It was after the first successful asbestos lawsuit verdict against asbestos product manufacturers was upheld on appeal in 1973 (Borel v Fiberboard) that the flood of incriminating evidence began to flow. Internal memos, company documents, and depositions revealed the asbestos industries' knowledge of the risks of asbestos exposure.
A discovery described by Paul Brodeur in Outrageous Misconduct as "one of the most important early finds" in the "story of corporate misconduct going back fifty years" took place in Pittsburgh in January of 1976 by an attorney who would later be one of the founding partners of our firm1.
At the time, Thomas W. Henderson was working as an attorney in Pittsburgh. Henderson grew up just outside of Pittsburgh in Washington, PA, and had been working in the city after graduating from Duquesne University School of Law. Henderson had several clients who were suffering from lung cancer as a result of chemical exposures from their work around coke-ovens.
Henderson, who had already seen potential in using products liability law to get justice for injured workers, read the results of the Borel case with interest. He had already filed workman's compensation cases for two men suffereing from asbestosis, but the benefits were poor.
The deposition of the former medical director of Canadian Johns-Manville took place the morning of January 13, 1976 at the Frick building in downtown Pittsburgh. Thomas W. Henderson deposed Dr. Kenneth W. Smith at the offices of Johns-Maville's attorneys, Stein & Winters. What Dr. Smith revealed about Johns-Manville's prior knowledge about the dangers of asbestos dramatically damaged the company's defense strategy.
Up until this point,
Diagnosed with mesothelioma and living in Pittsburgh, PA or western Pennsylvania? The following resources have been gathered specifically for you. Live somewhere else and need information on mesothelioma?
After representing thousands of asbestos victims, GPW is intimitely familiar with the industries, companies, and manufacturers that have affected workers in western Pennsylvania. Asbestos exposure has been all too prevelent in a town built on industry like Pittsburgh.
Our clients have worked at places like Jones & Laughlin (J&L Steel) in Aliquippa, installed breaks at dozens of local body shops, and worked for B&O Railroad in cities like Glenwood and Layton. Many of our clients never worked directly with the poisoning asbestos dust, and were instead exposed inadvertantly by family members who carried the asbestos home on their clothes.
If you are looking for a Pennsylvania mesothelioma attorney, or an experienced asbestos attorney regardless of your state of residence, GPW is available to discuss your case. Contact us for a free consultation.
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Also consider mesothelioma specialists in other cities; many will coordinate care with a local oncologist.
