Court Affirms Summary Judgment for Brewery on Premises, Direct Negligence Claims

SAN FRANCISCO - A California Court of Appeal has held that a well-known beer maker cannot be held liable for causing the asbestos-related injury of a subcontractor's employee who claimed he was exposed to asbestos while working at the company's Bay Area brewery. Purcell, et al. v. Gunness UDV North America, Inc., No. A100108 (Calif. App. Ct., First Dist.).

In a Nov. 26 decision affirming summary judgment to the Guinness UDV North America, the First District California Court of Appeals held that there was insufficient evidence indicating that the negligence of any Guinness employee was a direct cause of the …