Quigley Asbestos Trust Fund

What Is the Quigley Company Asbestos Trust?

Quigley Company manufactured asbestos-containing refractory and insulation products that were widely used in steel mills, foundries, power plants, and more. Decades later, these products caused many workers to develop mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.

Beginning in 1979, Quigley Company began facing claims from sick workers who had used or come into contact with their products. After being hit with 171,611 asbestos lawsuits, Quigley filed for bankruptcy to avoid paying victims of their products. The courts order them to set money aside in a trust for all harmed.

About the Quigley Company Asbestos Trust

• Pfizer acquired Quigley in 1968 and remained the sole shareholder through the bankruptcy.
• Of the 411,100 asbestos claims filed against Quigley, Pfizer was named as a co-defendant in 280,343 of them.
• The Quigley Company, Inc. Asbestos Personal Injury Trust was established in 2013 and began accepting asbestos claims in 2014.
• Quigley manufactured asbestos-containing cements, sealants, and insulators used to line high-heat industrial furnaces. Three of their core products contained asbestos and were sold under the brands Insulag, Panelag, and Damit.
• Steelworkers, boilermakers, pipefitters, insulation installers, and other tradespeople are among those most likely to have been harmed by Quigley's asbestos-containing refractory products.
• The Quigley asbestos trust was initially funded with roughly $965 Million.
• Quigley asbestos victims diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other asbestos-related illnesses, as well as their family members, may be eligible for compensation from the trust.

Many mesothelioma patients recover compensation from multiple asbestos claims, with total recoveries often exceeding $1 Million on average depending on their diagnosis, exposure history, and other factors.

At Sokolove Law, we've helped families pursue asbestos compensation for more than 45 years. Many clients begin receiving payments in as few as 90 days after contacting our team, and we'll work to identify every source of compensation available.

Quigley Asbestos Products

Founded in New York in 1916, Quigley Company Inc. manufactured and sold asbestos-containing refractory products from the 1930s until the early 1970s.

Quigley's products were applied to boilers, turbines, furnaces, stacks, blast furnaces, open hearths, coke ovens, and pipes across steel mills, power plants, and petrochemical facilities. In these environments, workers faced daily contact with asbestos-containing materials.

Quigley asbestos products included:

• Insulag: A plastic refractory insulating cement used to coat and seal interior and exterior surfaces of high and low temperature equipment, including boilers, turbines, and blast furnaces. Insulag contained up to 9.7% chrysotile asbestos when dry.
• Panelag: A high-temperature lightweight refractory plastic insulation used in precast panels for tanks, turbines, furnaces, air ducts, boilers, and heaters primarily in the power industry. Panelag contained 20% chrysotile asbestos
• Damit: An asbestos-containing refractory product manufactured and sold during the same period.

Asbestos was durable, inexpensive, and resistant to extreme heat, making it a valued additive for products that protected industrial equipment from high temperatures. Workers who mixed, applied, or worked near Quigley's refractory products were at risk of inhaling or ingesting microscopic asbestos fibers.

Asbestos-related illnesses like mesothelioma typically do not appear until 20 to 50 years after exposure. By filing asbestos claims, victims and their families can seek compensation from the Quigley asbestos trust established to pay those harmed.

History of Quigley Asbestos Lawsuits

By 1980, Quigley Company had been named as a defendant in many asbestos lawsuits. By the time the company filed for bankruptcy in 2004, it had been named in approximately 411,100 claims across roughly 131,500 asbestos lawsuits filed in federal and state courts.

Many of the workers affected were employed at steel mills, power plants, petrochemical refineries, and other heavy industrial facilities where Quigley's refractory products were regularly installed and maintained.

Companies that used Quigley asbestos products include:

• Bethlehem Steel Co.
• Boston Naval Shipyard
• Dow Chemical Co.
• Ford Motor Co.
• General Motors
• Georgia Pacific Co.
• Louisville Gas & Electric Co.
• Owens Corning Fiberglas Corp.
• Plibrico Co.
• U.S. Steel Corp.

Of the 411,100 claims filed against Quigley, Pfizer was named in 280,343 of them. A court-appointed expert estimated the value of outstanding claims at $1.258 Billion, with a projected 261,567 additional future claims extending through 2052 with a present value of $2.667 Billion.

Prior to the bankruptcy filing, Pfizer entered into settlement agreements with approximately 172,095 claimants (more than 80% of those with pending claims), for a total of about $430 Million.

Washington Supreme Court Recognizes 'Apparent Manufacturer' Theory in Quigley Asbestos Case

Vernon Rublee worked as a machinist at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard from 1965 to 1980, where he regularly used Quigley's asbestos-containing Insulag and Panelag products while repairing steam turbines.

According to the Quigley asbestos lawsuit, mixing and applying the insulation materials released asbestos dust that workers inhaled. Rublee later died from mesothelioma.

His wife Margaret sued Pfizer, arguing the company should be treated as the apparent manufacturer because their name and logo appeared on Quigley product bags, invoices, and marketing materials following Pfizer's acquisition of Quigley.

The Washington Supreme Court agreed to recognize the apparent manufacturer doctrine and returned the case for further proceedings. However, the appeals court later concluded that there was insufficient evidence to hold Pfizer liable under that theory.

Court Allows Mesothelioma Victims to Proceed with Claims Against Pfizer

Janet Warren, W. Jean Evans, and Leanne Shipman asked the bankruptcy court to lift an injunction that had prevented them from pursuing mesothelioma claims against Pfizer.

The three women alleged they developed the cancer after exposure to asbestos in Pfizer's Coty Airspun Face Powder and argued their lawsuits had no connection to Quigley's asbestos-containing products or the company's bankruptcy.

