Pa. Appellate Court Reverses Summary Judgment, Says Record Supports Asbestos Claims

PHILADELPHIA –– A Pennsylvania appellate court has reversed an award of summary judgment for an asbestos defendant, finding that the record supports a finding that the defendant should have known of asbestos-related dangers.

In the Jan. 4 opinion, the Pennsylvania Superior Court opined that the lower court had erred when only considering only whether the decedent had established that the defendant had actual knowledge of the hazards of asbestos.

The underlying claims were brought by Pamela K. Shellenberger as executrix of the estate of Richard M. Shellenberger. The decedent allegedly developed malignant mesothelioma as a result of exposure to asbestos …