Crown Cork and Seal Lawsuits and Former Insurance Fund

Overview of the Crown Cork and Seal Insurance Trust

Crown Cork and Seal has never declared bankruptcy or created an asbestos trust fund. Instead, the company created an insurance trust that was active from 1985 until 1998. Since the insurance trust ended, the company has continued to face asbestos litigation from people seeking compensation for mesothelioma and lung cancer from products Mundet Cork, which Crown Cork and Seal acquired, made. 

Key Facts About Crown Cork and Seal Liability

1. Insurance trust (1985-1998): Crown Cork and Seal set up an insurance trust in 1985 that paid settlements until the money ran out in 1998.
2. No additional insurance: Company officials said it has no extra insurance coverage available for asbestos lawsuits.
3. Money set aside for lawsuits: As of December 31, 2024, Crown Cork and Seal reports setting aside $185 million for asbestos cases, including $141 million for future lawsuits that haven’t been filed yet.
4. Current lawsuits and payments: The company reports about 59,300 pending lawsuits as of 2024 and paid out $15 million in 2024 for lawsuit settlements and legal costs.

Unlike many asbestos trust funds that offer set payment amounts based on your diagnosis and exposure, Crown Cork and Seal defends each lawsuit individually in court. Your mesothelioma compensation depends on your specific exposure history, medical condition and the laws in your state.

Legal Help for People Exposed to Crown Cork and Seal’s Asbestos Products

If you were diagnosed with mesothelioma as a result of asbestos exposure from Crown Cork and Seal products, an experienced mesothelioma lawyer can help you pursue compensation. Without bankruptcy protection, those eligible are free to file a mesothelioma lawsuit against the company directly. 

Your lawyer can also determine if you qualify to file a claim with another company’s existing asbestos trust fund if it also shares responsibility for your exposure. Workers’ compensation may also an option for you.

Our Patient Advocates can match you with an experienced asbestos lawyer specializing in industrial insulation cases and jobsite exposure. In addition to legal options, your Patient Advocate can connect you with leading mesothelioma doctors for personalized care, scheduling an appointment for you and helping you navigate insurance. Offering consistent support to you and your family, your advocate can help you file VA benefits claims, access free resources and join support groups.

Mesothelioma Lawsuits Involving Crown Cork and Seal

In June 2012, a Louisiana jury found Crown 33% responsible for a $12 million verdict in Frederick Schulte’s mesothelioma lawsuit. Schulte worked at McDermott Incorporated Shipyard, installing asbestos pipe insulation that Mundet Cork produced. He was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2011.

Also in 2012, Crown Holdings faced asbestos-related legal challenges when Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton vetoed a bill the American Legislative Exchange Council pushed. The bill aimed to limit asbestos company liability for past use of the toxic mineral, especially for companies acquiring businesses facing existing asbestos claims. Dayton’s veto stopped this effort in Minnesota.

Crown successfully influenced legislation in other states to reduce protections for people filing asbestos-related claims. For example, in Pennsylvania, lawmakers passed laws that lowered these protections.

Crown Cork and Seal’s Connection to Asbestos

While Crown never directly made asbestos products, it became responsible for asbestos claims after acquiring Mundet Cork in 1963. Crown sold most of Mundet’s businesses within 2 years but kept liability for exposure linked to those asbestos products. Crown has paid more than $700 million for asbestos-related claims.

Crown Cork & Seal has a long history dating back to 1892 when William Painter invented a better bottle cap for soft drink and beer containers. Mundet Cork made cork-lined bottle caps, insulation and asbestos-containing cement. 

Workers at Mundet’s insulation and cement plants faced asbestos exposure, along with their family members. Companies that used Crown’s products, like oil refineries and the U.S. Navy, also exposed workers and service members. Because Crown acquired Mundet, people exposed to asbestos from these products may have claims linked to Crown.

Who Was at Risk of Asbestos Exposure From Crown Cork and Seal?

Construction workers came into contact with asbestos when using cement, insulation and other building materials. Because asbestos was cheap, tough and didn’t burn, it was a top choice for many construction products.

Mundet Cork Products With Asbestos

• Mundet Block Insulation
• Mundet Cork 85% Magnesia Asbestos Insulation
• Mundet Mineral Wool Finishing Cement
• Mundet Mineral Wool Insulating Cement
• Mundet Pipe Covering

Magnesia asbestos pipe insulation was made from magnesia alba or magnesium carbonate and often contained asbestos. Mixing 85% magnesium with 15% asbestos made the insulation strong and able to hold together well. Most of Mundet’s pipe insulation used chrysotile asbestos fibers.