Asbestos Brakes, Clutches, and Friction Materials: Asbestos Court Decisions

Decisions in our case-law library that involve brakes, clutches and friction materials: 421 cases, by state. Each line gives the exposure the court described, or else what it decided. For the topic itself, see Asbestos Brakes, Clutches, and Friction Materials.

California

• Haver v. BNSF Railway Company (2nd Appellate District, 4th Division, 2010). Hostler (husband Mike Haver) at Barstow diesel shops, Santa Fe Railroad yard, 1972-1974
• Russell v. Ford Motor Company (2nd Appellate District, 8th Division, 2010). Tire changer at West Coast Stores, North Hollywood, 1953-1954
• Smith v. Pneumo Abex LLC (2nd Appellate District, 3rd Division, 2010). Serviceman for Edison's vehicles who replaced brakes at Southern California Edison, 1970-1971
• Teruel-Armstrong v. Borg-Warner Morsetec, Inc. (2nd Appellate District, 3rd Division, 2010). Automobile mechanic at repair shop owned by Arnold Sutton, 1976-1978
• Ransford v. Griffin Wheel Company, Inc. (1st Appellate District, 2nd Division, 2009). Repairing and replacing brakes on locomotives and rolling stock at Union Pacific and Southern Pacific railroads, 39 years
• Bakkie v. Union Carbide Corporation (1st Appellate District, 2nd Division, 2007). Child of a worker who repaired brakes and gaskets at childhood
• Quarles v. Advocate Mines Limited (1st Appellate District, 2nd Division, 2006). Auto detailer and sometime repairman doing brake jobs
• Chavers v. Gatke Corp. (1st Appellate District, 4th Division, 2003). Automobile and truck mechanic repairing friction brakes
• Cossman v. DaimlerChrysler Corp. (1st Appellate District, 1st Division, 2003). Wife of auto parts and salvage worker at family auto parts and salvage business, 1946 to no later than 1985
• Ferris v. Gatke Corporation (1st Appellate District, 4th Division, 2003). Replaced friction brake shoes on his own and his neighbors' automobiles at close to 40 years
• Skip Fordyce, Inc. v. Workers'comp. Appeals BD. (4th Appellate District, 2nd Division, 1983). Motorcycle mechanic and painter at Skip Fordyce motorcycle shop, 1952-1957

Connecticut

• Erhardt v. Bmw OF North America, LLC (2021). Parts manager, sales manager and general manager at Ridgefield European Motors, 1968-1990

