Westinghouse Electric

Founded in 1886, Westinghouse Electric has a long and diverse history. For a time, the company used asbestos to make various products including light bulbs, turbines, welding rods, and various other products. Workers have also successfully initiated countless lawsuits against the company arguing that products manufactured by Westinghouse Electric have caused them to develop asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma.

The History of Westinghouse Electric

Founded in 1886 by George Westinghouse, Westinghouse Electric Company began its operation with the first generating plant to produce an alternating electrical current. Westinghouse grew to become a major manufacturer and supplier of nuclear control technologies as well as commercial fuel products.

By 1900, the company employed more than 50,000 workers. As the century progressed, Westinghouse played an increasingly pivotal role in the history of the country. In 1933, the company built the world’s fastest elevators for New York’s Rockefeller Center. As World War II raged on, the company created turbines for ships. Decades later, the company created the first jet engine built in the United States as well as the first airborne radar. The company also created video cameras utilized by astronauts during the first moon landing in 1969.

Becoming CBS Corporation in the 1990s, the company sold off its remaining commercial and industrial divisions. These acquisitions included British Nuclear Fuels acquiring Westinghouse Electric. Later in 2006, the company sold Westinghouse Electric to Toshiba. Over a decade later, in 2017, Westinghouse Electric was acquired by Brookfield.

Part of Westinghouse Electric’s history, unfortunately, involved exposing workers to asbestos fibers during the manufacturing of goods as well as the removal of insulation and wiring. Westinghouse created various asbestos-containing products including cables, gaskets, panels, turbines, and welding rods. Some of the types of workers who were exposed to asbestos-containing Westinghouse products include carpenters, construction workers, electricians, shipyard workers, and welders Westinghouse Electric filed for bankruptcy in 2017. The company cited billions of dollars in operating costs as the reason for its financial difficulties. The company did not establish an asbestos trust fund at this time because its asbestos litigation was not viewed as a contributing cause of bankruptcy.

Westinghouse Electric and Asbestos Litigation

Despite exposing countless workers to asbestos, Westinghouse has had a comparatively small number of asbestos claims brought against it because various acquisitions over the years have made it difficult to pursue legal action against the company. Some successful claims against asbestos exposure caused by Westinghouse Electric were brought against CBS Corporation. In one case, a Pennsylvania state court jury returned a $7.25 million verdict for the estate of a man who died from mesothelioma following on-the-job exposure to the substance.

Speak With an Experienced Mesothelioma Attorney

For decades, Westinghouse Electric exposed countless workers as well as consumers to asbestos. If you or a loved one has been harmed as a result of asbestos exposure while working at or using a product manufactured by Westinghouse Electric, you should remember that you have rights including the ability to pursue compensation. Do not hesitate to contact an attorney at our law office today. You can reach us by calling (888) 506-1131. You can also schedule a free case evaluation online.  

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