Factors Affecting the Largest Asbestos Settlement
The largest asbestos settlement is affected by a number of factors. Lawyers can use their experience to determine possible settlements for specific cases.
Generally, lawyers will settle 95% of cases. They begin by obtaining evidence and filing a lawsuit. They may also exchange data through discovery. Some cases may be tried in court depending on the strength and amount of evidence.
Owens Corning
The Owens Corning Corporation manufactures fiberglass and glass products. Its two primary operating segments are Building Materials Systems and Composite Solutions which are the latter accounting for 80 % of the company's annual revenues. The company is well-known for its Fiberglas and foam insulation, Owens Corning also makes asphalt products, vinyl siding windows, patio doors. Its Composite Solutions division manufactures composite materials for electronics, telecommunications equipment and showers and bathtubs.
The company is focused on corporate responsibility and sustainability as well as environmental sustainability. The stewardship program it has in place includes civic and community-based projects including product donations, as well as time spent volunteering. Owens Corning donates more than $1,000,000 in monetary contributions each year to the communities it serves. The company's environmental and community efforts are a reflection of the company's fundamental value of Individual Dignity.
Lakeland asbestos lawsuits is an asbestos-related disease that can take decades to develop. By the time victims develop symptoms, many companies have long gone bankrupt. Pressure from firms like Baron & Budd has forced these companies that are bankrupt to negotiate, where they agreed to set up bankruptcy trusts to settle asbestos claims. The trust's victims can sue to recover compensation.
Not all victims receive a settlement. The ones who choose to go to trial are often awarded a verdict by a jury. The verdicts might be smaller than settlements however, they are guaranteed compensation. However, jury verdicts can be lowered or overturned by a judge or a jury after the trial is complete.
Owens Corning has a strong commitment to the environment, as evident in its green products and business practices. The most well-known environmental efforts of the company involve reducing energy usage at its plants. The company's insulation products make use of recycled glass and other renewable resources as well as its insulation and roofing products are made up of at least 30 percent post-consumer material.
The firm has a team of asbestos experts who are dedicated to helping patients suffering from mesothelioma and other toxic exposures. The team has successfully represented clients who have suffered from asbestos exposures that were not expected. These include HVAC technicians and industrial workers. They have also obtained substantial verdicts in cases that involved auto mechanics, workers exposed to asbestos in shipyards, construction sites and other places of work.
Union Carbide
In July 2023, a jury awarded $107 million to the family of a man who passed away from mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos at a Union Carbide plant in California. This is the biggest asbestos verdict ever. However, the company has the option to appeal this ruling. The company has claimed that Eddie Bowen had a conflict because his father suffers asbestosis. The Mississippi Supreme Court will review these allegations.
Until the 1980s, Union Carbide was a major producer of asbestos. Its facilities made use of asbestos to create insulation, cement and a variety of industrial products. It also sold asbestos to other firms to use in their factories. As a result, workers at these factories could be exposed to exposure to the asbestos. Many of these workers were later diagnosed with mesothelioma. This is a deadly cancer that has no treatment or cure.
The 1984 gas leak in Bhopal, India was one of the most notorious Union Carbide cases. This disaster killed thousands of people and injured many more. The cause of the accident was an ineffective safety system. Despite this tragedy, Union Carbide refused to upgrade its safety systems.
Another asbestos lawsuit filed against this company was filed by a mesothelioma patient who worked at Kelly-Moore, in San Carlos, California. Plaintiffs argued Union Carbide sold toxic asbestos to Kelly-Moore knowingly. Plaintiffs presented invoices that showed that the company sold asbestos to Kelly-Moore between 1971 between 1971 and 1976. However, uncontradicted evidence proved that Kelly-Moore acquired the bulk of its asbestos through other sources.
