North American Refractories Company

North American Refractories Company provides high-grade fireproof refractory products
for many industrial factories. Typically, North American Refractories Company's products are
used in high-temperature environments by cement, lime, chemical, steel, and glass
manufacturing companies. Historically, North American Refractories Company served the steel
industry; from iron ore mining operations to final production in steel mills. The company
operated four factories with 700 employees.

Unfortunately, North American Refractories Company used asbestos for decades to make
its refractory products heat resistant. Asbestos is extremely heat resistant and inexpensive.
Using asbestos, however, created serious danger for employees of North American Refractories Company.

As early as the 1920s, physicians recognized that exposure to asbestos caused severe
sickness when asbestosis was identified by British medical journals. At the same time, insurance companies in the United States and Canada stopped selling life insurance to asbestos workers.

Moreover, safer substitutes for most asbestos uses were known as early as the 1930s.
Worse, evidence revealed in prior litigation, shows that the leaders of North American
Refractories Company knew fully of the danger of asbestos, but continued to use it for decades to protect their profits. North American Refractories Company did not even provide basic protection to its employees, like protective gear to prevent inhalation. Thus, workers at steel mills, oil refineries, chemical plants, miners, boilermakers, and many others were injured by North American Refractories Company.

As employees from North American Refractories Company became increasingly sick, the
company faced enormous litigation costs. Accordingly, in 2002 North American Refractories
Company filed for bankruptcy protection. In 2007, the court recommended that North American Refractories Company form a trust account to resolve claims made by persons injured by North American Refractories Company. If you or a loved one has been injured by North American Refractories Company, it is important that you contact Gori Julian & Associates immediately for more information on your rights.

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