R.I. Court Maintains Position that Danger from Asbestos-Containing Third-Party Replacement Parts Was ‘Foreseeable’

PROVIDENCE, R.I. –– A Rhode Island court has maintained its position that asbestos defendant Crane Co. could be held liable for failing to warn a plaintiff of dangers from third-party replacement parts, according to a recent decision.

In the Oct. 21 decision, the Rhode Island Superior Court rejected Crane Co.’s efforts to revisit a previous summary judgment motion that was denied by the court in March, reiterating that there is evidence “suggesting that Crane [Co.] played a significant role in convincing its customers to use asbestos-containing replacement parts by originally supplying the valves with asbestos.”

The underlying claims were asserted …