Kentile Flooring (Metex) Trust Fund

Kentile Flooring used asbestos in its products until the mid-1980s. Its cork, rubber, vinyl, and asphalt tile products contained up to 25% asbestos fibers. 

The high levels of asbestos in these flooring products endangered Kentile employees, their families, and related occupations, including floor installers, tile workers, carpenters, remodelers, electricians, and more. 

Anyone exposed to Kentile Flooring asbestos products faces an increased risk of developing serious conditions like mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis. Fill out the form directly below to discover if you may be eligible for compensation from the Metex Asbestos Personal Injury Trust.

Kentile Flooring & Asbestos Exposure

Founded in 1898 in Brooklyn NY, Kentile Flooring manufactured residential and commercial flooring products that contained asbestos fibers.

Kentile Flooring products were popular among homeowners for their easy and low-cost at-home installation, eliminating the need for professional installation services. 

In the late 1940s, Kentile added more products made from asbestos to their product line, including asphalt tiles and vinyl sheet flooring.

After an influx of asbestos litigation, Kentile Floors filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1992 and later reorganized as Metex Manufacturing in 1998.

Kentile Flooring Asbestos Lawsuits 

At the time of the bankruptcy filing in 1992, Kentile Floors faced over 20,000 personal asbestos claims.

Later when Metex Manufacturing filed for its second bankruptcy in 2013, the company faced over 6,000 additional asbestos claims.

Judith Harrell

Kentile Floors was ordered to pay 6% of a $1.6 million verdict for the family of Judith Harrell. It was one of several asbestos companies involved in the lawsuit, which also included major automotive manufacturers and gas companies.

Beverly Fisher

In 2007, Beverly Fisher, the widow of a plumber who succumbed to lung cancer, alleged that her husband’s death was caused in part by Kentile Floors, among other asbestos companies. The court, however, ruled Kentile was not responsible.

Alfred Broderick

Alfred Broderick was diagnosed with asbestosis in March 2018, a disease he linked to his work laying, cutting, breaking, and cleaning dust from Kentile vinyl asbestos tiles in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He and his wife filed suit against Kentile Flooring and several other companies. 

Despite the companies’ attempts to have the case dismissed, strong evidence and expert testimony enabled Mr. Broderick to continue fighting, and the case was allowed to proceed. He passed away in January 2022.

Charles R. Nilsson

Charles Nilsson developed mesothelioma, which he claimed was partially due to his exposure to asbestos-containing Kentile flooring during his work for his father’s contracting company between 1950 and 1963. He filed suit against Kentile and several other companies.

Although Mr. Nilsson died before receiving a verdict, his estate, with Debora Jean Armanious acting as administrator, continued the lawsuit. Details of the settlement were not made public.

Associated Companies 

After their first bankruptcy, Kentile Flooring was bought out by Metex Manufacturing in 1998, who then took on their asbestos litigation liabilities. 

Kentile Floors was named in several class action asbestos lawsuits and mass torts with multiple other companies that produced asbestos-containing products.

Companies Associated With Kentile Flooring:

• Georgia-Pacific
• Ford Motor, Co.
• ExxonMobil

High-Risk Jobs Associated With Kentile Flooring

Anyone who came in contact with Kentile Flooring asbestos products is at risk for certain diseases and cancers caused by exposure to asbestos fibers.

However, many occupations had a higher risk of exposure to these dangerous products than the general public.

Jobs at Highest Risk for Asbestos Exposure

Other At-Risk Jobs

• Builders
• Electricians
• Plumbers
• Painters
• Carpenters
• Demolition workers
• Remodelers

Asbestos Products Used at Kentile Flooring

Starting in 1898, Kentile Flooring manufactured and advertised numerous products composed of up to 25% “sturdy asbestos fibers.”

As the company grew throughout the decades, more goods were added to their product line, increasing the risk of asbestos exposure among the U.S. population.

Top Asbestos-Containing Products Used at Kentile Flooring

• Kentile asphalt tiles
• KenFlex vinyl asbestos tile
• KenRoyal
• Kenlite
• Beaushard
• Kencork flooring
• Kenrubber flooring

Anyone who worked in a Kentile factory or has been exposed to a Kentile flooring product may be eligible for financial compensation from the company’s asbestos trust fund. Contact us today for more information about how we can help you.

The Formation of Kentile Flooring (Metex) Asbestos PI Trust

Medical professionals began documenting the dangers relating to asbestos exposure in the 1930s, but U.S. health and safety regulators didn’t issue health warnings about exposure to the fibers until the late 1970s. 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) passed the Clean Air Act that established national emissions standards, placing regulations on asbestos use in some products.

These regulations impacted companies that sprayed, milled, and disposed of asbestos products, including Kentile Flooring.

Kentile continued using asbestos in its products until the mid-1980s and struggled to keep the business intact as they phased out asbestos use, ultimately filing for bankruptcy.

With Kentile’s Chapter 11 plan, the company was reorganized under the name Metex Manufacturing.

In 2012, Metex filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as well and faced about 6,000 asbestos-linked claims. The Metex trust began accepting claims in 2015 and currently pays claimants 7.25%.

Understanding the Different Review Processes

When filing a Kentile Flooring asbestos trust fund claim, there are a couple of different options to choose from when seeking compensation.

