Across the country, former labor employees and veterans are taking legal action against manufacturing companies for failing to protect them against asbestos exposure.

There are major health complications associated with asbestos exposure, including long-term diseases like asbestos lung cancer and mesothelioma. Manufacturing companies may be held liable in a lung cancer or mesothelioma lawsuit if they were found to not have taken adequate safety precautions for their employees.

Even though as asbestos was popularly used before the 1980s, employees are still at risk today for long-term health problems associated with asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma is a very rare form of asbestos cancer that spreads throughout the mucus lining of the lungs.

This condition is specifically caused by asbestos exposure, in which the fibers are inhaled or swallowed. Even though asbestos exposure can lead to long-term health complications, companies may be found liable if they do not protect employees from asbestos problems.

Overview of Asbestos Mesothelioma Lawsuit

A recent asbestos mesothelioma lawsuit has been filed against Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., from Berkshire Hathaway Inc. over asbestos negligence allegations. Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is a property and casualty insurance division of the company Warren Buffet created in 2013. The insurance company had filed this mesothelioma lawsuit to try to avoid paying asbestos exposure claims.

Berkshire Hathaway alleges that Goodyear concealed these asbestos injury claims for the past seven years, with insurance coverage company seeking an unspecified damage amount in the asbestos mesothelioma lawsuit. Berkshire Hathaway hopes the court with declare it does not have to cover claims from 2008 to November 2016.

It is important to note that Berkshire Hathaway is not the only property and causality insurance company working with asbestos injury claims.

According to the asbestos mesothelioma lawsuit, Goodyear stated that it had exhausted a 2008 insurance policy from a different insurance company that also covers asbestos claims. However, Goodyear did not seek reimbursement from Berkshire Hathaway until 2015, under an “excess policy” for millions of dollars.

Goodyear also did not seek assistance from Berkshire Hathaway for defending the insurance claims before November 2015, the lawsuit claimed. Berkshire Hathaway ultimately argued that Goodyear’s excess policy had only covered the period between July 01, 1976 to July 01, 1977. The asbestos mesothelioma lawsuit alleges the cases involved asbestos exposure from floor tiles, gaskets, and heat shields.

Federal law now requires newly manufactured materials to not contain more than 1% asbestos, and encourages companies to use asbestos alternatives. According to the asbestos mesothelioma lawsuit, Goodyear is facing 62,000 pending claims from asbestos injury victims from Florida, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas.