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Bendix Corporation
Some people associate Bendix Corporation bike brakes with Archie Comics that appeared during the 1960s and 1970s. In 1983, Bendix became a subsidiary of Allied Corporation, which later merged with Honeywell in 1999. For many decades, Bendix was viewed by many as a top manufacturer and supplier of parts used in motor vehicles, houses, and other things. Unfortunately, asbestos was used in various Bendix products and placed many people at risk of asbestos exposure.
The History behind the CompanyBendix’s founder, Vincent Bendix, partnered with inventor Henri Perrot to create brake systems in Indiana in 1924. Several years later, the Bendix Corporation was producing over 3 million brakes a year. From the 1920s to the 1940s, General Motors was a major stockholder in the company until it sold most of its shares.
From the 1970s to the 1990s, Bendix went through various mergers including ones involving Allied Signal and Raytheon. Later, in 2000, Knorr-Bremse gained control of the commercial vehicle brake business from Honeywell.
The Creation of the Honeywell TrustIn 2003, Honeywell sold the Bendix brake product to Federal-Mogul, after 47,000 asbestos lawsuits were filed against the company. This company had previously filed for bankruptcy to resolve asbestos claims. One of the terms of this sale was that Honeywell would pay out pending claims for the next four years.
Honeywell’s other subsidiary, North American Refractories Company, established a $6.32 billion trust fund in 2013 to handle asbestos claims. It also filed for bankruptcy and assigned certain liabilities to Honeywell. Northern American Refractories ultimately sold its asbestos-containing products to other companies.
Asbestos Lawsuits Against the CompanySome of the various asbestos exposure lawsuits that have been initiated against Honeywell include:
- In 2019 an Arkansas jury awarded over $18 million to the estate of a former brake shop worker at Honeywell who developed mesothelioma and passed away. The man had worked with Bendix brake pads during the 1970s.
- In 2014, over $10 million was awarded by a California court to a man who developed mesothelioma after using Bendix brake pads.
- In 2017, a California court upheld an almost $6 million verdict against the company. The award went to the surviving loved ones of a man who had passed away from mesothelioma after being exposed to Bendix brake pads.
Honeywell or any subsidiary of Honeywell has not created a method for evaluating asbestos exposure cases faced by former Bendix workers or people who used asbestos-containing products manufactured by Bendix. Honeywell has a history of delaying the resolution of cases and making it difficult for victims to obtain compensation. To make sure you obtain the compensation you deserve after a mesothelioma diagnosis, you should not hesitate to contact an attorney.
Speak With an Experienced Arizona Mesothelioma AttorneyIf you or a loved one is a former Bendix worker or was exposed to asbestos used in a product manufactured by Bendix, you should not hesitate to speak with a compassionate personal injury lawyer. Contact the Throneberry Law Group today.