title: On Corporate Accountability: Lead, Asbestos, and Fossil Fuel Lawsuits.
abstract: This paper examines the use of lawsuits against three industries that were eventually found to be selling products damaging to human heath and the environment: lead paint, asbestos, and fossil fuels. These industries are similar in that some companies tried to hide or distort information showing their products were harmful. Common law claims were eventually filed to hold the corporations accountable and compensate the injured. This paper considers the important role the lawsuits played in helping establish some accountability for the industries while also noting the limitations of the lawsuits. It will be argued that the lawsuits helped create pressure for government regulation of the industries' products but were less successful at securing compensation for the injured. Thus, the common law claims strengthened and supported administrative regulation and the adoption of industry alternatives more than they provided a means of legal redress.
authors.affiliation: Earth System Science, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA shearerchristine@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shearer
mesh_terms: D001194:Asbestos / Q000266:history / Q000506:poisoning; D001195:Asbestosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000266:history / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003257:Consumer Product Safety / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000517:prevention & control; D005579:Fossil Fuels / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000266:history; D057232:Global Warming / Q000266:history / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000517:prevention & control; D033161:Government Regulation; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry / Q000266:history / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D019359:Knowledge; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000209:etiology / Q000266:history / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019016:Mineral Fibers / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000266:history; D010150:Paint / Q000266:history / Q000506:poisoning / Q000592:standards*; D011358:Product Surveillance, Postmarketing; D015871:Scientific Misconduct / Q000266:history / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D012941:