Court Again Says Defendants Aren't Liable for Asbestos Added to Products

LOS ANGELES -- A California appellate court has affirmed judgment in favor of several equipment defendants, ruling that the parties could not be held liable for asbestos used in conjunction with their products. Hall v. Warren Pumps, et al., No. B208275 (Calif. Ct. App., Second Dist., Div. 2).

The Feb. 16 opinion issued by the Second Appellate District of the California Court of Appeal is the third decision in one year from the state's intermediate appellate level ruling that liability can't be imposed on defendants not in the chain of distribution.

"The blame must be placed on the manufacturers …