Keene Corporation Asbestos Trust Fund
The Keene Creditors Trust was established in 1996 as a result of the bankruptcy of Keene Corporation in order to process and pay out valid asbestos personal injury claims. At the time, the Keene Corporation was facing nearly 100,000 lawsuits by plaintiffs alleging injury from exposure to asbestos in Keene products. If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease due to exposure to Keene Corporation products, you may be eligible to file an asbestos trust fund claim. Contact The Gori Law Firm today to find out more.
- The Keene Corporation manufactured and sold fireproofing, insulation, and other construction materials containing asbestos until the early 1970s.
- The Keene Creditors Trust was established to compensate past and future victims of asbestos-related diseases.
- There are medical and exposure requirements to qualify for compensation from the Keene Trust. An asbestos exposure attorney can help you determine whether you are eligible and ensure that you submit all necessary documentation on time.
Asbestos Lawsuits Against Keene Corporation
Known as the Keene Packaging Corporation until 1967, the Keene Corporation found success selling fireproofing, bearings, and insulation products containing asbestos. The company began with heat-sealed plastic packaging and later expanded into microcircuits, industrial bearings, and more.
Asbestos exposure was recognized as harmful as early as the 1920s, prompting insurance companies to cease coverage for asbestos workers. Despite knowing safer alternatives existed by the 1930s, Keene continued using asbestos until the early 1970s, prioritizing profits over safety. This led to thousands of exposed workers and consumers, often with symptoms surfacing decades later.
In 1993, Keene filed for bankruptcy due to asbestos-related liability, emerging in 1996 with the formation of the Keene Creditors Trust to compensate victims. If you or a loved one has been affected, contact The Gori Law Firm for more information about your rights.
Keene Asbestos Trust Eligibility Requirements
Potential claimants need to meet certain eligibility requirements to access compensation from the Keene Trust. The trust provides payouts for seven scheduled asbestos-related disease categories: mesothelioma, lung cancer level 2, lung cancer level 1, other cancer, severe asbestosis disease, asbestosis/pleural disease level 2, and asbestosis/pleural disease level 1. All diagnoses must be accompanied by proof of a 10-year or longer latency period and a physical examination or pathology report.
Additionally, the trust must have reasonable confidence that the evidence provided is credible and consistent with recognized medical standards. It reserves the right to request additional documentation or testing like x-rays, pulmonary function tests, lab work, tissue samples, and more.
Medical Requirements
Medical and exposure requirements for the Keene Trust vary by disease. The main requirements for each disease are as follows:
Mesothelioma
- A diagnosis and credible evidence of exposure to asbestos products manufactured or sold by Keene.
Lung cancer level 2
- A diagnosis of primary lung cancer and evidence of an underlying bilateral asbestos-related nonmalignant disease.
- Six months of occupational exposure to Keene products.
- Medical documents establishing asbestos exposure as a contributing factor to the cancer.
Lung cancer level 1
- A diagnosis of primary lung cancer.
- Occupational exposure to Keene products.
- Medical documents establishing asbestos exposure as a contributing factor to the cancer.
Other cancer
- A diagnosis of a primary colorectal, laryngeal, esophageal, pharyngeal, or stomach cancer.
- Evidence of an underlying bilateral asbestos-related nonmalignant disease.
- Six months of occupational exposure to Keene products.
- Medical documents establishing asbestos exposure as a contributing factor to the cancer.
Severe asbestosis disease
- A diagnosis.
- Six months of occupational exposure.
- Medical documents establishing asbestos exposure as a contributing factor to the disease.
Asbestosis/pleural disease level 2
- A diagnosis of asbestosis or bilateral pleural disease.
- Six months of occupational exposure.
- Medical documents establishing asbestos exposure as a contributing factor to the disease.
Asbestosis/pleural disease level 1
- A diagnosis of a bilateral asbestos-related nonmalignant disease.
- Six months of occupational exposure to Keene products.
- Five years of cumulative occupational exposure.
Exposure Requirements
To qualify for any disease category, claimants must demonstrate a minimum amount of exposure to an asbestos product from Keene Corporation. Some diseases require evidence of “significant occupational exposure,” meaning employment for at least five years in an industry involving asbestos.
History of Asbestos Use in Keene Corporation Products
After forming in 1967, the Keene Corporation began selling a line of insulation and fireproofing products, later adding industrial bearings, microcircuits, and light fixtures to its selection. The company stopped using asbestos in its products in the early 1970s, but it was already facing thousands of asbestos exposure lawsuits.
Keene Corporation Products Containing Asbestos
In its early years, Keene Corporation sold heat-sealed plastic packaging, but its product line later expanded to include thermal insulations and construction supplies. Some of the more widely-used asbestos products from the Keene Corporation came as a result of its merger with Ehret Magnesia Manufacturing Company. Asbestos was used in the following Keene Corporation products, among others:
- Baldwin Mono-Block asbestos covering
- Ehret Air Cell
- Ehret Asbestos corrugated paper
- Ehret Asbestos Millboard
- Ehret Asbestos Paper
- Ehret Asbestos sponge Felt
- Ehret Asbestos Wick and Rope
- Ehret Durocel insulation
- Ehret Enduro High-Temperature Blocks
- Ehret Fibrekote
- Ehret’s 85% Covering
- Mono-block insulating cement
- Number One insulating cement
- Pyrospray acoustical insulation
- Thermalite pipe insulation
- Thermasil asbestos block
- Thermasil insulating cement
- Valley Forge asbestos sheets, packings, and gaskets
Jobs at High Risk of Exposure to Asbestos in Keene Corporation Products
Because Keene Corporation manufactured and sold a wide range of products containing asbestos, people in many occupations were exposed, especially workers employed at the Keene Corporation headquarters and factories before 1971. Other workers who may have had contact with asbestos products from Keene Corporation, thereby putting them at risk of developing an asbestos-related disease, include:
Don't Wait — File Your Keene Asbestos Trust Claim Today
If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease after exposure to Keene Corporation products, you may be eligible to file a claim with the Keene Asbestos Trust Fund. With a skilled attorney from The Gori Law Firm by your side, you’ll maximize your chance of recovering the compensation you deserve for your injuries.
Since its formation in 2008, The Gori Law Firm has recovered more than $4 billion in case results for victims of asbestos exposure throughout the U.S. With over 20 years of experience litigating asbestos cases and over 100 years of combined legal experience, our team works closely with every client to provide the personalized support and resources they need throughout the legal process. For a free case review, call (618) 659-9833 or contact us online.
