Ill. Court Awards Summary Judgment to Velan Valve Corp. in Asbestos Case

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. –– An Illinois federal court has awarded summary judgment to an asbestos defendant, finding that testimony from a principal fact witness was not enough to create a genuine issue of material fact.

Instead, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois opined in its Jan. 5 order that the plaintiff had attempted to build her case against the defendant through “mere speculation or the building of inference upon inference.”

Plaintiff Sharon Bell asserted the claims on behalf of her late husband, Richard Bell. Richard was allegedly exposed to asbestos-containing products while serving in the …