Kelly-Moore Paints

Highest-Risk Occupations

When it went out of business in 2024, Kelly-Moore still had 157 retail locations in the U.S. At its peak, its products were very popular and widely used for the construction, renovation, and maintenance of both homes and public buildings, such as schools and retail spaces.

Anyone who worked with these products between 1960 and 1978 likely encountered asbestos. 

Who Is at Highest Risk for Exposure?

There is no safe amount of asbestos exposure. However, people who worked directly with Kelly-Moore’s asbestos-containing products face the highest risks for asbestos-related illnesses like mesothelioma.

Certain actions, such as mixing or sanding asbestos-containing textures or joint compounds, put workers at high risk of inhaling dangerous particles.  

Carpenter/Construction Worker

Asbestos was a common additive in construction materials, with Kelly-Moore producing more than a dozen products commonly used on construction sites. The company did not warn workers about the dangers of these products.

Many people encountered them in poorly ventilated environments without protective gear, increasing inhalation risks. 

Drywaller

Anyone working as a drywaller before the 1980s was likely exposed to high amounts of asbestos. Many texture products were sold in paste or powder form, requiring mixing before use, while others were sold in spray form.

In both cases, those using the products were exposed to large quantities of asbestos particles on the job. 

Electrician

Electricians often need to cut through asbestos-containing materials, such as texture, drywall, or joint compound, to reach wiring.

When these products are disturbed or damaged, asbestos particles can become a serious inhalation risk, leading to severe diseases like mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis. 

Family Members Exposed to Secondhand Asbestos

The family members of asbestos workers may be eligible for direct compensation if they have developed an asbestos-related illness from secondhand exposure.

Secondary exposure could occur from seemingly innocent tasks such as laundering work clothes. Others may qualify for compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit if they’ve lost a loved one.

Kelly-Moore Paints Asbestos Products

Kelly-Moore manufactured and sold more than a dozen asbestos-containing products. Many of these products were drywall finishing materials, such as textures, coatings, cements, and joint compounds, manufactured by Paco Textures, a subsidiary that Kelly-Moore acquired in the 1960s.

Asbestos was a common additive in drywall products due to its durability and resistance to heat and fire. Although no longer used in modern products, older buildings may still contain asbestos components that can endanger workers when disturbed or damaged. 

Despite knowledge of the dangers asbestos posed to human health and the environment, Kelly-Moore sold asbestos-containing products under the Paco brand for almost 20 years.

They only stopped their use of asbestos in 1978, one year after the company was named in its first asbestos lawsuit.

Top Asbestos-Containing Products

• All-purpose joint compound
• Asbestos paint
• Bedding cement
• Decotex ceiling texture
• Finishing compound
• Joint cement
• Joint compound
• Ready-mix joint compound
• Spray texture
• Topping compound
• Taping compound
• Texture paint
• Wall texture
• Quick-set joint compound

Securing Compensation From Kelly-Moore Paints

Flacks Group acquired the Kelly-Moore Paint Company in 2022. Just two years later, in 2024, the new owners shut the business down for good, laying off over 700 employees, closing 157 locations, and leaving victims of the company’s negligence confused about where to turn for compensation

A business closing without establishing a bankruptcy trust can make it harder for asbestos victims to seek compensation.

However, if you or a loved one has developed an asbestos-related disease due to asbestos exposure from Kelly-Moore, you may still be entitled to mesothelioma compensation.

Contact us today for a free case assessment to determine if you are eligible for compensation.

Asbestos litigation can be complex, especially in cases where acquisitions, closures, and other factors create unclear liability. Working with an experienced asbestos attorney can help victims of companies like Kelly-Moore find clarity and, in some cases, additional options for compensation.

– Daniel Wasserberg, Attorney

Filing a Lawsuit

Kelly-Moore closed in 2024 without going through the bankruptcy process or establishing a trust fund. Depending on their work history, some claimants may still be able to seek compensation from other solvent asbestos manufacturers. 

There are two primary types of lawsuits victims can use to hold solvent asbestos manufacturers accountable:

• 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.

Some claimants may also be eligible to pursue other forms of compensation, such as trust fund claims, VA benefits, or workers’ compensation. Our expert patient advocates can help you understand your options based on your work history.

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 Kelly-Moore 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 Kelly-Moore Paints

Kelly-Moore was named in more than 48,000 asbestos-related lawsuits, paying over $600 million in settlements before closing in 2024. The company argued that its suppliers misled it about the presence of asbestos, but courts largely rejected those claims, allowing cases to move forward.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease linked to Kelly-Moore products, you may be eligible for compensation. We offer a free case evaluation to help you understand your options.

Kelly-Moore’s Involvement With Asbestos

Kelly-Moore was founded in 1946 by William Kelly and William Moore in California. Although initially a paint company, its products proved popular, enabling it to expand its offerings. 

In the 1960s, it purchased Paco Textures Corporation, which manufactured a range of asbestos-containing drywall materials like joint compounds, wall and ceiling textures, and cements.

Kelly-Moore included asbestos in these products because of its durability and resistance to heat and fire, ignoring the increasingly well-documented risks to workers’ health.

It continued to sell asbestos-containing products until 1978, discontinuing them only after being named in its first asbestos lawsuit in 1977. However, for thousands of workers exposed to its cancer-causing products, the damage was already done.

Kelly-Moore went out of business in 2024 after being named in over 48,000 lawsuits. The company cited the $600 million it spent on settlements between 1977 and 2024 as well as estimated future asbestos liabilities exceeding $170 million as primary reasons for the closure.  

Contact Us for a Free Case Assessment

Kelly-Moore used asbestos in its products for eighteen years, exposing thousands of employees and workers to dangerous asbestos particles. Individuals exposed to asbestos can become sick decades after exposure occurred, developing serious illnesses like mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis.

Victims and their family members need and deserve compensation to cover treatment costs, living expenses, burial expenses, and more. If you or someone you love has been injured by Kelly-Moore asbestos, we want to help you get the money you need to recover. 

Our partner law firm, Meirowitz & Wasserberg, specializes in complex asbestos litigation, providing clients with aggressive, experienced legal representation to obtain the maximum compensation they are due.

We can help you determine your eligibility and learn more about your case, free of charge. Contact us today and start your claim in minutes.

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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