De Beers is a familiar name to anybody interested in the diamond industry, but according to a class action lawsuit filed in Columbia, South Carolina state court, it is also responsible for the mesothelioma and asbestos-related illnesses and deaths of countless victims. The company and 28 of its affiliates are accused of negligence and negligence per se; product liability—strict, vicarious, and by breach of implied warranties—fraudulent misrepresentation; loss of consortium; and violation of the South Carolina Unfair Trade Practices Act. They’ve also been named in wrongful death claims.
Cape PLC is U.S. Successor to International Asbestos Company Accused of Mesothelioma Deaths
The claim in U.S. courts is titled Adams et al. vs. Cape PLC, with Cape, the U.S. successor to international companies blamed for supplying asbestos in the United States. According to the mesothelioma and asbestos-disease defendants’ representatives, “Cape and its related entities, by its own admission, sold more than 95% of the type of asbestos commonly used in industry and on U.S. Navy ships for decades. That asbestos is responsible for untold death and despair among the workers of South Carolina and the nation.”
According to the claim, Cape was responsible for the sale of amosite asbestos throughout the United States, a material that has been blamed for thousands of mesothelioma and asbestos lung cancer deaths. The lawsuit says that the company had a monopoly on the product and sold it throughout the United States, including in South Carolina, while aware of its dangers and keeping the risk to workers quiet. The plaintiffs’ representative described the company’s volume of asbestos supply throughout the country as “breathtaking.” The company is accused of fleeing the United States when lawsuits began being filed in the United States in the 1970s.
Lawsuit Filed by Mesothelioma Victims Alleges Scheme to Avoid Liability
According to the complaint, Cape asserted that it had no “moral responsibility” to mesothelioma or asbestos victims, allowed default judgments to be filed against it but left the country. The company is accused of failing to follow corporate formalities and creating a web of corporate entities to avoid public scrutiny, escape liability, and maximize profits for the company’s overseas owners. They are also accused of destroying corporate records. The company is also the object of legal action by asbestos victims in the United Kingdom.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net can help. Contact us today at 1-800-692-8608 to learn more.
