01. History of Asbestos Use
石棉使用的国家石膏史
国家石膏，也称为国家石膏公司或NGC，成立于1925年，仍在营业。该公司的主要重点始于石膏壁板。他们声称，他们的墙板比任何其他壁板品牌都更轻，更灵活和更高的性能，甚至用“黄金债券”向他们的产品盖章，向任何可以证明的人提供5,000美元。他们的黄金债券策略在1926年之前已成为商标，并成为其产品的替代品牌名称。
国家Gypsum continued to thrive throughout the next few decades, successfully navigating several patent-infringement lawsuits and emerging from the Great Depression. Theasbestos company继续扩大其产品线，并收购了其他几家大型公司，以增加其业务和一系列资源。
Universal Gypsum was one of the largest and most important acquisitions, as the company was one of their main competitors and twice the size of NGC. National Gypsum Company gained gypsum plants in Texas, Iowa, Pennsylvania and New York, along with several other mines and a strong presence in the Midwest. Though NGC did experience some losses, particularly during the Great Depression, they continued to borrow and raise money, exchange stocks and strategically target different products to maintain their role as a major construction product supplier.
Resources for Mesothelioma Patients
02. Asbestos Products
国家石膏石棉产品
建筑产品众所周知，从1920年代至1970年代产生的生产可能含有石棉。廉价的矿物质提供了对火，化学物质和热量的抵抗力，同时还提供了耐用性。所有这些都是建筑材料的理想条件。
Specific brand-name products from National Gypsum that have been linked to asbestos include Gold Bond Gypsum Board, Gold Bond Abestone, Gold Bond Sprayolite, ProForm Drywall Finishing Products and PermaBase Cement Board. Many NGC asbestos products fall under the brand name Gold Bond, which was popular during the time when asbestos was most commonly used.
03. Occupational Exposure
国家Gypsum and Occupational Exposure
随着国家石膏公司的存在，它们的广度也不断增长asbestos exposure。在第二次世界大战期间，NGC制造了用于飞机发动机，金属着陆条和货船隔热材料的声学面板，所有这些都被认为对朝鲜和越南战争非常有用。国家石膏成为整个美国的主要墙板供应商，甚至努力满足不断增长的需求。
在所有这些主要项目中，asbestos productswere exposing workers across various industries and trades. Whenever products were damaged, cut, trimmed, sanded, worn down or disturbed in any way, asbestos fibers could easily become airborne. Once airborne, fibers are then susceptible to inhalation or ingestion, putting individuals at risk of developing diseases like恶性间皮瘤万博专业版。
到1950年，国家石膏已控制着石膏市场的27％，在频繁建造的时候生产了150多个建筑材料。到1930年代，石棉的危险已得到认可，并开发了更安全的替代品。但是，石棉是一种便宜得多的选择，像国家石膏这样的公司没有停止石棉生产，继续从增长的利润中受益。1950年，NGC报告了7500万美元的销售额。
04. Asbestos Litigation
Asbestos Litigation Against National Gypsum
In the 1960s, National Gypsum started to face a variety of financial hardships. They reached a $19 million settlement in 1973 in a civil suit regarding gypsum manufacturer pricing practices, which then led to further investigation and to a Supreme Court case where NGC was found guilty. The company took on other debts for expansions and had fluctuating profits throughout the next decade. In 1986, their profits reached an all-time low as their legal losses reached an all-time high.
200,000
asbestos victims filed lawsuits against NGC by the early 1990s and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
到1990年代初，大约20万石棉受害者已经filed lawsuits反对石棉制造商。1992年，全国石膏面临大约45,000个病例，因为该公司继续生产石棉产品，直到1970年完全停止使用矿物质。NGC员工，消费者和受影响的家庭成员对公司采取法律行动以获取赔偿for a diagnosis resulting from asbestos exposure from NGC products.
05. Asbestos Trust Fund
国家Gypsum Asbestos Trust Fund
1990年，国家石膏公司申请了第11章破产，但能够制定一项计划以摆脱债务。1993年7月，NGC从破产中脱颖而出，由一家新公司取代，并以相同的名义和各种金融机构确定该公司在破产法院的总债务。
像许多其他石棉制造商一样，国家石膏最终创造了一个asbestos trust fund在2000年，以确保他们可以支付现有的财产损失索赔和未来的人身伤害索赔。在信托基金下，该公司只需要支付一定百分比，即可确保向其产品中受石棉影响的人们提供公平的财政援助。
Both companies and individuals can文件石棉索赔使用NGC信托。例如，1987年，国家石膏在19个不同州的155所学校达到定居点，当时他们的石棉产品在学校建筑的建筑。就在两年前，NGC在学校不得不进行昂贵的翻新工程以取代国家石膏的石棉建筑材料之后，也输给了默瑟大学。
到2010年，NGC信托基金已经支付了2.03亿美元的财产损失索赔，人身伤害索赔和不法死亡索赔。该信托今天继续接受并支付索赔。
