Pa. Appellate Court Affirms Summary Judgment Award for Asbestos Defendant, Says Causation Lacking

HARRISBURG, Pa. –– A Pennsylvania appellate court has affirmed an award of summary judgment entered in favor of P&H Mining Equipment, agreeing with the trial court that the plaintiffs had failed to produce enough evidence to satisfy the state’s frequency, regularity and proximity standard.

In the April 17 opinion, the Pennsylvania Superior Court said that while the defendant had conceded that it had sold some replacement component parts containing asbestos, this alone is insufficient to establish causation.

The plaintiffs contended in their lawsuit that Norman Sterling developed lung cancer as a result of exposure to asbestos-containing products. Sterling said he …