Ford Motor Company & Asbestos Exposure

Highest-Risk Occupations

Internal company documents dating back to the late 1960s show that Ford knew its asbestos-containing products posed a danger to workers and consumers, yet it continued selling them until 2001. The company actively hid these dangers from workers and consumers, endangering thousands of people.  

Due to the long latency period for asbestos-related diseases, workers who encountered Ford products before 2001 or who helped manufacture those products are still at risk of developing illnesses like mesothelioma today.

Who Is At Highest Risk for Exposure?

There is no safe amount of asbestos exposure, but the highest risks for asbestos-related illness are associated with those who worked closely with worn or damaged asbestos components or in poorly ventilated areas. 

Auto Mechanics

Ford’s long-term use of asbestos in its automotive parts exposed mechanics nationwide to serious health risks. Routine work on Ford brake and clutch systems posed a significant risk as actions such as grinding, sanding, and blowing out brake dust left many workers exposed to high concentrations of airborne asbestos particles.

Auto mechanics are at medium risk for mesothelioma. However, risks vary depending on the unique details of their work history. For example, a mechanic specializing in clutch and brake repair faces higher asbestos exposure risks than one specializing in oil changes.

– Samuel Meirowitz, Attorney

Ford Factory Employees

When disturbed, asbestos particles can remain airborne for hours, especially in poorly ventilated areas. Ford built its plants using asbestos-containing construction materials, installed asbestos-containing industrial machinery, and failed to warn factory employees about potential dangers. 

In 2013, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fined the company for asbestos violations at a factory in Buffalo, New York. 

Family Members & Second-Hand Exposure

Family members of asbestos workers may also be eligible for compensation. Some develop serious illness from secondhand exposure, often through routine contact like laundering contaminated work clothes. In other cases, surviving dependents may have the right to pursue compensation through a wrongful death claim.

Ford’s Asbestos Products

Manufacturers valued asbestos for its tensile strength and its resistance to heat and chemicals. These properties made it a seemingly ideal material for use in vehicle parts subject to high heat and friction.

Like many manufacturers, Ford Motor Company relied heavily on asbestos in both its manufacturing facilities and many of its vehicle components. Some Ford components contained up to 60% chrysotile asbestos, endangering anyone who came into regular contact with its products. 

Ford sold its asbestos products under various brands, including Ford, Ford Authorized Remanufactured, Mercury, and Motorcraft.

Ford began phasing out asbestos brakes in 1983. However, they continued to use asbestos brakes in their Mustang line through the 1990s and offered asbestos-containing replacement parts until 2001.

Top Asbestos-Containing Products

• Brake pads
• Brake linings
• Clutch linings
• Engines
• Gaskets
• Transmissions

Securing Asbestos Compensation From Ford Motor Company

Ford’s decades-long use of asbestos exposed thousands of workers and consumers to serious health risks, leading to life-altering conditions such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other asbestos-related diseases.

If you or a loved one worked with Ford asbestos products and have received a related diagnosis, you may be entitled to compensation.

Many claimants may also be eligible to recover from multiple responsible parties and access additional forms of support, including VA benefits, asbestos trust fund claims, and workers’ compensation. Contact us today to explore your options. We offer free case evaluations to help determine your eligibility.

We can help you pursue every form of compensation available to you. Many of our clients are veterans who were exposed to Ford asbestos products during their military service. In these cases, individuals may be eligible to receive VA benefits while also pursuing legal compensation from Ford.

– Samuel Meirowitz, Attorney

Filing a Lawsuit

Unlike many asbestos manufacturers, Ford does not operate an asbestos trust fund. Filing a lawsuit is the only way to recover funds directly from Ford.

Living asbestos exposure victims may choose to file a personal injury lawsuit, seeking compensation for the harm done to them. 

Family members of deceased asbestos exposure victims can also seek compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit. This process allows grieving family members to recover from damages related to the loss of their loved one.

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: Documentation linking the victim’s illness to asbestos exposure from Ford Motor Company 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 2 to 3 years, so it’s critical to move quickly.

Notable Lawsuits Against Ford

Since the 1980s, Ford Motor Company has been named in thousands of asbestos lawsuits, primarily tied to its use of asbestos in automotive parts. The company has spent roughly $40 million funding research, journal articles, and expert testimony claiming there is no evidence of increased risk to brake mechanics from their products.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease linked to exposure from Ford products, we offer free case evaluations to help you understand your options and connect you with experienced legal support.

Ford’s History With Asbestos Exposure

Founded in 1903 by Henry Ford, Ford Motor Company remains one of the largest vehicle manufacturers in the world. The company began using asbestos in its cars from the moment it started producing them and continued selling asbestos products until 2001.

Asbestos is highly carcinogenic, a fact Ford became aware of as early as 1968, according to internal documents. In 1971, an internal Ford memo lamented the cost of changing their brake systems to a non-asbestos material. It would have cost the company $1.25 more per system to make this change.

Beginning in 2001, Ford has spent more than $40 million funding private research to discredit the link between asbestos exposure and the development of asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma. OSHA fined them for asbestos violations in their Buffalo, New York, plant as recently as 2013.

Fill out the form below to see if you may be eligible for compensation from Ford Motor Company.

Contact Us for a Free Case Assessment

Companies like Ford have spent millions on bad-faith efforts to deny responsibility for their negligent use of asbestos, distorting well-established scientific evidence to avoid compensating victims and their families.

As a result, many individuals have been left with no choice but to pursue legal action to secure the financial support needed for mounting medical bills and everyday living expenses. Filing a mesothelioma lawsuit can help ease that burden, allowing victims and their families to focus on treatment and time together while seeking accountability and compensation.

The experienced asbestos attorneys at Meirowitz & Wasserberg provide complimentary resources and free case evaluations to help you understand your options.

If you or a loved one has been harmed by exposure to Ford asbestos products, we can help determine whether you may be eligible to pursue compensation through a personal injury or wrongful death claim. Contact us today to get started with a free case assessment.

Written & Legally Reviewed By

Samuel Meirowitz Esq. Attorney and On-Site Legal Advocate

Samuel Meirowitz is a member of the “Top 100 Trial Lawyers.” Mr. Meirowitz was named a “Rising Star” in 2013 & 2014 by Super Lawyers and then a Super Lawyer every year since 2016. In 2013, Mr. Meirowitz obtained what is believed to be the first multi-million-dollar asbestos verdict seen in more than two decades in a New York federal court. In that highly contentious matter, Mr. Meirowitz was able to convince the jury to hold a boiler manufacturer responsible for 60 percent of the $3.8 million awarded, despite the defendant’s attempt to escape all blame by pointing fingers at the plaintiff’s employer and the U.S. Navy (in which the plaintiff admirably served from 1966-70 during the Vietnam conflict). This verdict was upheld by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

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