Westinghouse Electric

The Westinghouse Electric Corporation was founded in 1886 by George Westinghouse. The company was founded in Pittsburgh, PA, and was one of the biggest electric companies in the United States in the first half of the twentieth century. Westinghouse played an active role in the development of electric infrastructure across the nation, with factories in the Pittsburgh and Lester areas of Pennsylvania.

As time progressed, Westinghouse suffered significant financial losses in the late 1980s and early 1990s, due to a series of high-risk, high-fee loans initiated by its credit arm, Westinghouse Credit Corporation. This led Westinghouse to diversify its business; it purchased CBS in 1995 for $5.4 billion. The newly named company, CBS Corporation, was acquired by Viacom five years later.

Despite filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2017, and being purchased by Brookfield Business Partners the following year, the company does not have an asbestos trust fund. Instead, Westinghouse fights asbestos legislation in the court system. Westinghouse workers and their families continue to file lawsuits against the company for its use of asbestos.

Asbestos Lawsuits Against Westinghouse Electric

In 2010, the family of shipfitter Edward Merwitz filed a claim against nine asbestos companies after his death from mesothelioma at age 62. Merwitz had worked at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard from 1965 to 1970, handling asbestos-containing products like gaskets, electric motors, turbines, and electrical wire on U.S. Navy ships. He lacked adequate protection and was unaware of the risks associated with asbestos.

As a result of the case, Merwitz’s family was awarded $7.25 million in damages, with Westinghouse and six other companies mentioned in the lawsuit held liable.

In a separate case, Gerald Sylvestre, who operated equipment at a New Hampshire coal plant during the 1960s and 1970s, suffered asbestos exposure and later developed mesothelioma. Among the companies sued by Sylvestre, CBS, as the owner of Westinghouse, was included. Ultimately, Sylvestre and his wife were awarded a total of $7.75 million in damages.

Westinghouse, unlike numerous other companies that used asbestos, did not declare bankruptcy – but instead chose to engage in litigation. While Westinghouse lacks an asbestos trust, individuals with legitimate asbestos cases can still pursue lawsuits for compensation.

Establishing liability for the company has posed challenges due to its multiple changes in ownership. However, it remains possible to build a case and seek rightful compensation.

Did You, Or Someone You Know, Work For Westinghouse Electric?

Westinghouse has been fighting litigation relating to mesothelioma and asbestos exposure for decades - and you may be eligible for compensation. We can help you understand what you need to do to start the process.

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Occupations Affected By Westinghouse’s Operations

Westinghouse’s business activities were primarily focused on electricity infrastructure and products. Their product range was diverse, and many of the products were made to withstand high temperatures. Asbestos was utilized for its heat-resistant properties, but unfortunately, the toxic fibers can make their way into the lungs. This can lead to complications and diseases like mesothelioma.

Westinghouse Electric employees in any of the following occupations (or workers at other companies which used Westinghouse products – such as veterans working in the Navy) may have been at risk of asbestos exposure: 

  • Electricians
  • HVAC workers
  • Carpenters
  • Construction workers
  • Insulators
  • Shipyard workers
  • Turbine maintenance workers

In addition, electrical workers who performed duties at a number of sites across the country may have been at risk from Westinghouse products. Turbines are one of the most recognized sources of exposure among Naval workers and veterans, as the military did not prohibit the use of asbestos in its product until well into the twentieth century.

Family members of these workers may also have been at risk of contracting mesothelioma. Employees may have brought the toxic asbestos fibers home on their clothing or work uniform; as a result, when the uniforms were handled or disturbed (for example, when they required cleaning), family members may have also come into contact with asbestos. 

Westinghouse Products Containing Asbestos

Westinghouse’s diverse product range included the following items which were manufactured using asbestos:

  • Electrical cable
  • Gaskets
  • Micarta insulation
  • Wiring
  • Panels
  • Turbines
  • Motors
  • Generators
  • Welding Rods

Many of these items required a product like asbestos in the manufacturing process, due to its strength and durability. Unfortunately for workers who were exposed to the toxic asbestos fibers, this came at a detrimental impact to their health

Did You, Or Someone You Know, Work For Westinghouse Electric?

Westinghouse has been fighting litigation relating to mesothelioma and asbestos exposure for decades - and you may be eligible for compensation. We can help you understand what you need to do to start the process.

Find Out More

Plaintiff’s Motion to Remand Denied; Court Finds Defendants’ Removal Timely [May 2023]

https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/plaintiff-s-motion-to-remand-denied-2062316/

Developer who illegally removed asbestos from former Westinghouse facility in Churchill sentenced [March 2020]

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/crime-courts/2020/03/18/Developer-Vikas-Jain-ilegally-removed-asbestos-Westinghouse-facility-sentenced/stories/202003180117

Power Plant Worker Gets Record $7.55M Asbestos Verdict

https://www.law360.com/employment-authority/articles/966817/power-plant-worker-gets-record-7-55m-asbestos-verdict

Jury awards $7.25 million in asbestos case [March 2014]

https://www.inquirer.com/philly/hp/news_update/20140314_Jury_awards__7_25_million_in_asbestos_case.html

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Written and legally reviewed by Samuel Meirowitz

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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