Category: Other Asbestos News

Claire’s Stores Inc. removed nine children’s makeup products from store shelves after a report by WJAR-TV that tremolite asbestos was found in various Claire’s kits. Claire’s released a statement, saying that initial testing found the cosmetics to be asbestos-free, but that “out of an abundance of caution, additional testing is underway.” Claire’s further stated that the talcum powder used in its products is from a certified asbestos-free European vendor.

A Rhode Island mother was the first to report the potential problem. Kristi Warner, an attorney …

FLORIDA — Appellant/defendant Bechtel appealed the trial court’s final judgment after a Florida jury found that plaintiff Richard Batchelor’s mesothelioma was caused in part by exposure to asbestos at Florida Power and Light (FPL) during the years 1974 to 1980. Bechtel built the plant at issue, and was responsible for ongoing maintenance services throughout the plaintiff’s six years at FPL, providing over a million contracted man hours during that time period, and having trailers on site for office space and storage. A three judge panel …

MISSOURI — The plaintiffs brought this claim against employer E.J. Cody Company (defendant) alleging her decedent passed from mesothelioma as a result of his occupational exposure to asbestos for which the defendant was liable. Mr. Casey had worked beginning in 1984 as a tile installer for several companies including the defendant. He retired in 1990 and filed suit for mesothelioma in February of 2015. Mr. Casey passed away prior to hearing.

At the commission hearing, the plaintiffs agreed they sought claims under statute 287.200.4 (new …

Plaintiff Erik Ross Phillips filed suit against a number of defendants after contracting mesothelioma allegedly caused by occupational exposure to asbestos in brake linings used in a machine at the facilities of his employer. The defendants, among others, included the manufacturers and distributors of the brake linings.

At trial, Phillips pursued a negligent failure-to-warn theory under North Carolina law against both defendants. As a defense, the distributor and manufacturer argued that even if they were negligent, they are not liable because of the intervening negligence …

ILLINOIS — Cleaver Brooks filed an appeal of the trial court’s ruling of a “friendly contempt” order against it. By way of background, the plaintiff filed suit against multiple defendants arguing that he sustained injuries from working with and around asbestos containing parts associated with boilers. At issue were thousands of index cards specific to Cleaver Brooks’ products. The plaintiff sought those index cards through discovery requests. Cleaver Brooks eventually produced certain index cards after multiple discovery hearings at the trial court level. However, Cleaver …

Bestwall LLC, a unit of Georgia Pacific, sought bankruptcy protection under U.S. Chapter 11 early Thursday morning. Bestwall LLC filed the petition as a result of towering costs associated with defending asbestos claims around the nation. The filing comes during a period of time in which both state and federal lawmakers ponder proposals to curb asbestos claims. A company statement indicated that Georgia Pacific is unaffected by the filing.…