J.T. Thorpe used refractory materials containing the toxic mineral in the installation of heavy industrial equipment throughout California during the peak decades of asbestos use in the U.S. Today, a special trust fund exists to compensate workers exposed to asbestos.
Quick Facts About J. T. Thorpe Inc.Trust Fund and Lawsuits
Founded:
1906
Years Operated:
1906 – present
Headquarters:
Northern California
Business:
Industrial refractory contractor
Asbestos Trust:
Yes
Bankruptcy Status:
Filed in 2002, emerged in 2006
What Is the J. T. Thorpe Inc. Asbestos Trust Fund?
The J.T. Thorpe Settlement Trust is a dedicated fund to provide compensation to those with mesothelioma and other eligible diseases connected to J.T. Thorpe’s asbestos products. The company established this asbestos trust fund in 2006 during bankruptcy proceedings. As of December 31, 2024, the trust reported total assets of $126.3 million, liabilities of $11.7 million and $114.6 million in funds available for claimants.
In 2024, the trust received 762 claims, paid 150 and made settlement offers on 147 more. The trust reviews its payment percentage regularly and confirmed a 50% rate in February 2025. Payments include cost-of-living adjustments, with a maximum annual payout for 2025 set at $6,698,960.
J. T. Thorpe Inc. Asbestos Trust Updates
The current payment percentage is 50%
Mesothelioma has a scheduled payment of $150,000
Lung cancer has a scheduled payment of $40,000
Other cancers have a scheduled payment of $25,000
Two additional asbestos trust funds have similar names and cover related work. The Thorpe Insulation Settlement Trust, created in 2010 when Thorpe Insulation Company emerged from bankruptcy, handles claims from insulation work in Southern California. The J.T. Thorpe Company Successor Trust, established in 2004 through the Chapter 11 bankruptcy of a refractory contractor based in Houston, covers asbestos claims from refractory contracting in Texas and Louisiana.
The separate J.T. Thorpe Settlement Trust focuses on people exposed to asbestos through J.T. Thorpe’s refractory and insulation work and it shares some administrative services with the Western Asbestos Settlement Trust. Trustees manage investments, monitor liquidity and prioritize long-term solvency so they can provide fair compensation to both current and future claimants with mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.
Legal Help for People Exposed to J. T. Thorpe Inc. Asbestos Products
A skilled mesothelioma lawyer can help you if you were exposed to J. T. Thorpe Inc. asbestos products. They’ll review your work history, identify job sites where J. T. Thorpe installed refractory or insulation, gather medical records, submit all required forms to the J. T. Thorpse Settlement Trust and track your claim through the review process.
They can also help you pursue any other compensation you may qualify for. They may determine you can file a mesothelioma lawsuit against other companies also responsible for your exposure. You may also be able to file a workers’ compensation claim.
Patient Advocates connect people diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestos lung cancer to top mesothelioma law firms experienced with J. T. Thorpe cases. They also help schedule specialist appointments, coordinate insurance, explore VA benefits and locate financial and support resources so you receive both legal and practical help while you focus on treatment.
There are two other asbestos trust funds with very similar names:
The Thorpe Insulation Settlement Trust was created in 2010 when the Thorpe Insulation Company emerged from bankruptcy. The company conducted insulation work in Southern California.
The J.T. Thorpe Company Successor Trust was established in 2004 through the Chapter 11 bankruptcy of a refractory contractor company based in Houston, known as J.T. Thorpe Co., which mainly served clients in Texas and Louisiana.
Exposed to Asbestos at J. T. Thorpe Inc.?
Gain access to trust funds, grants and other forms of compensation for you or your loved ones.
Before filing for bankruptcy, J.T. Thorpe had faced more than 80,000 asbestos lawsuits. It paid out more than $100 million in mesothelioma compensation.
For example, in 2013, a California jury awarded $38.9 million to the estate of Secundino Medina. He’d listed J.T. Thorpe Inc. among the defendants in a lawsuit claiming he developed mesothelioma as a result of working with asbestos products throughout his career as a factory worker.
J.T. Thorpe also reached a private mesothelioma settlement with plaintiff Donald Osterberg in 2011 after 2 weeks at trial in California. Thorpe was the last remaining defendant when the trial began. Osterberg was exposed to asbestos working as a cleanup crew member at a PG&E steam plant where Thorpe was installing asbestos block, asbestos cement and asbestos pipe covering around boilers and pipes.
J.T. Thorpe’s History With Asbestos
J.T. Thorpe used asbestos extensively in its insulation and refractory materials for industrial equipment. The company specialized in constructing and repairing equipment that operated in extreme heat or acidic conditions, such as steam boilers, furnaces and chemical refining machinery.
For decades, asbestos fibers strengthened these materials and made them more heat resistant. Executives denied knowledge of asbestos’s link to diseases like mesothelioma cancer until mounting evidence led to thousands of lawsuits in the 1970s and 1980s. J.T. Thorpe stopped using asbestos-containing materials in the 1970s.
Facing rising litigation costs, J.T. Thorpe filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2002. The company created its asbestos trust fund to handle future asbestos claims. Today, it operates as J.T. Thorpe & Sons Inc.
Occupations at Risk of Exposure to J.T. Thorpe’s Asbestos Products
Employees at J.T. Thorpe who installed the company’s asbestos products were directly exposed to asbestos. Their work involved cutting, shaping and sanding these products during installation, which released high levels of asbestos fibers into the air. This created a risk of asbestos exposure for all workers present at the site.
Jobs at Risk From J.T. Thorpe Products
Employees who installed the company’s asbestos products were directly exposed to asbestos on the job. Their work involved cutting, shaping and sanding these products during installation, which released high levels of asbestos fibers into the air. This created a risk of asbestos exposure for all workers present at the site.
Higher Risk Jobs
Boiler workers
Chemical plant workers
Factory workers
Industrial workers
Insulators
Oil refinery workers
Pipefitters
Power plant workers
Shipyard workers
Steamfitters
Refractory contractors with expertise in installing asbestos materials were critical to industries such as power plants, shipyards and oil refineries. Many J.T. Thorpe employees working with these refractory materials experienced long-term occupational asbestos exposure, significantly increasing their chances of developing serious diseases like mesothelioma later in life.
A 2022 European Commission report highlighted the severity of asbestos exposure worldwide, noting that more than 70,000 workers died globally in 2019 alone from past asbestos exposure. Additionally, employees of companies that hired J.T. Thorpe for installation projects were also vulnerable to asbestos exposure as asbestos fibers could become airborne during installation, repair or deterioration of asbestos-containing materials.
J.T. Thorpe’s Asbestos Products
J.T. Thorpe manufactured, distributed and installed a variety of industrial asbestos products, primarily for high-heat and high-pressure applications. Workers were exposed to airborne asbestos fibers during installation, repair and maintenance.
Key J.T. Thorpe Asbestos Products
Blankets
Cement block
Cloth
Duct insulation
Pipe insulation
Refractory materials
Wiring insulation
Workers handling these products faced long-term health risks, including mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. The products were commonly used in high-heat and industrial environments, which made exposure widespread for employees and contractors.
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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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