Verona Stepka and Magdalena Stepka v. Johns-Manville, Court Papers (1932)

Court papers (65 pages) in two death suits filed against Johns-Manville Corporation in the New Jersey Supreme Court for Somerset County in January 1932 and removed to federal court in February, with Union Indemnity Company as surety on the removal bonds. Verona Stepka sued as executrix of her husband Joseph, who worked at J-M's Manville, New Jersey, plant until April 1930 and died on August 14, 1931; Magdalena Stepka sued for her husband Paul, who worked there until November 1930 and died on December 17, 1931. Each complaint said the man breathed asbestos "fibers and particles," was never warned, and "became a victim of pulmonary diseases," and each asked $50,000. J-M answered with defenses of assumed risk and carelessness, and both cases were noticed for trial in Newark in late 1932.

What it shows

J-M's answer in the Paul Stepka case admits he worked at the Manville plant from December 28, 1926, to November 12, 1930, and repeats the claim made in the other plant suits that workers failed to use "the mask and other appliances provided by the defendant." Joseph Stepka's own suit, filed while he was alive, is Joseph Stepka v. Johns-Manville.

In Johns-Manville's index

Johns-Manville's legal department indexed the Motley 1,000 in 1984. Its index describes this document as follows:

Various pleadings filed in Verona Stepka v. J-M Corp. (Deceased: Joseph Stepka). Complaint was filed on 1/28/32 in the Supreme Court of Somerset County, New Jersey. Case was removed to the U.S.D.C., New Jersey. Union Indemnity was the surety on the removal bond. Various pleadings filed in Magdalena Stepka v. J-M Corp. (Deceased: Paul Stepka). Complaint was filed on 1/26/32 in the Supreme Court of Somerset County, New Jersey. Case was removed to the U.S.D.C., New Jersey. Stepka was a textile worker at J-M's Manville plant for approximately 4 years. Union Indemnity was the surety on the removal bond.

Related documents

• Joseph Stepka v. Johns-Manville, Court Papers (1930)

About this copy

This is document 751 of the Motley 1,000, from the set the Manville Personal Injury Settlement Trust's records facility certified as true copies, pages CRMC-Motley1000-Subj-003858 to CRMC-Motley1000-Subj-003922.