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

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Beginning in 1916, Quigley Co. manufactured insulations and products for foundries and the iron, glass and steel industries, adding asbestos to products to increase heat and fire resistance.

In 1968, the pharmaceutical company Chas. Pfizer & Co., Inc., purchased Quigley in a bid to diversify its holdings. By 1991, Pfizer decided to mainly focus on pharmaceutical products and sold off the Quigley assets. Pfizer did, however, keep ownership of the company itself.

When Quigley, which was originally known as Quigley Furnace Specialties Company, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2004, it was facing thousands of lawsuits due to its asbestos use.

While Pfizer never manufactured any of Quigley’s asbestos-containing products, Pfizer was also named in scores of asbestos lawsuits.

Fill out the form below to see if you may qualify for compensation from The Quigley Company, Inc. Asbestos Personal Injury Trust.

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Quigley High-Risk Occupations

Everyone from the people who manufactured Quigley products to the people who washed their clothing is at risk for developing asbestos-related diseases due to occupational asbestos exposure.

Occupations at high risk for asbestos exposure associated with Quigley Co. were primarily in high-heat production environments such as metalwork and glass where asbestos was used to improve insulation.

The courts have found that both Quigley and Pfizer are responsible for illnesses related to Quigley products, such as those seen in:

  • Construction workers
  • Bricklayers and brick masons
  • Mani-Ply pipe insulation
  • Foundry workers
  • Boilermakers
  • Furnace inspectors and furnace workers
  • Plant workers
  • Steel mill workers and smelt workers

The more popular Quigley insulating products were used in a variety of occupational settings including:

  • Gas
  • Oil and chemical plants
  • Sugar mills
  • Shipyards
  • Logging facilities
  • Paper mills
  • Railroads
  • Refrigeration plants

Why was the Quigley Trust Formed?

Quigley began using asbestos in its products in the 1940s, well after researchers linked asbestos to severe medical conditions. The company mainly manufactured refractory and insulating products for the steel industry.

By the 1980s, the company, which was owned by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer at that point, was facing a mountain of asbestos litigation totaling about 160,000 cases.

When Quigley filed for bankruptcy, both Quigley and Pfizer faced more than 210,000 personal injury legal claims totaling about $1.2 billion.

Experts estimated the companies could face another 280,000 claims until 2060, valued at about $4.4 billion. Pfizer contribute about $960 million toward the Quigley reorganization plan.

After Quigley filed bankruptcy, Pfizer entered into negotiations with asbestos victims to settle the cases. In the years that followed, Quigley and Pfizer sparred with the bankruptcy courts over reorganization plans. The federal courts issued about 20 decisions over the course of the case.

In 2012, the Quigley bankruptcy plan was completed. The trust currently pays 3.6 percent to 14.5 percent depending on when the claim was filed and other circumstances.

Quigley Asbestos Exposure

From the 1930s through the 1970s, Quigley manufactured products that contained asbestos. Pfizer acquired Quigley in 1968, but the company did not stop manufacturing asbestos-containing products until at least 1977.

Despite being owned by Pfizer, Quigley continued operations by maintaining its own sales staff and filling customer orders. The Pfizer label appeared on Quigley products.

Some of the most widely used Quigley and Pfizer asbestos-containing products were spray insulations and insulation powders.

Quigley Products That Contained Asbestos

As a company that focused on refractory products, Quigley’s goal was to provide goods with insulating properties that can withstand high heat environments. Quigley’s best-selling products contained asbestos, which provided heat, chemical and fire resistance.

Most of Quigley’s products were sold in a dry form that had to be mixed with water to form a paste. In a powder form, asbestos was more likely to be released from the insulating products.

Workers in Quigley factories and companies that used the products and their families were at risk for breathing in asbestos fibers.

The following are some of the more popular Quigley insulating products:

  • Quigley Damit Joint Sealant
  • Quigley Insulag Refractory Cement
  • Quigley Insulbox Refractory Cement
  • Quigley Insuline Refractory Cement
  • Quigley Panelag Refractory Cement
  • Quigley Panelbond Refractory Cement
  • Quigley Fiberock Felt
  • Quigley Waterproof Cement
  • Hytempite
  • Retort Cement
  • Triple-A No. 10
  • Dorcrete
  • Acid proof cement

Anyone who has been exposed to Quigley or Pfizer refractory products are at risk for developing asbestos related diseases and may have access to funds from the Quigley trust.

To find out more information about the Quigley Company, Inc. Asbestos Personal Injury Trust and if you qualify for compensation, contact us today.

Check Your Compensation Eligibility Now

Step 1 of 3

Were you or your family member diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness?

Step 3 of 3

Based on your answers, it seems like you may have a potential claim. How can we get in touch to confirm your eligibility?

Your information will be kept private

Quigley Settlements and Payout Amounts

Like all other asbestos-related bankruptcy claims, the Quigley asbestos trust compensates asbestos victims in one of two ways – expedited review or individual review.

Each provides claimants with funds based on disease severity, but the amount provided differs, as follows:

Quigley Expedited Claim Review

An expedited review of an asbestos claim provides claimants with a predetermined amount based on a schedule of illnesses. The process is intended to provide quicker access to funds, which can be helpful for gravely ill patients who need fast access to financial relief.

An expedited review from Quigley asbestos trust provides the following compensation:

DiseaseCompensation
Mesothelioma$200,000
Lung Cancer$35,000
Other Cancer$15,000
Severe Asbestosis$35,000
Asbestosis/Pleural Disease$2,000 – $5,000

To qualify for an expedited review, claimants must be able to produce medical documentation and occupational evidence to correspond with the trust requirements.

Quigley Individual Claim Review

For claimants who do not qualify for an expedited review, an individual review may provide more or less than the fixed values through the expedited review.

While the compensation amounts for individual reviews vary, the average schedule of values is as follows:

DiseaseCompensation
Mesothelioma$225,000
Lung Cancer$15,000 – $45,000
Other Cancer$16,500
Severe Asbestosis$40,000
Asbestosis/Pleural Disease$2,000 – $5,000

In 2017 alone, the Quigley trust approved nearly 14,000 asbestos-related personal injury claims totaling more than $60 million.

Seeking Compensation

If you or a loved one may have been exposed to Quigley Co. products, you may be eligible for compensation from the Quigley Company, Inc. Asbestos Trust which is still active and accepting new claims.

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Written & Legally Reviewed By

Daniel Wasserberg

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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