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York agreed that the injunction had been interpreted too broadly and that the women could proceed with lawsuits asserting "Pfizer-only" claims that were unrelated to Quigley or their asbestos products.

Supreme Court Rejects Nationwide Quigley Asbestos Settlement

In the 1990s, Quigley and Pfizer participated in a proposed class action asbestos settlement alongside dozens of other companies. The settlement sought to resolve hundreds of thousands of pending and future asbestos claims through a single agreement rather than individual lawsuits.

Ultimately, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the settlement in Amchem Products, Inc. v. Windsor, ruling that the proposed class did not adequately protect the interests of future asbestos claimants whose injuries had not yet developed.

The decision left Quigley, Pfizer, and other asbestos-related companies facing continued lawsuits. The Quigley bankruptcy court later cited the settlement collapse as one of several unsuccessful attempts to manage the companies' growing asbestos liability before Quigley sought Chapter 11 protection in 2004.

Who Can File a Quigley Trust Claim?

The Quigley asbestos trust pays compensation to victims diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases linked to Quigley products. Depending on the circumstances, surviving family members and estate representatives may also be eligible to file a claim.

You may qualify for a Quigley asbestos trust claim if:

• You came in contact with Quigley asbestos-containing products at work or through a loved one
• You were diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or another qualifying asbestos disease
• A family member became ill or died after exposure to Quigley products
• You are the personal representative of an asbestos victim's estate

At Sokolove Law, our asbestos attorneys offer free case reviews to help determine whether you qualify for compensation from the Quigley trust.

We can also evaluate whether you may be eligible to file claims with other asbestos trust funds or pursue additional legal compensation, potentially increasing your overall payout.

Jobs at Risk for Quigley Company Asbestos Exposure

Quigley's asbestos-containing refractory cements, insulation, and heat-resistant materials were widely used in high-temperature industrial settings. Workers who mixed, applied, removed, or worked near these products often faced the greatest risk of breathing in asbestos fibers.

High-risk jobs included:

• Boilermakers
• Boiler operators
• Bricklayers
• Construction workers
• Foundry workers
• Furnace workers
• Insulators
• Machinists
• Maintenance workers
• Pipefitters
• Power plant workers
• Shipyard workers
• Steel mill workers
• U.S. military veterans

Quigley factory workers who manufactured Insulag and Panelag faced direct and repeated asbestos exposure during production. The Quigley Company asbestos trust includes an "occupational exposure" category, recognizing that those involved in manufacturing the products were among the most at risk.

Family members of workers faced secondary exposure. Insulag was sold as a dry powder that was mixed with water on site, meaning asbestos fibers sometimes clung to workers' clothing, hair, and skin. Family members could inhale fibers brought home from the worksite.

How to File a Quigley Asbestos Personal Injury Trust Claim

The Quigley asbestos personal injury trust has a formal claims process for those diagnosed with mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. While gathering the required documentation can take time, an experienced asbestos attorney can manage the process from start to finish.

When filing a Quigley asbestos trust claim, our team can help:

1. Confirm your eligibility: We review your work history, medical records, and asbestos exposure to determine whether you qualify for compensation from the Quigley trust and use that evidence to link your exposure to the company's products.
2. Prepare and submit your claim: Our attorneys complete the required paperwork and file your claim with the Quigley trust, along with any other asbestos trust funds you may qualify for.
3. Determine the best review option: Depending on your circumstances, your claim may be eligible for either an Expedited Review or an Individual Review. We'll explain both options and recommend the approach that best fits your case.
4. Secure compensation: If your claim is approved, the trust will determine its value and issue payment based on its payment procedures and the applicable payment percentage.
5. Pursue additional recovery: Many victims were exposed to asbestos from multiple manufacturers. We can identify other responsible companies and help you seek compensation from every available source.

"The process was not difficult at all. The majority of the settlements came in within the first year or so."
– Kelly, Daughter of a Refinery Worker with Mesothelioma & Firm Client

Like other asbestos trust funds, the Quigley Trust has filing deadlines that can limit how long you have to seek compensation. Because these deadlines can vary, it's important to speak with an attorney as soon as possible after an asbestos-related diagnosis.

Quigley Asbestos Trust Payouts

Like many companies facing overwhelming liability, Quigley established an asbestos trust fund as part of their bankruptcy reorganization to pay those harmed by their products, both now and in the future.

The trust's payment schedule was derived from Quigley's own historical settlement values and what courts and juries had awarded before the bankruptcy filing.

Quigley asbestos trust payouts may include:

Payouts are calculated by multiplying the scheduled value by the trust's current payment percentage, which is adjusted periodically to ensure funds remain available for future claimants.

As of this date, the Quigley asbestos trust payment percentage is 13.3% of an approved claim's value. Payment percentages may be adjusted over time based on the trust's financial resources and the number of claims filed.

Many families also qualify to file claims with multiple asbestos trust funds in addition to compensation through asbestos lawsuits.

Get Help Seeking Quigley Asbestos Trust Payouts

If you were exposed to Quigley asbestos products, you may be eligible for compensation through the Quigley trust and other available sources.

For more than 45 years, Sokolove Law has helped families nationwide pursue compensation from asbestos trust funds and more. Our national asbestos law firm has recovered over $5.5 Billion total for mesothelioma victims.

Our asbestos attorneys can investigate your work history, identify where your exposure occurred, and handle every step of the claims process on your behalf. You focus on your health and loved ones, while we work to secure the compensation you deserve.

Call (800) 647-3434 now or fill out our free case review form to find out if you may qualify for a Quigley asbestos trust payout.

Quigley Company Asbestos Trust FAQs