North Carolina Court Awards Summary Judgment to Defendant in Asbestos Action

GREENSBORO, N.C. –– A North Carolina federal court has awarded summary judgment to a defendant in an asbestos action, concluding that the plaintiff had failed to establish causation under the Lohrmann frequency, regularity, and proximity standard.

In the March 21 order, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina concluded that a “jury could not reasonably conclude that asbestos exposure from Defco pumps was a substantial factor in causing [the plaintiff’s] disease.”

Plaintiff Marshall E. Pike filed the underlying claim, saying that he developed mesothelioma as a result of asbestos exposure. Pike specifically said he came into …