CertainTeed Corporation

Highest-Risk Occupations

The use of CertainTeed construction products was widespread, affecting many people beyond direct employees.

Whenever people handle asbestos-containing products—whether to manufacture, install, maintain, repair, or remove them—asbestos particles can become airborne, creating serious risks for developing an asbestos-related illness like mesothelioma in anyone nearby. Despite knowing these risks, CertainTeed used asbestos until 1993.  

Who Is at Highest Risk for Exposure?

End users of CertainTeed products who worked in industries like construction and shipbuilding face a particularly high risk of developing asbestos-related illnesses. Many of these individuals were exposed to asbestos on a daily basis, often at close range, without protective equipment, and in poorly ventilated environments—factors that significantly increased their risk of illness.

Construction Workers

Construction workers were heavily exposed while cutting, sanding, repairing, or demolishing asbestos-containing materials, such as those manufactured by CertainTeed. Companies like CertainTeed hid the dangers of their products, denying users the chance to avoid them or wear appropriate protective gear, creating long-term inhalation risks. 

Electricians & Plumbers

Electricians and plumbers often need to cut through asbestos-containing materials to reach wiring or pipes, creating plumes of airborne asbestos fibers. These brief but repeated disturbances of asbestos-containing CertainTeed products often created enough airborne fibers to cause disease years later.

Shipbuilders

Asbestos was widely used in vessel construction due to its durability and resistance to heat and fire. Concerns about shipboard fires made shipyards one of the most asbestos-heavy workplaces and a major source of asbestos-related lung disease.    

U.S. Navy Veterans

U.S. Navy veterans were especially vulnerable because asbestos was extensively used aboard ships in engine rooms, boiler rooms, and other confined areas. Many veterans were exposed to dangers during service without knowing the risks. Roughly a third of all mesothelioma cases diagnosed each year involve veterans.  

Family Members Exposed to Secondhand Asbestos

Asbestos particles can cling to hair, skin, and clothing, leaving the family members of asbestos workers vulnerable to illnesses caused by secondary exposure. Both those who have become ill and those who have lost a loved one may be eligible for compensation.

CertainTeed Corporation Asbestos Products

CertainTeed products contained up to 29% asbestos. The company continued using it until 1993, well after it was aware of the serious health risks of asbestos.

Although the company no longer uses asbestos in its products, many discontinued CertainTeed asbestos products are likely still in place in older structures, creating ongoing risks for anyone who encounters them.

CertainTeed used two types of asbestos: crocidolite and chrysotile. Crocidolite asbestos, also called blue asbestos, is 100 to 500 times more lethal than chrysotile asbestos. Individuals exposed to crocidolite asbestos face an exceptionally high risk of mesothelioma compared to other varieties.

– Daniel Wasserberg, Attorney

Top Asbestos-Containing Products

• Acoustical Plaster
• Asbestos Base Flashing
• Asbestos Cap Sheet
• Asbestos Cement Pipe
• Asbestos Cement Sheets
• Asbestos Roof Coating
• Asphalt Foundation Coating
• Base Sheet
• Blind Nailing Cement
• Cold Process Asphalt
• Cold Process Cement
• Flexible Trainline
• Fluid-Tite
• Joint Treating Compound
• Plastic Cement
• Sealing Cement
• Stabilized Roof Coating
• Wet Seal Plastic Cement

Securing Compensation From CertainTeed Corporation

CertainTeed’s negligence toward employees and end users of its asbestos-containing products put hundreds of thousands of people at risk for serious asbestos-related illnesses. If you or a loved one encountered CertainTeed products and has since been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, you may be entitled to compensation. 

Depending on the unique circumstances of your claim, you may qualify for compensation from other manufacturers or other forms of compensation, such as VA benefits or workers’ compensation. We can help you determine your eligibility for free. Reach out to us today.

Filing a Lawsuit

Most asbestos exposure victims use two primary types of lawsuits to seek legal compensation from non-bankrupt manufacturers:

• Personal injury lawsuit: This allows living victims of asbestos exposure to seek compensation for their losses.
• Wrongful death lawsuit: This allows dependents or family members of deceased asbestos exposure victims to recover damages for the loss of their loved one.

