Since the 1920s, Cleaver-Brooks has played a significant role in the boiler industry. As an industry leader before the dangers of asbestos were better understood, the company constructed both boilers and boiler parts with asbestos due to the material’s heat-resistant and durable nature. As a result of this asbestos usage, countless workers have been diagnosed with mesothelioma and other asbestos-associated illnesses due to Cleaver-Brooks products.
The History of Cleaver-Brooks
Established in 1929, Cleaver-Brooks would grow to become a well-known boiler manufacturer. Several years later, Cleaver-Brooks began using asbestos in its boilers. The company used asbestos in its products for several decades. Some of the products manufactured by Cleaver-Brooks known to contain asbestos include boiler insulation, gaskets, and pipe coverings. A few of the positions at Cleaver-Brooks that were most routinely exposed to asbestos include boiler workers, insulators, and pipefitters.
Due to the weight of countless asbestos lawsuits, many companies that produced products containing asbestos were ultimately forced to file for bankruptcy. Cleaver-Brooks, however, never filed for bankruptcy. The company also has never created a trust for asbestos victims.
Asbestos Exposure Lawsuit and Cleaver-Brooks
Some of the most noteworthy asbestos exposure lawsuits in which Cleaver-Brooks has been involved include:
- A man worked at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard from 1974 to 1981. Two of the man’s co-workers testified that he was exposed to asbestos during his job as a marine machinist. Cleaver-Brooks filed a motion for summary judgment because a wrongful death claim on behalf of the worker was previously dismissed as time-barred. The court determined that the plaintiff had failed to introduce adequate factual evidence to create a material question of fact. As a result, the court granted Cleaver-Brooks’s motion for summary judgment.
- In 2014, the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit upheld a jury’s $980,000 verdict in an asbestos lawsuit. In response, Cleaver-Brooks filed a motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict, but this movement was later denied. The case involved a widow who argued her late husband was exposed to asbestos due to his work with boilers while serving at McConnell Air Force Base
- In 2021, Cleaver-Brooks filed a motion for summary judgment arguing that the plaintiff had failed to provide any evidence that he was exposed to asbestos due to work on or in the proximity of products manufactured by Cleaver. The plaintiff argues that his mesothelioma diagnosis was the result of working as a steamfitter at Indian Power Plant. The court sided with the defendant and found that there was no gap in the testimony where a plaintiff was questioned about a brand and identified the brand as the maker of the product. Ultimately, Cleaver-Brooks was granted summary judgment.
Contact an Experienced Asbestos Exposure Layer
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another associated illnesses due to prolonged or repeated exposure to Cleaver-Brooks products, one of the first steps you should take in response is to obtain the assistance of a compassionate attorney. Do not hesitate to contact the Throneberry Law Group today by either calling us at (888) 506-1131 or schedule a free case evaluation.
