Asbestos Lawsuit History Lawyers like Stanley Levy have helped many asbestos victims Patients suffering from mesothelioma and asbestos-related diseases can sue companies that mined, manufactured or used asbestos and asbestos-containing products The first asbestos lawsuit was filed by Nellie Kershaw She developed health issues while working in an asbestos fiber plant in England She died at 33 due to fibrosis of her lungs, caused by asbestos exposure The First Cases Asbestos, a dangerous mineral, has infected and killed thousands throughout the years Asbestos claims are filed for a variety reasons, but most often involve those who were exposed to asbestos at work This could include workers in factories that produced asbestos-related products, people who worked in the construction of buildings with asbestos, or who were exposed to asbestos secondhand from contaminated household products like talcum powder Exposure to asbestos can cause a variety of illnesses that include lung cancer, mesothelioma and other respiratory issues Many people have received compensation for their injuries even though some of these diseases can be fatal This is due to the fact that most countries have laws that require companies that create dangerous substances to warn those who could be hurt by them The first asbestos lawsuit was filed in 1929 It included a woman named Anna Pirskowski She was suffering from shortness of breath and thickening of the fingertip tissue known as clubbing She was awarded an amount of 75,000 in settlement and is believed to be the first class action lawsuit filed in relation to asbestos Asbest lawsuits continued to be filed in the years that followed Some of these cases were very large, and many attorneys began to specialize in asbestos litigation This meant that they dealt with the most serious cases One firm that was involved in this was Kazan Law, which in the late 1980s began to focus on the bringing of cases on behalf of people who had mesothelioma Other lawsuits have been won by people who suffered from asbestos-related diseases, such as asbestosis and plaques in the pleural region This is because the disease that caused these was very similar to mesothelioma and therefore easier for lawyers to prove These claims also led to the disclosure of secret documents that demonstrated how manufacturers of asbestos products attempted to conceal the dangers This led to the Asbestos Ban and Phase Out Rule being issued in 1989 The Second Case As the number of people diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases grew the number of victims and their families began to file lawsuits These lawsuits were filed against companies that mined asbestos, manufactured asbestos-containing products, or sold asbestos-containing goods In addition, mesothelioma sufferers filed lawsuits against the companies that designed and constructed the buildings they worked in, such as power plants, shipyards, refineries and factories The link between asbestos exposure and mesothelioma development is strong In the early 1980s, legal battles over asbestos lawsuits became more ferocious and courts began to rule on a variety of aspects of the litigation process A federal court, for example decided that only those suffering from malignant asbestos-caused diseases such as mesothelioma and lung cancer could sue the manufacturers of asbestos products This ruling, also referred to as Borel V Fibreboard Paper Products Corp was an important setback in asbestos litigation At the same time, Nellie Kershaw from Rochdale in England was the first to file what is now seen as the first well-known lawsuit against asbestos-related companies Kershaw was a factory worker from Rochdale, England was diagnosed with lung problems caused by her frequent exposure to raw asbestos fibers She attempted to convince her employer to pay for the treatment However, the company refused Kershaw passed away in her 30s from fibrosis https//wwwasbestoslawsuitpayoutstop/ of asbestos lawsuits centered on those who were exposed to various types asbestos-containing building products, such as fireproofing sprays and drywall products Asbestos lawyers also filed successful cases against companies that manufactured equipment that used asbestos-containing materials, such as pumps and boilers During this time, many documents pertaining to asbestos companies were discovered These documents showed their involvement in conspiracies and fraud These included the personal records of Johns-Manville president Sumner Simpson, as well as correspondence from the general counsel for another asbestos producer, Raybestos Manhattan These documents revealed a plot between these companies to hide the dangers of asbestos and deflect efforts to educate the public In the early to mid-1980s When these and other forms of corporate fraud and conspiracy were discovered in the 1980s, a wave of class action settlements was launched and other attempts were made to reduce asbestos liability by asbestos companies These attempts were met with fierce resistance from plaintiffs' attorneys and their clients, as well as the public in general The Third Case In the 1970s, asbestos-related companies had lost the ability to conceal information on the fatal effects of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses from the public This was due in large part to the fact major national publications began paying attention to the link between mesothelioma, asbestos and other respiratory diseases, rather than small industry medical journals and newsletters Once asbestos-related serious illnesses were established and patients began filing lawsuits against asbestos manufacturers One of the main push factors that led to more asbestos lawsuits in 1970s was a court ruling that allowed plaintiffs to use the legal concept of strict liability Previously, plaintiffs in asbestos cases had to prove that asbestos manufacturers were negligent in causing their asbestos exposures However, in the 1973 case of Borel v Fibreboard, a judge ruled that asbestos manufacturers were responsible for any injuries caused by their products if the company knew that their product was dangerous and failed to warn its employees or the general public about the dangers After the ruling, a number of asbestos producers filed for bankruptcy This permits a business, even though it is still in operation, to reorganize its affairs in bankruptcy court and put funds into trusts to pay asbestos claimants Johns-Manville is a notable case, since it was hit with numerous lawsuits brought by former factory workers suffering from asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma Kazan Law brought several cases against the manufacturer, and was able to get punitive damages verdicts against it Since the time, asbestos litigation has continued to grow as a result of the rising number of victims suffering from asbestos-related ailments Asbestos lawsuits are often complicated due to the ailments they cause can take decades to manifest and are not always obvious to those diagnosed Additionally there have been cases where victims were forced to wait for years to receive compensation from insurance companies after their employers were found liable The US Supreme Court has addressed a number of cases where asbestos companies sought to limit their liability by offering class action settlements The court has also addressed the question of whether individual defendants can be held liable for injuries caused by asbestos The Fourth Cases Asbestos is a highly dangerous mineral that has sickened or killed hundreds of thousands of people over the many years It's also a product that was widely used by companies that knew that it was dangerous but continued to employ it in their manufacturing processes As the legal system handles asbestos lawsuits new developments are taking place every day One of the most significant legal developments is the decision Lubbe v Cape Plc This set a precedent allowing victims to sue multinational corporations in their home countries to recover compensation These cases typically result in secondary exposure to asbestos This is when those who work with asbestos on the job transfer it to their spouses or children at home The family members then suffer from mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases There are many lawsuits filed today by the families of victims based on this kind of case Asbestos lawyers can help families bring a case against companies responsible for the asbestos-related injuries suffered by their loved ones The emergence of class-action lawsuits is a significant development in asbestos litigation These asbestos lawsuits give victims the opportunity to seek justice through the help of an attorney who is familiarized with the complex legal issues these cases present Certain asbestos lawyers are against this kind of litigation There have been numerous attempts to pass legislation to limit the use class actions in asbestos lawsuits The latest major change in asbestos litigation is the filing a lawsuit by Massachusetts residents against 4 companies for handling asbestos removal and disposal The lawsuit alleged the companies in violation of state law by not disposing asbestos properly and failing to protect residents from the harmful dust Asbestos litigation is a long-running issue that will likely continue for a number of decades to come The asbestos industry has tried to avoid responsibility by bringing up technical legal arguments and by trying to get legislative remedies passed that would block victims from seeking justice However, it seems that many victims and their attorneys are determined to see justice done