Asbestos-laden products were commonly used in the early and mid 1900s because they were cost-effective and heat-resistant. Unfortunately, these products are now linked to making hundreds of thousands of people sick with pulmonary problems, mesothelioma, and other types of cancer.
Harmful Products and Health Consequences
People who worked with Gold Bond Building Products at National Gypsum Company were exposed to asbestosis-inducing products on a daily basis.
Other types of workers who handled the wallboards and other products manufactured by the company likewise were exposed to toxins during the course of their jobs. Tearing down wallboards, for example, can cause asbestos-containing fibers and dust to embed in the lungs of workers. Many of these workers also brought the toxic fibers home to their families without knowing they were exposing themselves and their loved ones to illness.
While corporations knew for decades that asbestos-contact led to disease, they kept this information confidential from their employees for decades. A lot of workers were never informed of the risks.
Lawsuits, Bankruptcy, and an Asbestos Trust
National Gypsum Company has faced a myriad of Gold Bond lawsuits related to asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. Claims against the company mounted in the 1970s until the company eventually filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 1990. The manufacturer was subsequently named as a defendant in other lawsuits from people who had worked at the company and developed mesotheliomas and other cancers as a result of asbestos exposure. The company likewise filed for bankruptcy a second time in 2002 and established a trust fund to pay victims.
The Future of Gold Bond
Although the company no longer produces asbestos-containing products, former employees and those who worked with Gold Bond products will likely file more lawsuits against the company for exposure. Because asbestosis can take many years to show up in chest x-rays or otherwise show symptoms, former employees can become ill decades later.
Additionally, some businesses and industries still have construction that uses asbestos-containing products manufactured by the company years ago. Anyone who renovates or reconstructs an area where these toxic materials are still in use is in danger of becoming ill for many years into the future.
Rae Steinbach
Lauren Weinand