These options can affect the timeline of the legal process and how long it takes to receive a payout.

The Kentile (Metex) asbestos trust reviews funding requests via one of two processes:

Kentile Flooring Expedited Review

The expedited review (ER) process is intended to provide claimants with quick access to funding. Claimants must meet the trust’s presumptive medical and exposure criteria. 

The expedited review is typically the fastest way to get a payout, so it may be suited for individuals seeking compensation promptly to cover costs associated with an asbestos-related disease diagnosis.

Kentile Flooring Individual Review

When an individual review (IR) is submitted, trustees base payments on individual circumstances, meaning the payment may be more or less than an expedited review can provide.

Trustees also take into consideration several factors including the claimant’s age, employment status, and number of dependents when determining a final settlement.

The individual review takes longer but often has a higher average payout. This option may be well-suited for individuals seeking to get the most compensation possible from their claim.

Settlement and Payment Percentage in 2024

The current payment percentage for Kentile Flooring claims is 7.25%.

Anyone who makes a claim for the Kentile Flooring asbestos trust must provide proof of an asbestos-related disease and exposure to the product in question, among other things.

The trust pays on a first-in, first-out (FIFO) basis, meaning claims are processed in the order in which they are received.

The Kentile Floors asbestos trust has two categories of claims:

• Metex Asbestos PI Trust Expedited Review
• Metex Asbestos PI Trust Individual Review

The categories have different payment schedules.

Payment Type Number 1: Expedited Review

The expedited review process offers quick funding access to claimants meeting the trust’s medical and exposure criteria for asbestos-related compensation.

The review pays a set amount for asbestos-related diseases, as follows:

Disease	Scheduled Value
Mesothelioma (Level VIII)	$135,000
Lung Cancer 1 (Level VII)	$65,000
Lung Cancer 2 (Level VI)	$15,000 to $25,000
Other Cancer (Level V)	$17,500
Severe Asbestosis (Level IV)	$65,000
Asbestosis/Pleural Disease (Level III)	$5,500
Asbestosis/Pleural Disease (Level II)	$2,500
Other Asbestos Disease (Level I)	$100

Payment Type Number 2: Individual Review

An individual review payment may be more or less than an expedited review payment as trustees base them on individual circumstances such as the claimant’s age, employment status, and number of dependents.

On average, the Kentile flooring individual review pays the following:

Disease	Scheduled Value	Average Value	Maximum Value
Mesothelioma (Level VIII)	$135,000	$175,000	$330,000
Lung Cancer 1 (Level VII)	$65,000	$78,000	$100,000
Lung Cancer 2 (Level VI)	None	$15,000	$25,000
Other Cancer (Level V)	$17,500	$20,000	$25,000
Severe Asbestosis (Level IV)	$65,000	$78,000	$100,000
Asbestosis/Pleural Disease (Level III)	$5,500	None	None
Asbestosis/Pleural Disease (Level II)	$2,500	None	None
Other Asbestos Disease (Level I)	$100	None	None

Eligibility Requirements for the Kentile Flooring Asbestos Trust

To qualify for compensation from the Kentile Asbestos Trust, there are two requirement categories — medical and exposure — that an individual must meet.

Medical Requirements

A Kentile Flooring asbestos trust claim must include a physician’s statement confirming that at least ten years passed between first exposure to asbestos and the diagnosis, or a detailed history showing the exposure over ten years.

Exposure Requirements

Claimants must prove they were exposed to asbestos products made or handled by Kentile Flooring.

To qualify for an expedited review, the claimant must prove the following exposure requirements:

• Exposure to the company’s asbestos products before December 31, 1982, for all disease levels
• Six months of exposure prior to December 31, 1982, plus 5 years of cumulative occupational asbestos exposure for disease level II
• Six months of exposure prior to December 31, 1982, plus significant occupational asbestos exposure for disease levels III, IV, V, and VII

Filing a Personal Injury Claim Against Kentile Flooring (Metex)

Kentile Flooring asbestos trust fund compensation depends on various factors, and the amount you receive may diminish over time due to changes in trust funding and distribution procedures.

Having a reliable and trusted legal expert in your corner can help eliminate the stress of filing a claim so you can focus on your health.

Our team has a history of success in pursuing compensation for asbestos-exposure victims, and we may be able to do the same for you or your loved one. 

Once we collect the background documentation required to file a claim, the legal process usually proceeds in the steps outlined below:

• Trustees assess the claim’s validity. If denied, claimants can provide more information, refile, or request an individual review.
• Once validated, the trust determines the settlement amount based on scheduled values, applying a payment percentage to all settlements.
• Some claimants may negotiate their settlement. Consult our team to determine eligibility.
• After accepting the settlement, arrangements for direct deposit can be made.

To find out if you may be eligible to file a claim against the Metex Asbestos PI Trust, reach out to our team today. We are ready to help you.

Loved Ones & Family Members 

We understand how difficult it can be to have a family member suffering from an asbestos-related disease. Many families struggle emotionally and financially during these challenging times. 

Thankfully, there may be options to alleviate these burdens and help you.

Loved ones and family members can file Kentile Floors asbestos trust fund claims for victims. This compensation can be used to cover medical bills, lost wages, or funeral expenses. 

Contact us today to learn more about how we may be able to help you through the filing process and seek the compensation your loved one deserves.