Calif. Court Affirms Summary Judgment in Favor of Grinding Manufacturer

LOS ANGELES –– A California appellate court has affirmed an award of summary judgment to Hennessy Industries Inc., finding that under recent precedent, the defendant could not be held liable for a product that did not contain asbestos and could be operated without the use of asbestos-containing materials. Barker, et al. v. Hennessy Industries Inc., et al., No. B232316 (Calif. Ct. App., 2nd Dist., Div. 2).

In the May 22 opinion, the California Second District Court of Appeal cited the state’s Supreme Court decision in O’Neil v. Crane Co., when reaching the conclusion that Hennessy did not owe the plaintiffs …