Category: Summary Judgment

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New York / Summary Judgment
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Talc Defendant Unsuccessful on Summary Judgment

Jurisdiction:  Supreme Court of New York, New York County

Plaintiff Lita Goldstein was diagnosed in March 2022 with mesothelioma.  She initiated a suit against several defendants in May 2022, including Kolmar Laboratories Inc. Kolmar moved for summary judgment on two points. First, it argued plaintiff failed to establish she was exposed to any asbestos-containing product manufactured by Kolmar.  Second, Kolmar argued that any such product it had manufactured was done so per the specifications of Johnson & Johnson and as such, Kolmar could not be liable. …

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Causation / Maritime/Admiralty Law / Punitive Damages / Sovereign Immunity / Summary Judgment
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Summary Judgment Denied as to U.S. Navy Ship Product Suppliers; Court Determines Florida Law Applies

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Plaintiff Leona Rhoades, on behalf of the estate of her husband, Dewey T. Rhoades, commenced this action against a variety of defendants, alleging that their products contained asbestos that contributed to her husband’s lung cancer and eventual passing. Mr. Rhoades had been employed as a mechanical repair worker on various jobsites, including on U.S. Navy Ships in Florida. The three remaining defendants, General Electric Company (GE), Raytheon Technologies Corporation (RTC), and Northrop Grumman Corporation (NGC) each …

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Iowa / Summary Judgment
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Grant of Summary Judgment to Aluminum Plant Owner Reversed

Jurisdiction: Court of Appeals of Iowa

We previously reported on this matter involving the decedent, Charles Beverage, who was employed as an independent contractor at an aluminum plant between the 1950s and the mid-1970s. Following his death in October 2015, the decedent’s estate filed a products liability suit against several defendants, including Alcoa Inc., the aluminum plant’s owner, and Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation Inc., an installer of insulation, alleging that the decedent was exposed to asbestos during his employment and subsequently contracted mesothelioma. 

At that time, …

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Appeal / New York / Summary Judgment
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First Department Affirms Denial of Pipe Manufacturer’s Motion for Summary Judgment

Court: Supreme Court of New York, Appellate Division, First Department

In this asbestos action, decedent Rudolf Horvath alleged that he was exposed to asbestos from Bondstrand pipes manufactured by defendant, Ameron International, at a sewage plant in midtown Manhattan. In response, Ameron filed a motion for summary judgment, arguing the sewage plant referenced by decedent must have been the North River wastewater treatment plant, which did not exist until 1985 at a time when Ameron no longer manufactured Bondstrand pipe using asbestos.

The trial court …

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Appeal / Summary Judgment / Texas
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Appellate Court Reverses Premise Defendant’s Summary Judgment Ruling

Court:  Court of Appeals of Texas, Fourteenth District, Houston

Carolyn and Frank Burford were married from November 1962 until Carolyn’s death in 2015. While married, Frank Buford worked for Alcoa at its aluminum smelter in Rockdale, Texas. As a potlining helper, Mr. Burford regularly worked with and around asbestos-containing materials.  Mrs. Burford (Carolyn, or decedent) washed his work clothing every day for a period of 25 years. In 2006, she sought medical care after developing shortness of breath. Her pulmonologist diagnosed her with asbestosis and she later died …

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New York / Summary Judgment
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Summary Judgment Granted to Oven Manufacturer on Causation in NYCAL

Court: Supreme Court of New York, New York County

In this action, plaintiff June Savianeso alleges that decedent Michael Savianeso was exposed to asbestos from the products of various defendants.

Decedent passed away without giving deposition testimony. Subsequently, decedent’s brother, James, provided seven days of testimony. As pertinent to this motion, James testified that he worked as a pizza maker at a pizzeria in New Jersey for approximately 30 hours per week from June to August during the summers of 1976 and 1977. James mainly …

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Punitive Damages / Summary Judgment
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Boiler Manufacturer’s Motion for Partial Summary Judgment re: Punitive Damages Denied

Supreme Court of New York, New York County

In this asbestos action, defendant Burnham, LLC moved for partial summary judgment to dismiss the plaintiff’s punitive damages claim on the basis that any alleged asbestos exposure from Burnham boilers would fall below TLV or PEL/OSHA limits, and that Burnham did not have workers’ compensation claims for asbestos-related disease.

The court, however, determined that “Burnham has plainly not met their burden at summary judgment.” According to the court, TLV/OSHA standards have “little bearing on plaintiff’s unequivocal and …

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Florida / Summary Judgment
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District Court Denies Aviation Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment

Jurisdiction:  United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida

Decedent John McCabe died from malignant epithelioid mesothelioma in January 2023, following a career as an aircraft mechanic. His estate initiated this action, alleging strict products liability and negligence against dozens of defendants, including Curtiss-Wright. Curtis-Wright moved for summary judgment, arguing that plaintiff failed to submit any evidence to support the claim the decedent was exposed to asbestos from working on or around its products.

Summary judgment is appropriate when “The movant shows that there is …

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North Carolina / Summary Judgment
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Pump Manufacturer Obtains Summary Judgment on Causation

Jurisdiction: United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina

Marshall E. Pike worked in the farm-equipment manufacturing and maintenance field for the duration of his 55-year career. This included performing maintenance on fertilizer spreader and sprayer pumps at multiple companies. In September 2021, Pike was diagnosed with mesothelioma and commenced this action. His estate continued the action and added a wrongful death claim following his June 2023 death. Plaintiffs alleged the decedent’s handling of asbestos gasket material on Defco pumps contributed to his illness. Defco moved for …

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Summary Judgment
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Boiler Manufacturer’s Motion for Summary Judgment Denied

Supreme Court of New York, New York County (NYCAL)

In this asbestos action, plaintiff Thomas Bassier alleged that he suffered injury as a result of exposure to asbestos-containing products manufactured by various companies during his time employed as an electrician. In response, one of the defendants, Burnham, LLC, filed a motion for summary judgment arguing that the plaintiff failed to establish exposure to any alleged asbestos-containing products manufactured by Burnham.

To succeed on summary judgment, a moving defendant must “affirmatively prove, as a matter of …

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