U.S. District Court, District of Maine: Asbestos Cases

Our case-law library holds 8 asbestos decisions from the U.S. District Court, District of Maine (1971–2021). Each links to our summary and the full opinion.

• Kind of court: Federal district court

Decisions

• Coffin v. Ametek, Inc. (2021). The district court denied Maine Central Railroad's motion for summary judgment on Victor Coffin's FELA claim, finding foreseeability of asbestos exposure and harm a jury question.
• Coffin v. Ametek, Inc. (2020). The court denied Maine Central Railroad's and Honeywell's motions to exclude the plaintiff's expert witnesses Dr. Abraham (causation) and Dr. Ozonoff (state of the art), so the plaintiff Victor Coffin prevailed on the motions.
• Coffin v. Ametek, Inc. (2020). The district court denied defendant Maine Central Railroad's motion for leave to implead the Maine Department of Transportation as a third-party defendant, so plaintiff Victor Coffin prevailed on the motion.
• Soucy v. Briggs & Stratton Corporation (2014). The court denied Toro Company's Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss, so the plaintiff's asbestos claims against Toro go forward.
• In re All Maine Asbestos Litigation (1986). The court granted the United States' motion to dismiss the Longshore Act vessel-owner part of Count VI, but denied it as to the Maine-law land-based theories because factual issues remained on whether Navy conduct was discretionary.
• In re Moorenovich (1986). The district court denied the defendants' motion in limine and ruled that the asbestos plaintiffs could mention fear of cancer in opening statements and offer evidence of it at trial.
• Austin v. Johns-Manville Sales Corp. (1981). The court granted Bath Iron Works' motion for summary judgment, dismissing Armstrong Cork's third-party complaint for contribution and indemnity because the LHWCA exclusive liability provision barred it.
• Linnell, Choate & Webber v. Heyde (1971). The court granted the law firm's motion for summary judgment, denied the Deputy Commissioner's, and set aside the $1,450 attorneys' fee award in a widow's death-benefit case as arbitrary and an abuse of discretion, directing an amended award of at least $2,500 plus $675.93 in disbursements.