Pittsburgh Corning Asbestos Trust Fund
Pittsburgh Corning used raw asbestos fibers to manufacture its Unibestos insulation products from 1964 to 1972. Hundreds of thousands of workers have developed deadly asbestos-related illnesses after manufacturing or working with these products. After emerging from bankruptcy in 2013, the company established the PCC Asbestos Personal Injury Settlement Trust.
Our experienced mesothelioma lawyers can file your Pittsburgh Corning asbestos trust fund claim and help you recover the compensation you deserve. Call (618) 659-9833 or contact us online for a free consultation.
- Pittsburgh Corning exposed workers to significant amounts of asbestos through its Unibestos products.
- Pittsburgh Corning declared bankruptcy in 2000, received approval in 2013, and, in 2016, established an asbestos trust fund valued at approximately $3.5 billion.
- Our dedicated mesothelioma trust fund attorneys can help you receive the compensation you deserve from the PCC asbestos trust fund and other sources if you or your loved one is diagnosed with mesothelioma.
Asbestos Lawsuits Against Pittsburgh Corning
Pittsburgh Corning was formed in 1937 as a joint venture between PPG Industries and Corning, Inc. It manufactured glass insulation products under the product line FOAMGLAS, which did not contain asbestos. Pittsburgh Corning entered the asbestos industry in 1964 when it acquired the Union Asbestos and Rubber Company and its Unibestos pipe and block insulation products. The manufacturing facilities were in Tyler, Texas, and Port Allegany, Pennsylvania.
The conditions in the Tyler factory were severe. In 1971, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found heavy asbestos dust throughout the facility, inadequate ventilation, and sub-par respirators. The Department of Labor discovered these conditions in 1967, but the company was not cited until 1972 after Congress passed the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The factory shut down in response.
Unibestos products contained amosite asbestos, which is considered more dangerous than the common chrysotile form. It came from East African mines and arrived by railroad in bags. Workers opened the bags, poured the raw asbestos into hoppers, and processed it with grinders, conveyor belts, and other equipment, increasing the dust at every step. The final products contained up to 90 percent asbestos.
Lawsuits and Bankruptcy
As workers developed mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other illnesses, Pittsburgh Corning and its affiliates became defendants in a large number of mesothelioma lawsuits. By 2000, affected workers and their families had filed over 400,000 lawsuits against Pittsburgh Corning. The company settled over 200,000 lawsuits and filed for bankruptcy in 2000.
The company’s asbestos exposure victims heavily contested the bankruptcy, and it took until 2013 for the presiding court to approve it. Even after the bankruptcy was approved, the court could not enforce the terms due to a large number of appeals, which were dropped by 2016.
The bankruptcy terms included establishing an asbestos trust fund to compensate Pittsburgh Corning’s asbestos exposure victims. The reason for the opposition was to protect the victims’ rights to file lawsuits. While trust fund compensation provides a faster means of receiving funds, the amount available is generally lower than the amount victims could have received through asbestos exposure lawsuits.
The Pittsburgh Corning Asbestos Trust Fund
Under the bankruptcy reorganization, PPG Industries paid $1.4 million and gave up its interest in Pittsburgh Corning Corporation. Pittsburgh Corning and PPG insurers paid an additional $1.7 billion into the fund. The total initial fund was approximately $3.5 billion.
The Owens Corning Fibreboard Corporation acquired Pittsburgh Corning in 2017. Owens Corning is another insulation company that manufactured and sold asbestos-tainted products. It also filed for bankruptcy and established the Owens Corning/Fibreboard Asbestos Personal Injury Trust.
The Pittsburgh Corning trust fund began paying claims in 2017. You may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, emotional distress, and more. Due to the large number of claimants, the fund only pays a percentage of claim values, which vary based on whether you file an expedited claim or request individual review. As of November 7, 2024, the Pittsburgh Corning asbestos trust payment is 19 percent.
However, the amount you recover may still be substantial. We can file your PCC asbestos trust fund claim and potentially identify additional sources so you recover the full compensation you deserve.
Pittsburgh Corning Asbestos Trust Eligibility Requirements
You must meet certain eligibility requirements for compensation through the PCC asbestos trust fund.
Medical Requirements
You must have a diagnosis of mesothelioma, asbestosis, pleural disease, lung cancer, or another asbestos-related disease confirmed by a physical examination or, if the claimant is deceased, by medical pathology reports. Typically, the disease must have emerged at least 10 years after the initial exposure. For any diagnosis other than mesothelioma, you may also need imaging records confirming the diagnosis and a statement from the doctor connecting the diagnosis to asbestos exposure.
The deadline for filing an asbestos trust fund claim can be influenced by the mesothelioma statute of limitations in your state, normally one to three years, as well as deadlines set by the trust. The clock generally starts running on the date of diagnosis or death. Our knowledgeable asbestos trust fund lawyers can determine the filing deadlines that apply to your case.
Exposure Requirements
Your Pittsburgh Corning trust fund claim must include evidence that you were exposed to asbestos through Pittsburgh Corning products before December 31, 1982, or to Unibestos between July 31, 1962, and December 31, 1972. This is all that is required if you have mesothelioma or “Lung Cancer Type 2.”
For all other conditions, you must also have “meaningful and credible” evidence that you experienced at least six months of exposure to Pittsburgh Corning Products or “significant” occupational asbestos exposure. The trust defines significant occupational exposure as at least five years of cumulative exposure (at least two before December 31, 1982) in a job where you did one of the following:
- Regularly handled raw asbestos fibers.
- Manufactured asbestos-containing products in a way that resulted in regular asbestos exposure.
- Regularly altered, repaired, or otherwise worked with asbestos products.
- Worked near an area where other workers engaged in the above activities.
A signed affidavit or sworn statement by a co-worker is generally acceptable evidence. In the case of a deceased claimant, you can substitute a signed affidavit or sworn statement by a family member. The trust will also accept other evidence, such as invoices, employment records, or construction records.
Pittsburgh Corning Products That Contained Asbestos
You or your loved one may have been exposed to Pittsburgh Corning asbestos through the following products:
- Unibestos pipe covering insulation
- Unibestos thermal insulation manufactured from July 1962 to 1971
- Unibestos Pipe Block
- Unibestos block insulation
- Insubestos Felt
- Amocel Pipe Insulation
- UNARCO Insutape
- UNARCO INSUTUBE Slip-On Tubing
- Unibestos Metalclad
Occupations at High Risk for Exposure
You may have been exposed to asbestos while manufacturing Pittsburgh Corning products or using them after another company purchased them. Workers in the following occupations may have experienced asbestos exposure in Pittsburgh Corning products:
- Boiler mechanics
- Construction workers
- Factory workers
- HVAC workers
- Insulation installers
- Pipefitters
- U.S. Navy veterans
These are just a few examples of occupations in which you may have been exposed to asbestos products associated with Pittsburgh Corning. Our well-versed mesothelioma lawyers can thoroughly investigate your asbestos exposure history and determine whether Pittsburgh Corning is responsible.
Don't Wait, File Your Pittsburgh Corning Asbestos Trust Claim Today
You may be eligible for substantial compensation through the Pittsburgh Corning asbestos trust fund and other sources. With over $4 billion in successful mesothelioma case results and decades of combined experience, you can count on us to identify every asbestos exposure source and recover the maximum compensation available. Call (618) 659-9833 or contact us online for a free mesothelioma case review.
