Ford Motor Company

The Ford Motor Company is one of the most well-known motor vehicle manufacturers in the world. Headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, the company produced a range of asbestos-containing products. As a result, thousands of Ford workers were exposed to the hazards of asbestos. Ford mechanics were some of the workers at the highest risk of asbestos exposure at the Dearborn facility.

Beginning in the 1980s, the Ford Motor Company has been involved in thousands of asbestos exposure lawsuits due to the company’s decades of using asbestos in various motor vehicle parts including gaskets, brakes, and clutches. The company used asbestos-containing products in its motor vehicles beginning with the first vehicle manufactured by the company in 1903.

The Ford Motor Company was an outspoken advocate of the U.S. war efforts during both World Wars. During World War I, the company acquired submarine chasers in addition to cars and tanks. During World War II, Ford produced 80% of all US B-24 bomber planes. To this day, the company is still one of the most successful operations in the United States. Ford, however, continues to face lawsuits involving asbestos exposure.

Many of the asbestos exposure lawsuits filed against Ford Motor Company address the use of asbestos in brakes and clutches. Brake linings are believed to contain between 40% to 60% asbestos. When brakes are replaced or repaired, the linings can end up disturbed and enter the air where they can be breathed in by people.

Some of the notable asbestos exposure lawsuits brought against Ford Motor Company include:

• In 2021, a jury in New Orleans awarded over $8 million to a man who brought a lawsuit against the company claiming he was diagnosed with mesothelioma following exposure to Ford vehicles that contained the material. The jury determined that Ford Motor was negligent in its failure to warn its mechanics about the dangers presented by asbestos-containing products.
• In a 1996 federal lawsuit, a jury for a Baltimore circuit court ordered the company to compensate the surviving loved ones of people who had passed away from mesothelioma. These cases are viewed as the first time that Ford was determined to be responsible for brake lining asbestos exposure. One of the deceased individuals had been a mechanic between 1957 to 1992 and passed away from mesothelioma shortly after retirement. Another deceased individual was exposed to asbestos from 1948 to 1958 while performing work close to mechanics in the U.S. Post Office. The individual was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 1990 and passed away soon after.

Ford placed an unknown number of workers in the position to be exposed to the dangers of asbestos. If you or a loved one has been harmed as a result of asbestos-containing products manufactured by Ford Motor Company or another U.S. business, you should not hesitate to speak with an experienced attorney. Contact the Throneberry Law Group today to schedule a free case evaluation.