Louisville Trust Co. v. Johns-Manville Products Corp.

REED, Justice.

The issue presented is whether this court should extend the so-called “discovery” rule applicable to malpractice cases in this jurisdiction to actions for personal injury from a latent disease caused by exposure to a harmful substance so far as computing the proper commencement date of the statute of limitations is concerned.

I

William Sampson died from malignant mesothelomia, a rare type of lung cancer, caused by breathing asbestos dust and fibers. Sampson had been an asbestos worker at Queen Products Company from 1957 to 1967 during which years he was exposed to asbestos fiber…