Texas Asbestos Lawsuit History
Many companies have been bankrupt due to asbestos attorneys lawsuits filed by the victims. An asbestos lawyer can help you get compensation.
Health experts and doctors have long warned of asbestos exposure's dangers. But, some industry leaders minimized the dangers. In time, more and more people were diagnosed with asbestos-related illnesses.
The Third Case
Asbestos litigation really took off in the 1970s, just after scientific studies began to link asbestos to severe diseases like asbestosis and mesothelioma. Because these diseases often don't show symptoms until decades after exposure, tens of thousands of lawsuits were filed. These lawsuits were filed in Texas because of its favorable laws.
One of the most significant cases that shaped asbestos litigation was Johns Manville, the leading producer of asbestos lawsuits-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, Brown admitted that he was heavily affected by 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.
The evidence revealed that Johns Manville knew about the asbestos dangers but did not take any action to protect its employees. The court declared that the company was responsible for any damages that occur if employees later develop mesothelioma, or other asbestos lawsuit-related diseases. The court also ruled 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 the companies that used asbestos. The majority of these claims were denied for a variety reasons. Some cases were permitted to proceed, and the courts drew guidelines that guide the handling of asbestos-related lawsuits.
In the 1990s asbestos defendants were seeking legal rulings to limit their liability. They wanted to to argue that asbestos lawyers materials were not component of their product and therefore they should not be held accountable for the injuries suffered by people who employed with asbestos. These claims were unsuccessful and the U.S. Supreme Court refused to uphold the "asbestos product" defense.
Today, mesothelioma victims' right to seek compensation from parties responsible in a case is protected under state and federal law. Insurance companies continue to fight these claims.