There has been significant attention paid to Johnson & Johnson’s use of bankruptcy laws to evade mesothelioma claims, but the consumer giant is not the only company to use a controversial strategy known as the “Texas two-step” to avoid liability. Several others — including Saint-Gobain, Georgia-Pacific, and Trane Technologies – are following the same path, leaving victims’ claims in limbo.
Cement Company Owned by Larger Organization Blamed for Man’s Mesothelioma
The Texas two-step involves solvent companies creating subsidiary companies to hold their asbestos liabilities from mesothelioma victims’ claims, then filing for bankruptcy protection for those subsidiaries. Saint-Gobain is one such organization. It is the owner of CertainTeed, a company that manufactured and sold cement pipes made with asbestos through 1992, despite knowing of its harmful effects.
Mesothelioma victim Peter Bergrud worked with CertainTeed’s cement pipes for decades. He had been a construction worker responsible for laying cement water and sewage pipes throughout Seattle, cutting and laying them and breathing in the asbestos-contaminated dust that was generated in the process. Diagnosed with two forms of mesothelioma in 2018, he was told he would not survive surgery or chemotherapy. He died weeks after his diagnosis.
Seeking Justice Following Mesothelioma Death
Amy DeMaio is Bergrud’s daughter, and she says that the pain and grief the mesothelioma caused her father was “heartbreaking.” The woman is continuing the lawsuit her father filed against CertainTeed’s owner that he filed before his death, but her efforts have been obstructed. Facing 32,000 similar claims, Saint-Gobain, which reported over $55 billion in revenue, over $5.7 billion in profits, and $1 billion returned to shareholders through dividends in 2022, formed a subsidiary called DBMP LLC that filed for bankruptcy 91 days after its creation.
The Bergrud family’s mesothelioma claim against the Saint-Gobain subsidiary has been pending for years. A family representative arguing that the company doesn’t belong in bankruptcy court says, “Billionaires are using bankruptcy as a menu choice.”
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net can help you understand your options. Call us today at 1-800-692-8608.
