Johns Manville has been in business as a manufacturer of insulation and building materials since the 1800s. Originally based in New York, they began using asbestos in roofing products for the heat resistance of the mineral. In 1900 they expanded their production line to the thermal insulation sector. During World War I, they had begun producing naval ships using asbestos-laden insulation. In the early 1970s it became known for producing asbestos-based pipes, cements and fiberglass. Due to the many lawsuits taken against them for causing diseases such as mesothelioma, they went bankrupt in the early 1980s. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay JM's asbestos-laden production line included JM brand cements, adhesives, flexible panels, felt and paper, caulking putties, and shingles. They sold floor tiles under the TerraFlex brand and various types of insulation under the Vulcabestos and Thermobestos brands. Due to the myriad of product types, workers in a number of industries have been exposed to life-threatening cancers, including military members, painting and roofing contractors, carpenters, miners, steel and shipyard workers, textiles, pipefitters, boilermakers, electricians. workers and roofers. The diseases could be contracted by absorbing asbestos fibers through the skin or by inhaling asbestos dust through the lungs. While some people have experienced signs of asbestosis and various pulmonary symptoms relatively quickly after exposure, other diseases take longer to appear. Since Johns Manville began using asbestos in such large quantities years earlier than many manufacturers, employees and those who worked on the company's production developed signs of asbestosis in the 1930s. Many subsequently developed mesotheliomas, which have a latency period of up to fifty years after their last exposure. Since the company used asbestosis-inducing materials until the 1970s, it is likely that many more diagnoses will be made. Because workers have not been informed of the devastating health risks associated with their work resulting from contact with asbestos, it can be difficult to determine decades later which products are responsible for a particular diagnosis. Although mesotheliomas are known to be caused only by exposure to asbestos, many people before the 1970s worked in various companies that exposed them to dangerous carcinogens. Thus, some lawsuits filed against JM before the bankruptcy named various suppliers and employers. In these cases, courts determine what percentage of each claim a company is required to pay. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay After going bankrupt, settlement payment asbestosis and mesothelioma claims are handled through a fund as required by the courts. Those who sued in court before JM went bankrupt traditionally earned higher settlements and received substantial verdicts, some amounting to more than a million dollars per case. However, claims through the bankrupt company's trust fund are paid at lower rates and are limited by what is approved by the bankruptcy courts. The trust has so far paid around five million dollars in claims. These claims affect approximately 800,000 people who died or became ill after the bankruptcy.