Foley & Mansfield Granted Summary Judgment in Minnesota Asbestos Claim

Just a few days before trial was set to begin, the Ramsey County District Court granted Foley & Mansfield client Saint-Gobain Abrasives, Inc.’s summary judgment motion, dismissing all claims against the company in the asbestos-related lawsuit.

Plaintiff sued several defendants, including Saint-Gobain (formerly known as Norton Company), alleging that he developed mesothelioma as a result of exposure to asbestos while working at machine shops for a short time in the early 1970s.

Ruling in favor of Saint-Gobain, the Court found the evidence supported Saint-Gobain’s defense that it was physically impossible for plaintiff to have used a Saint-Gobain asbestos-containing grinding wheel. The Court held that even viewing the facts in the light most favorable to the plaintiff,  a jury could not conclude that the plaintiff used an asbestos-containing Saint-Gobain product without resorting to speculation, and dismissed the claims against Saint-Gobain. 

Foley & Mansfield attorney Joanna M. Salmen represented the defendant in this matter.