JOHNSON v. AMERICAN STANDARD

Nos. 43 EAP 2009, 44 EAP 2009, 45 EAP 2009.

8 A.3d 318 (2010)

Bruce JOHNSON, Administrator of the Estate of Thornton Johnson v. AMERICAN STANDARD, Amchem Products, Inc., A.W. Chesterton, Inc., Benjamin Foster Co., Brand Insulations, Brown Boveri Corp., Burnham Boiler Corp., Certainteed Corporation, Crane Co., Demming Division, Crane Packing, Crouse-Hinds, Crown Cork & Seal, Inc., Dresser Industries, Inc., Eastern Gunnite Co., Inc., Georgia-Pacific Corporation, Goulds Pumps, Inc., Green Tweed & Company, Inc., Hajoca Plumbing Co., Ingersoll Rand Co., J.H. Refractories Co., Metropolitan Life Insurance, Nosroc Corp., Owens-Illinois, Inc., Pecora Corporation, Riley Stoker Corporation, Union Carbide Corp., Walter B. Gallagher Co., Weil McLain Co., Viacom/Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Bondex International, Inc., Cleaver Brooks Co., Durabla, Durametallic Corporation, General Electric Company, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., Goodyear Canada, Inc., Hercules Chemical Co., Herman Goldner Company, IMO Industries, Inc., ITT Corporation, Melrath Gasket, Inc., Pars Manufacturing Company, Rite Hose & Packing, Inc., Rockbestos Company, McMaster Carr Supply House. Appeal of Bruce Johnson. Dorothy Mauger, Executrix of the Estate of Russell Mauger, and in her own right, v. A.W. Chesterton, Inc., Certainteed Corp., Inc., Crane Co., Crane Packing, Crown Cork & Seal Co., Inc., Durabla Manufacturing Co., Foseco, Inc., Garlock, Inc., Georgia-Pacific Corp., Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., Goodyear Canada, Inc., Goulds Pumps, Inc., Green Tweed & Co., Inc., Hercules Chemical Co., J.H. Refractories Co., Metropolitan Life Insurance, Nosroc Corp., Pecora Corp., Rapid America Corp., Union Carbide Corp., Viacom/Westinghouse Electric Corporation. Appeal of Dorothy Mauger. Dolores Stea, Administratrix of the Estate of Joseph Stea and in her own right, v. A.W. Chesterton, Inc., Crane Co., Demming Division, Crown Cork & Seal Co., Inc., Foster Wheeler Corp., Inc., Garlock, Inc., General Electric Co., Goulds Pumps, Inc., Green Tweed & Co., Inc., Melrath Gasket, Inc., Metropolitan Life Insurance, Pecora Corporation, Rapid American Corp., Bevco Industries, Weil McLain Co., Viacom/Westinghouse Electric Corp. Appeal of Dolores Stea.

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

Decided November 18, 2010.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Steven J. Cooperstein , Brookman, Rosenberg, Brown & Sandler, Philadelphia, for Bruce Johnson, Dorothy Mauger and Dolores Stea.

Mathieu Jode Shapiro , Thomas A. Leonard , Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel, L.L.P., Philadelphia, Michael J. Stack , Barry Corrado Grassi & Gibson, PC, for Crown Cork & Seal Co.

Vincent Francis Reilly , Reilly, Janiczek & McDevitt, P.C., Philadelphia, for J.H. France Refractories Co.

Scott Robert Kipnis , Hofheimer Gartlir & Gross, L.L.P., for Rapid American Corp.

CASTILLE, C.J., SAYLOR, EAKIN, BAER, TODD, McCAFFERY, ORIE MELVIN, JJ.


OPINION

Justice BAER.

We granted allowance of appeal in this case to determine whether individual plaintiffs, who have suffered bodily injury or death due to exposure to asbestos, have standing to raise constitutional challenges under the Commerce and Equal Protection Clauses of the United States Constitution to a state statute, which limits the potential liability in asbestos litigation of certain Pennsylvania corporations. For the reasons that follow...

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