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Goulds Pumps, Inc.

Fact checked and legally reviewed by Daniel Wasserberg, Esq. • Contributor & Legal Advisor

Goulds Pumps produced a widely used range of industrial and military pump systems from the mid-1940s to 1985, many of which contained asbestos components.

If you or a family member has developed an asbestos-related illness due to exposure to Goulds Pumps products, you may be eligible for legal compensation.

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Goulds Pumps, Inc. & Asbestos Exposure 

Founded in 1848, Goulds Pumps was the world’s first manufacturer of iron pump systems. Beginning in the 1940s, when it provided wartime materials to the U.S. Navy, Goulds began incorporating asbestos components into the design and manufacture of some of its pumps.

At that time, the Goulds centrifugal and water pumps designed for military and industrial use needed to handle high-heat environments and corrosive chemicals. To meet these needs, the company included asbestos valves, gaskets, insulation, and packing in its pump systems.

Unfortunately, these asbestos components posed significant health risks to workers involved in manufacturing, installation, and maintenance. Despite knowledge of the dangers, Goulds continued using asbestos until the mid-1980s. They were acquired by ITT Industries in 1997 and remain operational today.

Dangers of Asbestos-Related Diseases

Asbestos is a group of six minerals known for their heat, fire, and chemical resistance. Once widely used in industrial products for its durability and cost-effectiveness, asbestos is toxic and carcinogenic.

Asbestos and asbestos products shed particles when mined, manufactured, installed, damaged, disturbed, or repaired. When breathed or ingested, these particles do not break down but lodge in sensitive tissue, causing irritation, scarring, and DNA changes that can cause dangerous asbestos-related diseases.

Goulds Pumps used asbestos-containing components in their pump systems to increase durability and add heat and chemical resistance. The asbestos packing used in Goulds Pumps systems required frequent replacement as part of routine maintenance and is a common source of exposure in court cases.   

Those exposed to Goulds Pumps’ asbestos products and activities now face a high risk of asbestos-related illnesses like lung cancer and mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare, expensive, and deadly form of cancer that develops in the thin linings surrounding different organs. Asbestos exposure is the only known cause of mesothelioma.

Asbestos-related illnesses:

• Mesothelioma
• Lung cancer
• Asbestosis 
• Other cancer
• Pleural effusions
• Pleural plaques
• Pleural thickening

Financial Compensation From Goulds Pumps, Inc.

Goulds Pumps has never declared bankruptcy or established an asbestos trust fund. Instead, it litigates its cases to this day. Individuals harmed by Goulds Pumps asbestos exposure may be eligible for multiple forms of compensation. 

Victims can use two primary types of lawsuits to seek legal compensation for asbestos injuries:

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

Due to the widespread use of asbestos in certain industries, many victims can seek compensation from multiple asbestos manufacturers. Your lawyer can help identify and pursue all responsible parties involved in your asbestos exposure.

Victims may also be eligible for other forms of compensation, including: 

• Benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
• Workers’ compensation
• Treatment grants

Mounting Asbestos Lawsuits Against Goulds Pumps, Inc.

Gould Pumps continues to face thousands of asbestos lawsuits annually. The company has a history of successfully seeking summary judgments to dismiss cases without robust evidence. Most other cases have been settled out of court. 

Elijah Sparkman

Mr. Sparkman was a paper mill employee at a facility that used Goulds Pumps centrifugal pump systems. He filed a personal injury claim after being diagnosed with mesothelioma. 

Goulds Pumps initially succeeded in having the claim dismissed, but the Sparkman family appealed and won the opportunity to seek compensation.

Valent Rabovsky

Mr. Rabovsky worked as a millwright, eventually developing mesothelioma due to contact with asbestos in gaskets, packing, and other components used in his work. His family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Goulds and several other companies following his passing in 2012. 

Goulds was held to be 13% responsible for Rabovsky’s death, settling with the family out of court for an undisclosed sum.

William Pace 

Mr. Pace was a marine machinist exposed to Goulds Pumps asbestos-contaminated pump systems while working aboard U.S. Navy ships and in machine shops. 

Following his death from mesothelioma, his wife filed suit on his behalf. Goulds sought summary judgment, and the case was dismissed due to insufficient evidence linking his diagnosis to Goulds’ products.

Austin Richards

Mr. Richards worked as a mason at a paper mill, removing and replacing asbestos insulation from pipes and other equipment, including Goulds Pumps systems. 

Although he did not service Goulds products directly, his heirs were able to argue for strict liability, alleging that the pump systems were designed to require external asbestos insulation to function, leaving the company liable for injuries.

Goulds Pumps, Inc. Products Containing Asbestos

Goulds Pumps manufactured pump systems with asbestos components from the mid-1940s until the mid-1980s.  

Goulds Pumps products with asbestos-containing parts:

• Centrifugal pumps
• Water pumps

These pumps were used in high-heat environments around corrosive chemicals, making asbestos an obvious but ultimately hazardous addition.

Components that contained asbestos:

• Gaskets: Used to create tight seals, gaskets installed in industrial pumps need to withstand high heat and corrosive materials. 
• Insulation: Pumps for industrial and military use are often installed in high-heat environments, making heat- and fire-resistant insulation critical. 
• Packing: Used to prevent hot water and chemicals from leaking, asbestos packing materials had to be removed and replaced regularly.
• Valves: Pump valves often incorporated external asbestos insulation for temperature control.

Occupations at Risk 

Goulds Pumps systems were widely used for industrial and military applications. Naval vessels, shipyards, oil refineries, paper mills, chemical plants, steel mills, and more all used Goulds Pumps products, endangering employees who worked with or near asbestos-contaminated pump systems.

High-risk occupations:

• Boiler workers
• Factory workers
• Farmers and agricultural workers
• Industrial workers
• Machine operators
• Mechanics
• Navy machinists
• Oil refinery workers
• Plumbers
• Pump operators
• U.S. Navy veterans
• Welders

Family members of asbestos workers are also at significant risk of secondhand asbestos exposure. This exposure occurs when particles are carried home on clothing, skin, and hair, putting loved ones in danger of developing asbestos-related diseases.

Get Help Today 

Asbestos manufacturers like Goulds Pumps knew their products were dangerous. Rather than warning employees and consumers, these companies chose profits over health and safety, hiding the dangers of asbestos and putting hundreds of thousands of people at risk for deadly asbestos-related diseases.

If you or someone you love is struggling with the physical, emotional, and financial burdens of an asbestos injury caused by Goulds Pumps, help is available. You and your loved ones may qualify for multiple forms of compensation.

Our team of asbestos experts can help determine if you may qualify for compensation. In just a few minutes, you can access free resources, support, and legal guidance. Contact us now for a free case evaluation and start your journey toward justice and potential compensation.