These companies are only one of the many asbestos producers that have been blamed for asbestosis, mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Union Carbide, unlike most asbestos producers, did NOT declare bankruptcy or set up a trust fund for the settlement of claims. The company continues to fight mesothelioma lawsuits in all courts across the country. If you were exposed to asbestos at a Union Carbide plant, a New York mesothelioma attorney can help you seek maximum compensation from the company that caused your illness. Contact Belluck & Fox today to set up a free consultation.
Chevron Phillips Chemical
The Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC is a petrochemical producer that produces olefins, polyolefins, propylene, alpha-olefins, and specialty chemicals. Its headquarters are in The Woodlands, Texas. The company manufactures and markets a wide range of products for industries such as agriculture, electronics, construction and energy.
Asbestos, a mineral, was mined, refined and then sold in the United States for most of the 20th century. Asbestos is extremely harmful and can lead to a variety of serious health problems like mesothelioma. If you or someone you love has been exposed to asbestos, contact an attorney for mesothelioma to discuss your legal options.
Thomas Brown, a former oil worker, was awarded $322 million in the most infamous case against Chevron Philips Chemical. A jury found the defendants responsible for his asbestosis because they produced and sold drilling mud that contained asbestos. Brown was employed at the plant between 1979 and 1990, during which time he breathed asbestos while mixing the drilling mud. The jury awarded him over $300 million in medical bills for the future as well as pain, suffering and punitive damage.
Chevron Phillips Chemical is a petrochemical manufacturing company that operates three plants in Texas. These plants are used primarily for the production of ethylene but also polyethylene and propylene. The company has made a number of environmental improvements to its facilities. For example in 2008, the company announced plans to upgrade its emissions control equipment at the Baytown plant. This upgrade will reduce emissions by more than 10 percent.
The company also has agreed that it will improve its practices of flaring of waste gas. This will help prevent the release of harmful chemicals into the air. The agreement requires the company to install and operate equipment to ensure that the gases delivered to flares are combusted efficiently.
The agreement is part of an overall settlement between the company and the Justice Department. The Justice Department has agreed to settle an action against the company for violating of the Clean Air Act. In this instance, the company will pay a civil penalty of $1.8 million for violations that occurred at its Pasadena facility in 1999 and 2000.
Dana Corporation
For a long time, Dana Corporation provided an assortment of asbestos-containing products to standard and heavy-duty automobile manufacturers. These products included axles, universal joints, drive shafts and seals. Workers who assemble, put in and disassembled the parts were at risk of exposure to asbestos fibers. These toxic materials can also be contacted by family members or close friends of the workers if they are working near auto parts at work or at home. This exposure to asbestos increases the risk of developing lung cancer or Mesothelioma.
Clarence Spicer founded the company in 1904 after he developed a new part for cars known as the Spicer Universal Joint. Despite the invention of this breakthrough part, the company had a difficult time financially in its beginning. It wasn't until 1914 that it began turning profits.
After founding the company, Spicer hired a team of scientists and engineers to develop new products for the automobile industry. Eventually, Spicer became one of the world's top manufacturers of automotive components.
In March 2006, the Dana Company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. As part of its reorganization plan the company put aside $240 million to settle any asbestos-related claims.
Asbestos lawsuits against the company have been filed by various individuals including former employees as well as consumers of the products of the company. Some of these cases have resulted in large settlements for mesothelioma victims.
The largest settlement to date was handed out to Edward Robaey, a New York man who was diagnosed with mesothelioma back in 2012. He filed a lawsuit against the company, Felt Products MFG Co., and four other asbestos producers. Robaey was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma in response to his long-time exposure to asbestos at work and home.
If you've been diagnosed with asbestos-related illnesses like mesothelioma for instance, it is important to contact a mesothelioma lawyer to determine what compensation is available to you. Asbestos attorneys have the experience and resources to assist asbestos victims receive the highest amount of compensation. They can also connect victims with mesothelioma specialists who are qualified and help them receive the treatment they need. Contact us today for an unpressured, no-cost consultation with a mesothelioma attorney.