The Federal-Mogul Corporation acquired numerous companies in the past that used asbestos to make automotive parts and other products. Federal-Mogul became liable in many asbestos lawsuits and claims. It filed for bankruptcy, reorganized, and established an asbestos trust fund.
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Did Federal-Mogul Use Asbestos?
Federal-Mogul didn’t use asbestos in its original products. Federal-Mogul’s connection to asbestos came when it acquired companies that made asbestos products.
These other companies made construction materials and automotive parts with asbestos. Asbestos was used in both industries for its ability to insulate and protect against heat and fire.
Federal-Mogul Corporation History
Federal-Mogul was created in 1899 by J. Howard Muzzy and Edward Lyon. The founders formed two companies together to create the Muzzy-Lyon Company.
- Muzzy-Lyon acquired Mogul Metal Company and began manufacturing diecast bearings for engines. In 1910, the company’s first significant order came when Buick asked for 10,000 bearings.
- In 1924, Mogul Metal Company merged with Federal Bearing and Bushing and became known as Federal-Mogul Corporation.
- The company continued to expand slowly, but the years 1941 through 1945 provided the biggest growth after Federal-Mogul began producing products to help during World War II. Metal bearings were in high demand for the duration of the war.
- After the war, Federal-Mogul underwent a series of acquisitions to grow the company. These included National Motor Bearing Company, Sterling Aluminum Products, Flexitallic, Fel-Pro, and more.
- Several of Federal-Mogul’s acquisitions were companies that made products using asbestos. After facing thousands of resulting lawsuits, Federal-Mogul filed for bankruptcy in 2001. It emerged reorganized and with an asbestos trust fund in 2007.
Today, Federal-Mogul consists of two divisions owned by Tenneco: Federal-Mogul Powertrain and Federal-Mogul Motorparts.
Federal-Mogul Asbestos Products
While Federal-Mogul didn’t initially make asbestos products, it acquired companies that used asbestos. It acquired them knowing that these businesses manufactured asbestos-containing materials.
Two manufacturers, in particular, Turner & Newall and Fel-Pro, were known for their heavy use of asbestos in seals, gaskets, construction materials, and more.
Federal-Mogul subsidiaries that used asbestos made a variety of construction and automotive products, including:
- Frenos
- Clutches
- Juntas
- Aislamiento
- Concrete
- Pipe covering
Who Was Affected by Federal-Mogul Asbestos Products?
The manufacturing and distribution of asbestos-containing products placed workers in many occupations in danger of exposure and related illnesses. The following jobs are among the most common that were affected by Federal-Mogul subsidiaries’ products:
- trabajadores de la construcción
- Auto mechanics
- Automotive factory workers
- Shipyard workers
- Oil refinery workers
- Refractory plant workers
- Other industrial and manufacturing workers
Many people who worked for Federal-Mogul’s subsidiaries also risked asbestos exposure. The workers who handled asbestos while manufacturing these products were likely to have inhaled asbestos fibers.
Federal-Mogul Asbestos Claims and Lawsuits
Although Federal-Mogul tried earnestly to avoid filing for bankruptcy, nothing could prevent the company from facing the overabundant and growing amount of asbestos-related claims and lawsuits.
By the time Federal-Mogul filed for bankruptcy, there were already over 300,000 claims. One major case involved Texaco workers who used asbestos products made by a Federal-Mogul subsidiary.
In 2001, 22 former Texaco employees and contractors won $35.2 million in an asbestos-related lawsuit against Federal-Mogul’s former owners.
According to court documents, the workers were employed at one of Texaco’s refineries, where they worked with and around Flexitallic gaskets that contained excessive amounts of asbestos.
The plaintiffs were eventually diagnosed with asbestosis after working at the refinery from the 1940s through the 1970s.
The former owners of Federal-Mogul that were found liable for damages included U.S. Gypsum Co. and Gasket Holdings (the owners of Flexitallic). Individual plaintiffs were awarded $1.6 million each.
Federal-Mogul Bankruptcy and Asbestos Trust
By 2001, the sheer amount of asbestos-related against Federal-Mogul reached a point where they filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It took six years for the company to come out of bankruptcy fully.
Once it emerged from bankruptcy, the company created an fondo fiduciario para el amianto for a reorganization agreement.
In 2007, the amount funded to the trust fund, which will be used to compensate pending and future claims, was around $635 million.
The Federal-Mogul U.S. Asbestos Personal Injury Trust includes subfunds to cover claims related to three subsidiaries:
- Fel-Pro
- Turner & Newall
- Vellumoid
The Federal-Mogul Corporation Today
Federal-Mogul still operates. Known as Federal-Mogul Holdings Corporation, the company focuses on supplying various automotive and equipment parts to the world.
It also designs, creates, and manufactures original equipment powertrain components, as well as systems protection products, which are used for transportation applications.
Contact a mesothelioma lawyer if Federal-Mogul asbestos products harmed you or your family. They can help you seek compensation.
Seeking Compensation From Federal-Mogul
If you were exposed to asbestos through Federal-Mogul, you could be entitled to compensation through the trust. Contacte con un abogado con experiencia en mesotelioma to help you make a successful claim.
Un asbestos attorney or law firm can also look through your work history to determine if you are eligible for other types of compensation. Most people with asbestos illnesses were exposed through several companies.
You could be eligible for a claim with one or more trusts or even for a lawsuit against companies that are still operational.
Additional Information and Legal Resources for Asbestos Victims
If you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer, you may qualify for significant compensation. Remember to fill out our form to get your free Financial Compensation Packet, with information on asbestos and mesothelioma lawyers in your area.
