If you or a loved one was recently diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer or another serious disease associated with exposure to asbestos, you may be eligible for financial compensation through the GST (Garlock Sealing Technologies) Settlement Facility Trust Fund. This trust fund was set up for victims of asbestos-related illnesses who were exposed by a GST product. To find out if you qualify for compensation through this trust, contact Bailey & Glasser, LLP for a free case consultation.
What Asbestos Products Is GST Responsible For?
Garlock Sealing Technologies was founded in 1887 and is still in operation today. It is best known for the manufacture of gaskets used in pipes and valves, as well as various sealing products. Many of these products contained asbestos from 1907 to 1980. Asbestos was an ideal material for GST products since it was naturally resistant to hot liquids, steam, chemicals and acid.
The asbestos-containing products GST is most known for include:
- Asbestos packings
- Asbestos tape
- Chemiseal jacketed gaskets
- Compressed asbestos sheets
- Garfite 200 graphite filament packings
- Insulation tapes
- Lattice braid packings
- Plastallic packings
- Plasti-Pak packings
- Pre-cut gasketing
- Ropes
- Spiral Pasti-Thread seal tapes
- Spiral wound gaskets
- Valve stem packings
These products have been sold under the brand names Garlock, Gylon, Blue-Gard and Flexseal. They were used in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, power generation, paper milling, chemical processing and waste treatment. GST’s asbestos products were also widely used in equipment aboard U.S. Navy ships.
Who Is Most at Risk of Asbestos Exposure Through GST Products?
Anyone who worked with or around asbestos products manufactured by Garlock Sealing Technologies may have been exposed to asbestos. The National Cancer Institute states that while no amount of asbestos exposure is considered “safe,” the individuals who are most at risk of developing mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses are those who are exposed to asbestos regularly. This includes workers in high-risk occupations.
The workers who are most at risk of being exposed to asbestos through a GST product include:
- Boilermakers
- Chemical plant workers
- Construction workers
- Engineers
- Factory workers
- Locomotive workers
- Mechanics
- Navy veterans
- Oil refinery workers
- Paper mill workers
- Sheet packers
- Steamfitters
The average length of time between an individual’s exposure to asbestos and the development of mesothelioma (known as the latency period) is 20-60+ years. This means workers who were exposed to asbestos by a GST product may not develop illnesses or diseases until much later in life. In addition, family members of workers may also develop illnesses due to secondhand asbestos exposure, where asbestos particles are brought home on a worker’s clothing, hair or shoes.
About the Garlock Sealing Technologies Settlement Facility Trust Fund
Garlock Sealing Technologies was forced to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in June 2010 after more than 900,000 asbestos-related claims were brought against the company. As part of its financial restructuring, it created an asbestos trust fund to help pay victims of asbestos exposure. Asbestos trust funds are established by bankrupt companies to compensate victims who were exposed to asbestos by their products or at their locations.
Below are frequently asked questions about the GST Asbestos Trust Fund:
- When was it established? GST created the Garlock Sealing Technologies Settlement Facility Trust Fund in 2017, after it came out of bankruptcy. The trust began accepting claims in September 2018.
- How much does it contain? The GST Asbestos Trust Fund originally contained $480 million. Today, its value has grown to around $502.5 million, which is made available to pay qualifying individuals who are injured by GST’s asbestos products.
- Who is eligible? Any individual who can prove that he or she was exposed to or came into contact with a GST asbestos-containing product and has been diagnosed with a related illness, such as mesothelioma, may qualify for compensation through the trust.
- What is the payment percentage? Unlike most other asbestos trust funds, the GST Trust does not have a payment percentage. Payment percentages are typically used by asbestos trusts to limit how much an individual claimant receives to ensure funds remain available for future victims.
Since this trust fund began accepting claims, it has paid close to $40 million to almost 3,000 claimants. A significant amount of money protected by the trust is still available to pay victims of asbestos exposure and their families. The best way to find out if you qualify for compensation through this trust is by consulting with an attorney at Bailey & Glasser, LLP.
How to File a Claim With the GST Asbestos Trust Fund
To file a claim with this trust, you or your attorney must fill out and submit the required Claim Form. You can submit it via mail or electronically. This document requests detailed information about your point of contact with asbestos and its connection to a GST product, as well as your medical diagnosis and current condition. With your Claim Form, you must also include supporting documentation.
These documents must prove that you were diagnosed with an asbestos-related condition, that you experienced contact with a GST product and that you believe the GST product credibly contributed to causing your condition. Since there is no published exposure site list included with the GST trust, it is not enough to prove that a GST asbestos product was present at a jobsite. You must be able to establish that you were exposed or came into contact with a product.
The GST Settlement Facility Trust is unique in that it does not have an Individual Review option. Instead, there is only an Expedited Claim Review or Extraordinary Claim Review. You can read more details about both processes in the trust’s Instructions for Filing document. In addition, there are no Scheduled Values for payment, but instead Maximum Settlement Values. Claim values are determined using a specific formula and procedures outlined in the trust documents.
Contact Bailey & Glasser, LLP for a Free Case Review
The Garlock Sealing Technologies Settlement Facility Trust Fund has many elements that make it unique compared to most other asbestos trusts. This can make it more difficult to file a claim and ensure a fair payout as a victim of asbestos exposure through a GST product. Protect your rights by securing legal representation throughout the claims filing process.
The attorneys at Bailey & Glasser, LLP have many years of experience handling asbestos and mesothelioma cases. Learn more about how we can help you during a free case review with one of our attorneys. Contact us online or call (866) 871-7971 today.
