C. E. Thurston & Sons
C.E Thurston started his company in 1919. What began as a small business that represented locally-based packing manufacturers became an incorporated marine, industrial and commercial contractor in 1949. Based in Norfolk, Virginia, the company has always specialized in insulation products. Although the company distributed, installed, repaired and removed insulation material, C.E. Thurston & Sons never manufactured products. Nor was it in the business of acquiring the raw material.
In 1991, C.E. Thurston & Sons acquired South Carolina insulation contractor Mechanical Insulation Services, Inc. (MISI). One year later, the company acquired Ambrose Insulation Company, based in North Carolina. By 2006, C.E. Thurston & Sons was conducting business in 13 states.
C.E. Thurston & Sons and Asbestos
Because C.E. Thurston & Sons dealt with insulation, exposure to asbestos via its products was widespread. Before the dangers of asbestos were publicly understood, it was a common material in insulation for extreme-temperature conditions because it was resistant to high levels of heat.
Though C.E. Thurston & Sons did not manufacture asbestos-containing products, the material was present in most of the insulation that it distributed. Thurston employees were at high risk of asbestos exposure because they worked with the insulation on a regular basis. The process of distributing and installing insulation containing asbestos has lead to many developing mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.
In addition to C.E. Thurston & Sons employees, those who worked with the equipment that was protected by Thurston insulation were at risk of exposure as well. This included pipefitters, welders, insulators, commercial construction workers and people who worked in the marine industries. Mechanics and repairmen were especially at risk of exposure because they often had to penetrate protective layers of insulation in order to access the equipment on which they were working.
C.E. Thurston & Sons and Asbestos Litigation
C.E. Thurston & Sons has faced thousands of asbestos-related lawsuits over the years and tried to settle most of them. In an attempt to handle not only the lawsuits but also disputes surrounding insurance coverage, C.E. Thurston & Sons and 33 other companies that were involved in asbestos-related litigation entered into an “Agreement Concerning Asbestos-Related Claims,” otherwise known as the “Wellington Agreement.”
Out of the Wellington Agreement came the Asbestos Claims Facility, which was created to “evaluate, defend and settle present, threatened and future asbestos related personal injury claims.” In addition, the Wellington Agreement created the framework within which the companies’ insurers would respond to asbestos-related claims. The Wellington Agreement continued for just two years before some of the companies withdrew, forcing suspension of the Agreement.
A similar entity, the Center for Claims Resolution (CCR), was formed shortly after the cessation of the Wellington Agreement. Its aim was similar to the Wellington Agreement. In addition to handling individual claims, however, CCR also entered into nationwide settlements that included numerous claimants. It continued until 2001, at which point C.E. Thurston & Sons began handling claims on its own. Thurston filed for bankruptcy in 2003, mainly as a result of asbestos-related claims. In 2006, the C.E. Thurston & Sons Inc. Asbestos Trust was formed to handle current and future asbestos-related claims.
Anyone who has developed an asbestos-related disease such as mesothelioma as a result of being exposed to products stemming from C.E. Thurston & Sons may have legal options available to them. A mesothelioma lawyer can offer advice and determine if legal action is an option for you. Those who have not yet been diagnosed but were likely exposed to asbestos should receive annual screenings for signs of an asbestos-related disease.
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© 2012 The Mesothelioma Center |
Last Modified Thursday, February 9th, 2012 | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy |
The information provided by The Mesothelioma Center is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Sponsored by a law firm concentrating in asbestos litigation, The Peterson Firm, LLP with offices at 1350 Connecticut Ave, NW, Fifth Floor, Washington DC 20036.