However, CertainTeed is currently involved in bankruptcy proceedings. Until the bankruptcy is resolved and the court approves its reorganization plan, injured workers and their families must pursue other forms of compensation. 

Once the bankruptcy is finalized, claimants will be able to pursue compensation from an asbestos trust fund. Trust funds provide victims with a quick, stable route to compensation without the stress of a trial. Some claimants receive payment in as few as 90 days.

If CertainTeed asbestos products have harmed you, we want to help you get the compensation you and your family need. Our team of asbestos litigation experts can help you identify all available sources of compensation, including compensation from other asbestos companies or alternate sources. Reach out now to learn more about your options.

– Daniel Wasserberg, Attorney

Key Requirements to File

• Diagnosis: Claimants must have a diagnosis of an asbestos-related illness (such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis) OR proof of a wrongful death from an asbestos-related illness. 
• Proof of exposure: Claimants must have documentation linking the victim’s illness to asbestos exposure from CertainTeed Corporation through employment or use of their products. 
• Statute of limitations: Potential claimants have a limited time to file a claim. Deadlines vary by state, with most averaging just two to three years, so it’s critical to move quickly.

Notable Lawsuits Against CertainTeed Corporation

When CertainTeed’s subsidiary, DBMP, LLC, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January 2020, it was facing 60,000 pending asbestos claims. Once bankruptcy proceedings begin, the company is protected from claims until reorganization is complete.

Many companies, CertainTeed included, take advantage of this aspect of bankruptcy law through a legal strategy called the Texas Two-Step. Companies attempting this maneuver create an underfunded subsidiary to assume all their asbestos liabilities, thereby protecting the assets of the still-profitable parent company. 

The new subsidiary then files for bankruptcy, halting all active litigation. Bankruptcies can take years to resolve as negotiations between the company and its debtors drag on. To emerge from bankruptcy, asbestos companies must establish a trust fund. 

However, trust fund size depends on the company’s assets. Many advocates argue that because Texas Two-Step subsidiaries are typically underfunded, the resulting asbestos trust funds often hold less money than needed, restricting the compensation available to victims.

If you got an asbestos-related disease from exposure to CertainTeed’s asbestos products, we can help you through a free case assessment. Contact us today to learn more about your options.

CertainTeed Corporation’s Involvement With Asbestos

Following its inception as a roofing materials company, CertainTeed quickly expanded into a wide range of construction products, including insulation, joint compounds, and cement. Many of these products were also used in shipbuilding and by the U.S. Navy.

CertainTeed began using asbestos in the 1930s. Its products contained up to 29% asbestos, which the company used to increase the products’ durability and resistance to heat, fire, and chemicals. Despite decades of evidence proving asbestos was a dangerous carcinogen, the company continued using asbestos until 1993.

CertainTeed did not inform employees or consumers about the risks of asbestos exposure. Due to the popularity of its products, the company’s negligence put hundreds of thousands of people at risk of dangerous asbestos diseases.  

Purchased by Saint-Gobain in 1988, CertainTeed continues to operate as a major manufacturer of construction products today.

Contact Us for a Free Case Assessment

CertainTeed manufactured and sold over a dozen asbestos-containing construction products. When CertainTeed filed for bankruptcy in 2020, it put 60,000 active claims on hold—each representing an individual harmed by its products.

Despite the bankruptcy, victims with claims against CertainTeed may still be eligible for compensation. Experienced asbestos attorneys can help these individuals and their families understand their options and pursue the compensation they deserve. The team at Meirowitz & Wasserberg brings decades of combined experience guiding victims through the complexities of asbestos litigation.

We provide all our clients with free resources and individualized, compassionate support. You don’t have to fight alone. We can help you determine your eligibility. Contact us today for a free case review.

Written & Legally Reviewed By

Daniel Wasserberg, Esq. Attorney and On-Site Legal Advocate

Daniel Wasserberg was a New York metropolitan area “Super Lawyer Rising Star” from 2013 to 2018 (attorneys under age 40), and a Super Lawyer in 2019. In 2017, Daniel was named a “Top 100 Civil Litigator” by the National Trial Lawyers organization. This recognition is rarely awarded to attorneys under the age of 40. Daniel is proud to call himself a Trial Lawyer, and is often asked to speak at gatherings of the nation’s leading attorneys, from both sides of the bar.

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