Though it likely comes as no surprise to mesothelioma victims and their family members, recently released internal documents from an asbestos manufacturer are still shocking in their callousness. The written materials show that Cape Intermediate Holdings Limited had purposely concealed the dangers of asbestos in the 1960s and 1970s, then conspired with insurers to destroy the proof of their knowledge.
Mesothelioma Victims Sickened by Company’s Asbestos Insulation Board
The paperwork that was preserved and released came from Cape Intermediate Holdings Limited, an asbestos manufacturing company that worked with the U.S. company Johns-Manville, which has frequently been named in mesothelioma lawsuits.
Following the revelations of their deception, Cape Holdings is being asked to pay £10 million to fund compensation for medical research aimed at finding a cure for malignant mesothelioma, the rare asbestos-related disease.
Mesothelioma Advocacy Group Pushed for Papers to Be Preserved
Though Cape Intermediate attempted to hide its knowledge of their products’ role in mesothelioma, the Asbestos Victims Support Group Forum UK launched a legal battle to preserve the documents after a 2017 lawsuit. The documents show that the company knew about the risks created by handling asbestos, and specifically argued against placing warning labels on their products out of concerns that doing so would impact their profitability.
In 2017 lawsuit seeking reimbursement for having compensated victims of mesothelioma and other asbestos related diseases had been filed against Cape by Concept 70, a group of employers and insurers. Prior to the ruling in that case, both sides had agreed to destroy the documents, but the advocacy group applied to have them preserved and seen by non-parties to the case.
Attorneys for Mesothelioma Victims Appalled by Content of Documents
An attorney representing mesothelioma victims expressed his contempt for the actions taken by Cape, as well as by the insurance companies who had agreed to destroying the documents. “Having fought on the forum’s behalf for several years to secure access to these hugely important documents, I felt revulsion and anger when I finally read through the documents to provide the summary of the key points. They clearly show that Cape knew of the high risk of fatal disease, yet deliberately withheld information and lobbied the government to protect their profits. As a result of their greed many men and women, including my father, have lost their lives.
In addition, Cape and Concept 70 sought to prevent these documents from coming into the public domain by agreeing to their imminent destruction. This cover-up would not have come to light had it not been for the forum’s persistence and the legal team agreeing to work pro-bono.”
If you are struggling with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net are here to help. Contact us today at 1-800-692-8608.
