Porter Hayden Company sold and installed asbestos-containing insulation from the 1920s until the early 1980s. Asbestos litigation forced the company to file for bankruptcy in 2002. An asbestos trust fund was established with $40 million in 2007 to handle asbestos claims.
Written by D. Carl Money | Scientifically Reviewed by Sean Fitzgerald, PG | Edited by Amy Edel | Last Update: January 15, 2026
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During bankruptcy proceedings, Porter Hayden created an asbestos trust fund to provide compensation for future asbestos claims. The company filed Chapter 11. After filing for bankruptcy, the company ceased all sales and operations and reorganized. It emerged from bankruptcy protection on June 30, 2006.
Porter Hayden Company Asbestos Trust Updates
The company’s reorganization plan created the Porter Hayden Asbestos Bodily Injury Trust, which began accepting claims in 2007. The asbestos trust fund was established with an estimated $40 million to handle future claims.
Skilled mesothelioma lawyers can guide those exposed to Porter Hayden insulation installations in pursuing compensation. People with diagnoses of eligible asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma and lung cancer can file claims with the asbestos trust fund.
In addition to ensuring all documentation of the company’s responsibility is filed with your Porter Hayden Asbestos Bodily Injury Trust claim, your lawyer will look for other financial assistance opportunities for you. This could include filing a lawsuit against other companies also responsible if they don’t have bankruptcy protection and asbestos trust funds.
Patient Advocates can help you choose the right lawyer for you who will help you secure compensation to cover medical bills, lost wages and other diagnosis-related costs. Your advocate can also match you to a mesothelioma specialist, schedule your appointments, help you with insurance, guide you through VA benefits claims and connect you with patient and caregiver support groups.
Gain access to trust funds, grants and other forms of compensation for you or your loved ones.
Get Help NowIn August 1976, the first asbestos claim against Porter Hayden was filed. An estimated 58,000 asbestos lawsuits were filed before the company’s bankruptcy proceedings.
During the 1980s and 1990s, to handle thousands of cases, several were consolidated in the Baltimore Circuit Court. In 1992, a jury awarded more than $11.2 million to one consolidated case with 3 plaintiffs. Then thousands of plaintiffs participated in “mini trials.” Bankruptcy proceedings ended litigation against the company.
Porter Hayden’s insurance providers were also involved in asbestos litigation. Liability insurer Commercial Union denied coverage, and several legal proceedings ensued between the companies.
As Porter Hayden and Commercial Union argued in court for years, a number of claims remained unpaid. In 2014, Porter Hayden reached a settlement agreement with AIG-related insurers, including Commercial Union, after almost 14 years of litigation.
The dispute involved AIG policies, and how they would apply to liabilities Porter Hayden’s asbestos trust fund would assume. In the settlement, Porter Hayden’s trust received $15 million to handle asbestos claims.
Porter Hayden Company sold and installed asbestos insulation for more than 60 years to various industrial sites and businesses. It used products other asbestos companies manufactured.
Although Porter Hayden didn’t make asbestos products, as a distributor, it was still liable for asbestos exposure. Porter Hayden sold and installed asbestos insulation from the 1920s until approximately 1973. Its employees continued to work with legacy asbestos insulation through the 1980s and possibly into the early 1990s.
The company’s role as a long-term distributor created extensive exposure risks. Workers who installed insulation and customers at facilities that received Porter Hayden’s services were exposed to potential asbestos hazards for decades. This widespread distribution network contributed to the company’s eventual asbestos liability.
Porter Hayden distributed and installed asbestos insulation products throughout the United States for more than 60 years. The company primarily sold Johns-Manville asbestos products to industrial, commercial, residential and maritime customers across multiple states.
The company’s extensive distribution network brought these asbestos products to worksites nationwide. Porter Hayden’s workers installed these materials at countless facilities, while mechanics, maintenance workers and other tradespeople were exposed to asbestos fibers in the insulation during repairs and renovations, creating ongoing exposure risks long after the initial installations.
Porter Hayden’s insulation installers faced continuous asbestos exposure, particularly when cutting, sawing or grinding insulation materials. These processes released large clouds of asbestos dust into the air, creating serious health hazards for workers and anyone nearby. Workers at facilities where Porter Hayden installed insulation also risked exposure when they later disturbed the materials during repairs, maintenance or renovations.
Higher-Risk Occupations
The Porter Hayden Settlement Trust identified Bethlehem Steel’s Sparrows Point, Maryland plant as a major installation site. It also notes Duke Power Company plants in North Carolina, Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Virginia and facilities in Delaware, Michigan, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota and Texas. Workers in these locations who handled, repaired or removed Porter Hayden’s insulation products inhaled asbestos fibers that can cause mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis decades after exposure.
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Asbestos.com. (2026, January 20). Porter Hayden Company Trust Fund and Lawsuits. Retrieved January 26, 2026, from https://www.asbestos.com/companies/porter-hayden-company/
"Porter Hayden Company Trust Fund and Lawsuits." Asbestos.com, 20 Jan 2026, https://www.asbestos.com/companies/porter-hayden-company/.
Asbestos.com. "Porter Hayden Company Trust Fund and Lawsuits." Last modified January 20, 2026. https://www.asbestos.com/companies/porter-hayden-company/.
An occupational scientist or another expert who specializes in occupational hazards reviewed the content on this page to ensure it meets current scientific standards and accuracy.
Sean Fitzgerald, PG, is a research geologist specializing in asbestos environmental studies.
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