Asbestos Pipe Maker Sues Plaintiff Law Firm

Yes. J-M is a liable party in asbestos litigation. The company acquired asbestos pipe operations from Johns-Manville in 1982, knowing the liabilities. Courts and juries have found J-M responsible for asbestos injuries.

Yes. J-M lost a $22.2 million verdict in Morgan v. J-M Manufacturing in 2018. The company has faced over 6,000 asbestos lawsuits since 2000.

J-M has filed RICO lawsuits against multiple firms and even sued its own defense lawyers for being “too willing to settle.” This pattern of suing everyone involved in litigation against the company raises questions about the company’s strategy.

No. Garlock Sealing Technologies filed RICO claims against four plaintiff firms in 2014 but dropped all claims in 2016. The tactic failed.

RICO stands for the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, a federal law passed in 1970 that allows prosecutors to charge individuals or groups with racketeering when they commit at least two predicate crimes (such as fraud, extortion, or money laundering) within a 10-year period as part of an ongoing criminal enterprise. RICO is considered severe because convictions carry penalties of up to 20 years in prison, fines up to $250,000 or double the proceeds from illegal activity, and asset forfeiture that can occur before trial. The law is also broad in scope, allowing prosecutors to target not just organized crime but any pattern of criminal conduct connected to an enterprise, which has expanded its application beyond its original purpose. Additionally, the threat of RICO charges can pressure defendants to accept plea deals because asset seizure makes it difficult to pay for legal defense.

Average payouts for asbestos claims vary by disease type and resolution method. People with mesothelioma typically receive $1 million to $2.4 million in lawsuit settlements from multiple defendants, plus $300,000 to $400,000 from trust funds. Asbestos-related lung cancer claims average $250,000 overall, while non-malignant conditions like asbestosis yield $10,000 to $50,000. Trial verdicts for mesothelioma average $5 million to $11.4 million but are less common than settlements. These figures reflect reported trends from law firm data as of 2026.

A RICO lawsuit refers to a civil claim under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (18 U.S.C. §§ 1961–1968), a 1970 federal law that allows people injured in their business or property by racketeering activity to sue for treble damages and attorney fees. To succeed, plaintiffs must prove defendants conducted an “enterprise” through a “pattern of racketeering activity,” typically at least two related predicate acts (like mail fraud or bribery) within 10 years. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that such claims can cover business or property losses deriving from personal injuries, as in lost wages from a misrepresented product. Civil RICO suits differ from criminal cases by focusing on compensation rather than punishment.

Yes, asbestos was widely used in Puerto Rico from the 1940s through the 1980s in thousands of building materials and products similar to those used on the U.S. mainland. Hundreds of public schools and public housing complexes built during the 1940s to 1970s contained asbestos-containing materials. Workers across multiple industries, including those at manufacturing facilities like the Union Carbide plant in Ponce, were exposed to asbestos. Many older structures in Puerto Rico, including houses, schools, and office buildings, still contain asbestos today. Natural disasters like hurricanes have raised additional concerns about asbestos release from damaged buildings and potential contamination of water supplies.