Turner & Newall Asbestos Trust

History of Turner & Newall Asbestos Trust

In 1953, Turner & Newall asked a researcher to investigate the “alleged” link between asbestos and lung diseases. When the researcher’s work found a link, Turner & Newall hired another researcher to discredit the work.

In the public eye, Turner & Newall made the appearance of being a responsible employer. But behind closed doors, company officials refused to acknowledge any connection between asbestos and disease. The company used public relations firms, attorneys and politicians to quash any discussion of regulations on asbestos.

When Federal-Mogul bought the company, it also set aside $2.1 billion to settle asbestos-related claims. However, Federal-Mogul underestimated the cost of the claims and filed bankruptcy to protect itself from creditors. The Turner and Newall asbestos trust was combined with three other Federal-Mogul asbestos trusts and funded with $685 million. The T&N trust began processing claims in 2010.

Like other claimants to asbestos trusts, Turner & Newall trust claimants only receive a percentage of the funds requested. A Turner and Newall settlement trust claim pays 8.5% of scheduled value fMost trusts pay claimants a percentage of the requested funds to ensure there is enough money to pay everyone who deserves a settlement.

Turner & Newall Asbestos-Containing Products

From the beginning, Turner & Newall used asbestos as the primary ingredient in its products. Outside the company’s plants in the United Kingdom asbestos blanketed the ground. When it shipped its products to the United States, the asbestos came with it.

Even today, Turner & Newall asbestos-containing products remain in structures across the United States. Workers are still exposed to the dangers of Turner & Newall asbestos-containing products, as follows:

• Pax Felt asbestos felt
• Duresto asbestos felt
• Turner and Newall Sprayed Limpet Asbestos for insulation coatings
• Turner and Newall Sindanyo heat-resistant boards for laboratory use
• Hair belting
• Insulation
• Yarn
• Cement sheets

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Turner & Newall Asbestos Exposure

Despite Turner & Newall being a U.K.-based corporation, there are nearly 1,000 sites in the United States that have been confirmed to have Turner & Newall asbestos-containing products. Sites include power plants, Naval yards, schools, restaurants, federal buildings, radio and television studios, hospitals, jails, churches and country clubs.

Turner & Newall used asbestos in its products because it is heat fire and chemical resistant and improves the tensile strength of mixtures. Turner & Newall products were used across the United States, exposing scores of people to asbestos.

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Secondary Exposure

Since Turner & Newall went to great lengths to hide the dangers of asbestos from its employees, many of the employee’s family members didn’t realize they had been exposed as well.

Secondary exposure, also known as second-hand exposure, happens when a worker inadvertently tracks asbestos fibers home on their clothing, skin or hair. Secondary exposure accounts for up to 20% of all mesothelioma cases.

Studies show 64% of women (wives, daughters and mothers) and 12% of men with mesothelioma experienced secondary exposure.

If you or a loved one suspect you have been exposed to Turner & Newall asbestos-containing products and have developed an asbestos disease, contact us today to find out how we help.

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Asbestos Litigation vs. Turner & Newall

The Turner & Newall factory in Rochdale in northwest England was known for spewing asbestos into the local landscape. The asbestos tragedy was so widespread that every second household within a few blocks of the Rochdale plant had a family member with an asbestos-related disease.

Despite the known dangers of asbestos, Turner & Newall actively worked to discredit asbestos-disease claims. In its long history, the company worked to show employees as communists, kept dossiers on individuals they considered “subversive” and tried to discredit a film documentary team.

When the first Rochdale worker died in 1924 of asbestosis, the company refused to accept responsibility and pay the family any compensation.  By 1937, the company’s leaders were actively pursuing ways to avoid legal actions and regulations that could limit asbestos use.

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Turner and Newall Settlements and Payments

Through the Federal-Mogul subtrust, Turner & Newall asbestos victims have the right to make a financial claim as a result of their injuries.

To receive funds from the Turner & Newall asbestos trust fund, claimants must first decide if they want an expedited or individual review. In both cases, claimants must prove they meet the medical and exposure criteria for the trust.

Expedited Review

An expedited review provides qualified claimants with fixed payments on claims. The advantage is that an expedited review is typically faster than an individual review, so funds are disbursed relatively quickly.

The following is the payment schedule for an expedited review of the Turner & Newall trust:

Disease	Compensation
Mesothelioma	$200,000
Lung Cancer	$42,500
Other Cancer	$14,750
Severe Asbestosis	$42,500
Asbestosis	Up to $12,700

Individual Review

Claimants who choose individual reviews can receive a higher settlement, but the process takes longer. The following is the payment schedule for the average value of a Turner & Newall individual review:

Disease	Compensation
Mesothelioma	$250,000
Lung Cancer	$60,000
Other Cancer	$19,500
Severe Asbestosis	$54,500
Asbestosis	Up to $13,500