Braaten v. Saberhagen Holdings

¶1 — The defendants are manufacturers of valves and pumps sold to the navy and used aboard ships. After the valves and pumps were installed on the ships, the navy applied asbestos-containing insulation to them. None of the defendants manufactured, sold, or otherwise supplied the asbestos insulation applied to their products. Vernon Braaten, who worked as a pipefitter on navy ships, developed mesothelioma and brought suit against the defendants, alleging that they failed to warn him of the danger of exposure to asbestos during routine maintenance of their equipment. The trial court granted…