The Ford Motor Company is an American company based in Dearborn, Michigan. Ford used asbestos in a variety of automotive products exposing thousands of workers to the toxic mineral. Mechanics who worked with brake and clutch friction materials are at highest risk of past asbestos exposure.
Thousands of families have filed mesothelioma lawsuits against Ford Motor Company for exposure to asbestos in the company’s auto parts. Juries have consistently ruled in favor of mesothelioma patients in Ford asbestos cases, awarding verdicts ranging from millions to tens of millions of dollars.
Unlike many manufacturers that have faced asbestos litigation, Ford has never declared bankruptcy or established an asbestos trust fund for mesothelioma survivors, despite facing lawsuits since the 1980s. This means patients or surviving family members can pursue mesothelioma compensation directly through lawsuits against the company, which typically results in higher amounts than trust fund payouts.
Asbestos lawyers negotiate settlements in many cases, though some mesothelioma lawsuits proceed to trial. Former Ford employees may also qualify to file workers’ compensation claims in addition to pursuing lawsuits against the company.
Legal Help for People Exposed to Ford’s Asbestos Products
Building a successful mesothelioma claim requires specific legal expertise. An experienced mesothelioma attorney knows how to establish the connection between your diagnosis and Ford’s asbestos products, compile the employment and exposure evidence that strengthens your case.
You may also be eligible for workers’ compensation through your employer, but this legal won’t provide substantial compensation like a lawsuit or settlement. And your lawyer can identify if any other companies may share liability for your condition. If so, they can assess if you’re eligible for asbestos trust fund compensation or a lawsuit against another defendant as well.
Beyond legal representation, our Patient Advocates provide connections to both specialized attorneys and leading mesothelioma physicians. Whether you need help understanding your diagnosis, filing VA benefits or finding other survivors who understand what you’re going through, your advocate offers personalized guidance at every step.
Mesothelioma Lawsuits Involving Ford
Ford has faced thousands of lawsuits over asbestos use in its auto parts, especially brake and clutch components. Juries have consistently found Ford liable for failing to warn workers about asbestos dangers in their products.
Ford Asbestos and Mesothelioma Lawsuits
$34 million: In one of the largest ever verdicts against Ford asbestos products, a California jury awarded economic, non-economic and punitive damages to Arthur and Janet Putt. The jury found Ford 100% liable and awarded $25.5 million in punitive damages alone. Arthur Putt worked with Ford products containing asbestos on the job as a brake inspector and repair technician. He eventually developed mesothelioma and passed away.
$20 million: A Missouri jury awarded damages to auto worker Bill Trokey and his wife, Cathy, for asbestos exposure from Ford products. When Mr. Trokey died days after the verdict, Ford’s lawyers attempted to invalidate the award. An appeals court upheld the verdict, ensuring the Trokey family received compensation.
$8.4 million: Missouri resident Al Bennet worked as a mechanic at Ford, Mercury and Lincoln dealerships from the 1960s to the 1980s. He faced frequent asbestos exposure from Ford brakes, clutches and gaskets, eventually developing pleural mesothelioma. The jury awarded $5.725 million for Mr. Bennet, $700,000 for Mrs. Bennet and $2 million in punitive damages against Ford.
$8.2 million: A New Orleans jury awarded this multimillion-dollar mesothelioma verdict to Steven Aaron, Sr. in 2021. He was repeatedly exposed to asbestos in Ford brakes and clutches in the 1960s and 1970s while working as a gas station and school bus mechanic.
$6.8 million: This mesothelioma claim against Ford involved Pat Scott, an auto mechanic who developed mesothelioma after repairing Ford vehicles and other automobiles for decades. In 2012, a California jury awarded damages to Mr. Scott and his wife, Sharon.
In 2025, a New York appeals court ruled in favor of Joseph Skrzynski, a former parts department employee at a Lincoln-Ford-Mercury dealership. Skrzynski worked at the dealership from 1975 to 1980, and doctors diagnosed him with mesothelioma in 2021. Ford argued that Mr. Skrzynski wasn’t a brake mechanic, but the court ruled that he faced daily exposure while handling asbestos-containing parts and being near mechanics performing repairs. This decision reinforced that Ford’s liability extends beyond mechanics to anyone exposed to asbestos in their workplace.
Mechanic uses air hose to remove asbestos on brakes.
Ford’s Connection to Asbestos
Ford Motor Company used asbestos products in its vehicles and repair parts, from the automaker’s first car in 1903 to most of the 20th century. Asbestos appeared in Ford’s brakes, clutches, gaskets and other auto parts, exposing both plant workers and vehicle owners to the dangerous fibers.
The Ford Motor Company also participated heavily in U.S. wartime production, manufacturing submarine chasers, tanks and cars in World War I and 80% of all B-24 bomber planes in World War II. This military production also involved the use of asbestos products, exposing countless factory workers to the toxic material.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has fined and cited Ford for serious violations of asbestos and respiratory protection rules. In one example, the company exposed a pipefitter repairing a steam pipe to asbestos-containing materials. OSHA defines a serious violation as one where “there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.”
In response to ongoing asbestos lawsuits, between 2001 and 2016, Ford spent at least $40 million to privately fund controversial journal articles that attempted to discredit the link between brake work and mesothelioma. Researchers and court records, however, show that more than 100 doctors and scientists worldwide have testified that asbestos in brakes can cause mesothelioma.
Exposed to Asbestos at Ford Motor Company?
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Experts found that Ford brake linings often contained 40% to 60% chrysotile asbestos, a dangerous material that released harmful fibers into the air during the grinding or sanding processes. Mechanics performing the work and other nearby laborers then inhaled the toxic fibers.
Anyone who breathed in the fibers was at risk of developing mesothelioma, lung cancer or other serious diseases. Asbestos-related illnesses can show years or decades after the original asbestos exposure.
Ford Auto Parts With Asbestos
Brake linings
Brake pads
Clutch facings
Engines
Gaskets
Transmissions
Ford Motor Company sold asbestos parts under the brand names Ford, Mercury, Ford Authorized Remanufactured and Motorcraft. The company gradually phased out asbestos brakes and clutches in the early 1980s but kept using the hazardous material in Ford Mustangs into the 1990s. Ford replacement parts containing asbestos stayed on the market until at least 2001.
Who Was at Risk of Asbestos Exposure From Ford’s Products?
Mechanics who installed or repaired Ford brakes, clutches and other friction products faced the highest risk of occupational asbestos exposure. Other workers who came into contact with these products during manufacturing, distribution or repair also faced significant exposure.
Higher-Risk Occupations Involving Ford Asbestos Products
Auto parts store employees
Factory workers
Foundry laborers
Grinders
Junkyard workers
Mechanics
Pipefitters
Warehouse employees
Vehicle owners who handled or replaced Ford parts containing asbestos were also at risk of exposure, including DIY auto mechanics and aftermarket enthusiasts who wanted official Ford parts. Lastly, family members of mechanics and other workers sometimes faced secondary asbestos exposure. The toxic fibers easily clung to clothing, skin and tools, and family members who washed contaminated clothing or breathed in the dust have developed mesothelioma.
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D. Carl Money is an attorney at Nemeroff Law. He has devoted his career to fighting for workers diagnosed with mesothelioma and their families. Money has more than 25 years of experience fighting for people with asbestos-related diseases. He’s licensed in Texas, New York, England and Wales and belongs to various legal organizations across the U.S. and U.K.
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