BorgWarner Incorporated

BorgWarner Incorporated is an automotive parts manufacturing company based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Since its inception, the company has used asbestos in a number of its products, specifically clutches and brake pads. After workers became ill, mesothelioma and other asbestos-related lawsuits followed.

If you or a loved one have mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may be eligible for a large amount of compensation. Fill out our form to receive our free Financial Compensation Packet. Our packet is loaded with information on experienced mesothelioma attorneys in your area, how to file a claim for asbestos trust funds, how to get paid in 90 days, and more. 

BorgWarner Incorporated History

BorgWarner Incorporated was established in 1928 after a merger between four different companies: Mechanics Universal Joint, Borg & Beck, Marvel-Schebler, and Warner Gear.

The company started out producing an automobile transmission part, a turbocharger, and automatic and manual transmissions.

Later on, BorgWarner created and patented their own clutch technology, which helped automobile gears change more smoothly.

Throughout the next several decades and into the late 1970s, BorgWarner continued to expand. Numerous subsidiaries branched off from BorgWarner, creating many different products.

BorgWarner continues to manufacture automotive parts, specifically drivetrain and engine components. Its headquarters is in Auburn Hills, Michigan, but there are locations in 19 other countries worldwide.

Currently, BorgWarner doesn’t use asbestos in any of its products. However, prior to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) strict guidelines on its use, the company relied heavily on asbestos for fire and heat-resistant properties.

Consequently, as workers and consumers started to fall ill after being exposed to asbestos via BorgWarner products, many asbestos-related lawsuits followed.

BorgWarner Incorporated Lawsuits

One of the most well-known lawsuits against BorgWarner began in the early 2000s when a former General Motors (GM) employee died from asbestos-related complications at the age of 50.

Mark Buttita: Lifelong Asbestos Exposure

According to court documents, Mark Buttitta died from malignant mesothelioma in December 2002, only a few days before the holidays.

Buttitta was survived by a wife and three children. His wife, acting on his behalf, pursued damages against BorgWarner and a variety of other companies that exposed her husband to asbestos. Yet, it was not Buttitta’s asbestos exposure at work that caused the most damage.

While Buttitta was a sales executive at GM during his adult years, his father worked as a parts picker while Buttitta was a child, where he handled asbestos-riddled brakes and clutches on a daily basis.

Buttitta’s father would then come home in work clothes that had asbestos fibers embedded in them.

As a teen, Buttitta worked part-time at the GM warehouse, where he was in constant contact with asbestos. His brother also worked at the warehouse, contributing even more asbestos to the family home.

GM used a variety of automotive parts that BorgWarner distributed.

One of the Largest Mesothelioma Verdicts

In February 2008, a Hackensack, New Jersey jury returned a verdict in favor of Buttitta. His family was awarded $30.8 million, one of the highest mesothelioma verdicts ever in the state of New Jersey.

A few years prior to the verdict, Buttitta’s wife established the Mark Buttitta Memorial Foundation for Research, in order to bring awareness to the various ways that people can be exposed to asbestos.

Although the primary way of exposure is via work-related activities, many people who live with parents who worked around asbestos have developed life-threatening illnesses through secondhand exposure.

“While most mesothelioma victims are employed in the construction or automotive manufacturing industries, Mark did not fit this typical profile,” the foundation said. 

“Mark Buttitta’s sad case shows convincingly how blue-collar workers from the automotive, construction and other asbestos-using industries are not the only potential victims of mesothelioma.

“In Bloomfield, Englewood, and all across New Jersey, men and women who wouldn’t know a brake shoe from a horseshoe can be struck down by this horrible disease decades later from simply living with someone who dealt with asbestos in his daily occupation. In Mark Buttitta’s case we were able to get justice for him and his young family.”

By 2006, BorgWarner had already faced over 60,000 asbestos-related claims. Towards the end of 2006, around 45,000 cases remained pending. 

The company paid over $16 million in litigation, with an estimated $40 million in liability awaiting.

Yet, unlike many other companies faced with numerous lawsuits, BorgWarner never filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Asbestos in Automotive Parts Today

Although the EPA placed strict regulations on asbestos use, it’s still not completely banned. Therefore, some automotive parts may still contain the toxic mineral.

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OHSA) recommends that all automotive mechanics and technicians should always wet asbestos and work in pressurized enclosures.

There is no safe amount of asbestos exposure, but the recommendations above can help reduce the risk of exposure.

If BorgWarner products exposed you to asbestos, a mesothelioma law firm could help. They can explain your options and help you seek compensation.

Resources for Asbestos Victims and Loved Ones

Remember to fill out our form to get your free Financial Compensation Packet, with information on asbestos and mesothelioma lawyers in your area. For additional assistance, contact us at 800-793-4540.