ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York's highest court has upheld court judgments against a steam valve manufacturer, citing its failure to warn of the dangers of using its valves with gaskets and packing that contain asbestos.
The Court of Appeals has rejected Crane Co.'s argument that it isn't responsible for warning about the dangers of other companies' asbestos products.
Widows of a former Navy boiler technician and an ex-pipefitter at a General Motors plant who died from asbestos-related cancer after years of exposure changing gaskets and packing won jury awards of $8 million and $3 million.
The court says Tuesday the duty to warn applies to the "known and foreseeable joint use of its product and another product that is necessary to allow the manufacturer's product to work as intended."
