Goulds Pumps, Inc.

Highest-Risk Occupations

Goulds Pumps systems were popular choices for industrial and military use. 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.

Who Is at Highest Risk for Exposure?

Individuals exposed to asbestos through their jobs face the highest risks of developing an asbestos-related illness. Many of these people worked with asbestos in close, poorly ventilated environments. Because companies like Goulds Pumps, Inc. did not warn them about the risks of asbestos inhalation, most worked without protective equipment. 

Factory Workers

Factory workers at Goulds Pumps’ facilities were exposed daily to airborne asbestos fibers released during pump assembly and other activities, putting them at high risk of developing asbestos-related illnesses decades later. Asbestos dust at these facilities exposed not only those directly handling asbestos components but also nearby workers.  

Mechanics

Mechanics who serviced Goulds Pumps were required to cut, scrape, wire-brush, and replace asbestos gaskets and packing regularly, releasing asbestos fibers into the air. Much of this work occurred in confined, poorly ventilated spaces, especially in power plants, refineries, and shipyards, which magnified the risks of later developing an illness. 

U.S. Navy Veterans

U.S. Navy veterans who served aboard ships from the 1940s through the 1970s may have encountered asbestos-containing Goulds Pumps products. Many of them worked in cramped engine and pump rooms where gasket and packing repairs released asbestos fibers in poorly ventilated conditions. Approximately a third of all mesothelioma patients are veterans. 

Family Members With Secondhand Asbestos Exposure

Family members of asbestos workers made ill by secondhand asbestos exposure may be eligible for compensation. This type of exposure occurs when people encounter particles carried home on clothing, skin, and hair during routine household chores, such as laundry. In other cases, family members who have lost a loved one may qualify for legal compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit.

Goulds Pumps, Inc. Asbestos Products

Goulds Pumps manufactured pump systems with asbestos components from the mid-1940s until the mid-1980s. The company began using asbestos components when it became a Navy supplier during World War II, and they continued using them when manufacturing pumps for agricultural and industrial use. 

These pumps were used in high-heat environments around corrosive chemicals, making asbestos an obvious, but ultimately hazardous, addition due to its durability, nonconductivity, and resistance to heat, fire, and chemicals.

Top Asbestos-Containing Products

Goulds Pumps systems with asbestos-containing parts include the following:

• Centrifugal pumps
• Water pumps

These pump parts are likely to contain asbestos:

• Gaskets
• Insulation
• Packing
• Valves

Securing Asbestos Compensation From Goulds Pumps, Inc.

Goulds Pumps’ negligent use of asbestos components in its pump systems exposed thousands of workers to asbestos, leaving many of them sick and struggling decades later. If you or a loved one worked with or around Goulds Pumps products and has since been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, you may be entitled to compensation.

Due to the widespread use of asbestos in certain industries, many victims can seek compensation from multiple asbestos manufacturers. Others may be eligible for additional forms of compensation, such as VA benefits or workers’ compensation. Contact us today to find out if you qualify for compensation.

U.S. Navy veterans and their families often qualify for additional support through VA benefits, which can provide monthly payments, free or low-cost health care, funeral benefits, burial expenses, and more. Filing a lawsuit against a negligent manufacturer like Goulds Pumps will not impact your VA benefits and does not require you to sue the U.S. government or military.

– Daniel Wasserberg, Attorney

Filing a Lawsuit

Goulds Pumps has never declared bankruptcy or established an asbestos trust fund. Instead, it litigates its cases to this day. Individuals harmed by asbestos exposure from Goulds Pumps 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: This allows living victims of asbestos exposure to seek compensation for their losses.
• Wrongful death lawsuit: This allows the dependents or family members of deceased asbestos exposure victims to recover damages for the loss of their loved one.

Like many asbestos manufacturers, Goulds Pumps often prefers to settle strong claims out of court to avoid the publicity of a trial. Out-of-court settlements also benefit victims, offering a relatively quick and secure route to compensation. 

Once a claimant accepts a settlement offer, it is binding, and payment is guaranteed, unlike a trial verdict, which the defendant can challenge on appeal.   

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 Goulds Pumps, Inc. 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 Goulds Pumps, Inc.

Gould Pumps continues to face thousands of asbestos-related lawsuits each year. The company has a history of successfully seeking summary judgment to dismiss cases without robust evidence and settling out of court for undisclosed amounts. 

One of the company’s favorite legal strategies is the bare-metal defense, which argues that Goulds Pumps is not responsible for the use of asbestos-containing replacement parts, even though many of their pre-1980s systems require them to function.  

Although asbestos litigation can be complex, help is available. If you have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness caused by Goulds Pumps’ products or activities, you can get a free case assessment by contacting us today. Starting your claim takes just a few minutes.

Goulds Pumps, Inc. History With Asbestos Exposure

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

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. ITT Industries purchased the company in 1997, and it remains operational today.

Internal projections at ITT Industries, Inc. estimate that the company’s ongoing asbestos liabilities will total $849.3 million over the next 10 years.

– Daniel Wasserberg, Attorney

Contact Us for a Free Case Assessment

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 determine if you 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 to determine your eligibility and start your journey toward justice and potential compensation.

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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