Owens-Illinois manufactured Kaylo asbestos insulation from 1944 to 1958 and sold it to Owens Corning that year. The company declared bankruptcy and through that process created an asbestos trust fund to handle claims from people who developed mesothelioma and lung cancer from Kaylo exposure.
Quick Facts About Owens-Illinois, Inc. Trust Fund and Lawsuits
Founded:
1929
Years Operated:
1929 - Present
Headquarters:
Perrysburg, Ohio
Business:
Manufactured glass containers and insulation
Asbestos Trust:
Pending court approval
Bankruptcy Status:
Filed 2020
What Is the Owens-Illinois, Inc. Asbestos Trust Fund?
A subsidiary of Owens-Illinois, Inc., which became O-I Glass, created an asbestos trust fund during its bankruptcy proceedings. The trust was created to set aside funds for payouts to people who were exposed to the company’s Kaylo branded asbestos products.
The subsidiary, Paddock Enterprises, was established to absorb the company’s asbestos liabilities. It first filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January 2020. O-I Glass announced a reorganization plan in January 2022, and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware approved it in February 2022. O-I Glass funded the resulting trust with $610 million to handle future Kaylo-related claims.
Asbestos Trust Updates
The current payment percentage is 50%.
Mesothelioma has a scheduled payment of $100,000.
Lung cancer has a scheduled payment of $25,000.
Other cancers have a scheduled payment of $10,800.
People diagnosed with mesothelioma or lung cancer from Kaylo exposure may file claims with this asbestos trust fund to recover compensation. An experienced lawyer can help you document your work history and meet filing deadlines.
Legal Help for People Exposed to Owens-Illinois, Inc. Asbestos Products
If you developed mesothelioma or asbestos-related lung and were exposed to Owens-Illinois’ Kaylo asbestos, it’s important to seek legal guidance. A mesothelioma lawyer will review your work history and medical records to gather all of the evidence needed for your claim.
Your experienced asbestos attorney will ensure your claim with the Owens-Illinois Asbestos Personal Injury Trust is filed correctly and on time. They can also determine if other asbestos companies also bear responsibility for your exposure. If so, you may qualify to file with other asbestos trust funds or file a lawsuit against solvent companies.
A Patient Advocate can make the process of finding the right lawyer for you and your family easier. They’ll pair you with a lawyer experienced in Owens-Illinois claims and identifying all avenues for compensation. Your Patient Advocate will provide you with ongoing support, connect you with mesothelioma doctors on the cutting edge of treatment and offer assistance with insurance, VA benefits claims and finding support and free resources.
Exposed to Asbestos at Owens-Illinois, Inc.?
Gain access to trust funds, grants and other forms of compensation for you or your loved ones.
Mesothelioma Lawsuits Involving Owens-Illinois, Inc.
The first asbestos-related lawsuit against Owens-Illinois Inc. was filed in 1981. By the end of 1997, the company had settled 210,000 asbestos claims and had 14,000 claims pending.
According to a May 2019 company report, it paid $71 million in asbestos claims in the first quarter of 2019 alone. Between 2015 and 2018, it paid out $105 million of an estimated $817 million in asbestos liabilities.
Owens-Illinois, Inc. Asbestos Lawsuits
$90 million: An Illinois jury awarded Charles Gillenwater this amount in March 2011. In the 1970s, he worked at construction sites as a pipefitter and handled asbestos products from Owens-Illinois, Honeywell International Inc., Pneumo Abex and John Crane Inc. He sued the manufacturers because they used asbestos despite knowing its health risks.
$27.3 million: A California jury awarded Rose-Marie Grigg this amount in June 2013. She developed mesothelioma from secondary exposure to Owens-Illinois asbestos products and laundered clothes for her husband, who worked from 1950 to 1958 as an insulator for a company that used Kaylo insulation.
$11.1 million: A Texas jury awarded Robert Hutchison this amount in August 2001. He sued Owens-Illinois and Combustion Engineering because their asbestos insulation products caused his mesothelioma. He cut Kaylo pipe insulation and swept up the asbestos-contaminated debris from his work.
A qualified mesothelioma attorney can review your case and determine if you were exposed to asbestos in Kaylo products. While people can’t file mesothelioma lawsuits against O-I Glass today, your lawyer can help you file an asbestos trust fund claim and explore other avenues of compensation.
Owens-Illinois’ Connection to Asbestos
O-I Glass, formerly Owens-Illinois Inc., made Kaylo asbestos pipe and boiler insulation from 1944 to 1958. Workers cut these products to fit pipes and boilers, which released asbestos fibers into the air. The company sold Kaylo to Owens Corning in 1958.
In 1948, research director A.J. Vorwald tested Kaylo dust on guinea pigs for more than 2.5 years. He found clear evidence of asbestosis but didn’t warn workers or change the product. Owens-Illinois continued to use asbestos in Kaylo despite this knowledge.
Factory workers and Kaylo installers developed mesothelioma and lung cancer from the exposure. People filed more than 401,200 lawsuits, which led O-I Glass to pay $5 billion and file for bankruptcy reorganization in 2020.
Who Was at Risk of Asbestos Exposure From Owens-Illinois Inc.?
Owens-Illinois factory workers faced the highest risk of asbestos exposure during the manufacturing of Kaylo products. Other factory employees and Kaylo installers also encountered fibers from cutting, airborne dust and factory equipment.
Higher Risk Jobs
Construction workers
Drywall installers
Electricians
Factory workers who manufactured Kaylo insulation
Insulators and pipefitters who installed Kaylo
Plumbers
Airborne asbestos spread through factories and job sites, allowing many workers to inhale toxic fibers without direct contact. People in these roles developed mesothelioma and lung cancer years later.
Owens-Illinois Asbestos Products
Owens-Illinois made Kaylo products with about 15% asbestos for pipe and boiler insulation. Workers cut long sections to fit pipes and equipment, which released asbestos dust into the air.
Owens-Illinois Asbestos Products
Kaylo block insulation
Kaylo pipe covering
Cutting Kaylo asbestos products exposed workers at factories and construction sites to high asbestos levels. A British Medical Journal report found asbestos workers faced 40 times higher mesothelioma death rates.
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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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