in a particular case. Insurance companies continue to fight these claims.