California Court of Appeal

O'Neil v. Crane Co., B208225

In plaintiffs' action against the defendants on behalf of a decedent who died of mesothelioma, trial court's grant of defendants' motion for nonsuit is reversed where: 1) the component parts defense does not apply in this case where defendants made separate products with a specific purpose and use; and 2) defendants can be held strictly liable for injury caused by dust emanating from replacement asbestos. Lastly, Taylor v. Elliot Turbomachinery Co., Inc. (2009) 171 Cal.App.4th 546, was wrongly decided as its holding is contrary to the rule that a manufacturer is liable for the dangers of its product's components.

Appellate Information

• Decided 09/18/2009
• Published 09/18/2009

Judges

• ARMSTRONG, Acting P.J.

Court

• California Court of Appeal

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Waters Kraus & Paul, Paul C. Cook, Michael B. Gurien, El Segundo; The Ehrlich Law Firm and Jeffrey Isaac Ehrlich, for Plaintiffs and Appellants.


• For Appellees:
  
• K & L Gates, Raymond L. Gill, Robert E. Feyder, Geoffrey M. Davis, Los Angeles, for Defendant and Respondent Crane Co., Carroll, Burdick & McDonough, James P. Cunningham, Laurie J. Hepler, Gonzalo C. Martinez, San Francisco, for Defendant and Respondent Warren Pumps LLC.