Delaware

• Jordonek v. Hennessy Indus. (In re Asbestos Litigation) (2023). Automotive mechanic at Goodyear Tire Service Center, Maple Heights, 1972 to 1999
• Jordonek v. Hennessy Indus. (In re Asbestos Litigation) (2023). Automotive mechanic at Goodyear Tire Service Center, Maple Heights, 1972 to 1999
• Jordonek v. Hennessy Indus. (In re Asbestos Litigation) (2023). Automotive mechanic at Goodyear Tire Service Center, Maple Heights, 1972-1999
• Droz v. Hennessy Industries, LLC (2022). Auto shop worker servicing car brakes, used arc grinder to resurface brake shoes at Larry's Auto Repair, 1971-73
• Pruitt v. Gardner Denver (In re Asbestos Litigation) (2020). Machinist mate at USS Tolovana, 1959-1963
• Petit v. Hennessy Indus. (In re Asbestos Litigation) (2020). Worked with AMMCO brake arcing and lathe machines at A-1 Auto Parts, 1981-1986
• Pruitt v. Amdura (In re Asbestos Litigation) (2020). Machinist mate at USS Tolovana, 1959-1963
• Pruitt v. Deere & Co. (In re Asbestos Litigation) (2020). Parts runner and parts manager at Schroer Implement Co., Valdosta, 1963-1974
• Shaw v. American Friction (In re Asbestos Litigation) (2020). Employment and shade tree mechanic
• Knecht v. Ford Motor Co. (In re Asbestos Litigation) (2020). Automobile mechanic at Knecht Automotive, Los Alamos
• Knecht v. Ford Motor Co. (In re Asbestos Litigation) (2019). Automobile mechanic and shop owner at Knecht Automotive, Los Alamos
• Johansen v. Air & Liquid Systems Corporation (2019). Owner performing brake jobs on his own Ford pickups at late 1960s-1986
• Evans v. CBS Corp. (2017). Changed brakes on family automobiles at 1960s-1990s
• Evans v. Flowserve US Inc. (2017). Changing brakes on family automobiles at early 1960s-1990s
• Leathers v. Pneumo Abex (In re Asbestos Litigation) (2017). Automotive mechanic at Oak Lawn, Cranston, 1963-1965; 1967 to late 1960s
• Charlevoix v. Caterpillar (In re Asbestos Litigation) (2017). Equipment operator and foreman, power line contractor at M.J. Electric, 1966-1978
• Evans v. Foster Wheeler Energy Corp. (In re Asbestos Litigation) (2017). Changing brakes on family automobiles at early 1960s-1990s
• Harris v. Deere & Co. (In re Asbestos Litigation) (2017). Farmer/maintenance man at Cobb Farm, 1955-1979
• In re Asbestos Litigation Evans v. Alfa Laval, Inc. (2017). Changed brakes on family automobiles at early 1960s to 1990s
• Walls v. Ford Motor Co. (In re Asebestos Litigation) (2017). Automotive mechanic at family service station, 1971-1986 and later
• Winhauer v. Air & Liquid Systems Corporation (2016). Personal automotive maintenance at 1940s-1990s
• Winhauer v. Air & Liquid Systems Corporation (2016). Personal automotive maintenance at 1940s-1990s
• Muse v. Honeywell Int'l (In re Asbestos Litigation) (2014). Personal automotive brake work helping neighbor and relatives at 1980-1985
• Pavlick v. AM General (In re Asbestos Products Liability Litigation) (2014). Army officer and Judge Advocate General's Corps attorney supervising vehicle repairs and maintenance at Armored Calvary Regiment, Fulda, 1971-1974
• Farrall v. Ford Motor Co. (In re Asbestos Litigation) (2013). Non-occupational mechanic on his own and friends' Ford vehicles; mechanic replacing brakes on Ford trucks
• Edmisten v. Greyhound Lines, Inc. (2012). Ordered parts for and installed brakes and clutches on buses at O'Neal's Bus Service, Wilmington and Smyrna, 1965-1977
• Gordon v. Dana Companies (In re Asbestos Litigation) (2011). Automotive repair hobbyist (vehicle and farm equipment repairs) at 1958 onward
• Bowser v. Parker-Hannifin Corp. (In re Asbestos Litigation) (2011). Aviation mechanic at Shelby airport, 1967-1973
• Ashworth v. Pneumo Abex (In re Asbestos Litigation) (2011). The court granted Pneumo Abex's summary judgment motion on the survival action as time-barred, but denied it on the wrongful death claim, which was timely and had factual disputes on causation and product identification.
• General Motors Corporation v. Grenier (2009). Auto mechanic at 36 years
• General Motors Corporation v. Grenier (2009). Auto mechanic at thirty-eight years
• Grenier v. General Motors Corp. (In re Asbestos Litigation) (2009). On remand from the Delaware Supreme Court, the Superior Court concluded that, despite factual errors in its earlier opinion, it properly denied General Motors' and Ford's motion to exclude plaintiffs' general causation expert testimony, so Grenier's experts remained admissible.

District of Columbia

• Wannall v. Honeywell International, Inc. (2013). Shade tree mechanic

Florida

• Smith v. Carlisle Industrial Brake & Friction, Inc. (1st District, 2023). Laundered her husband's work clothing; husband was a heavy-truck brake mechanic at 1974-1979
• Bechtel Corporation v. Batchelor (3rd District, 2018). Hobby brake repair
• Doolin v. Ford Motor Company (2018). Child who visited and helped in his father's ministry auto shop at Teen Challenge auto shop, 1973-1983
• Bechtel Corporation v. Batchelor (3rd District, 2017). Hobby brake repair
• Doolin v. American Optical Corporation (2017). Visitor to his father's mechanic workplace who sometimes performed brake and clutch work at his father's workplace, 1970-1983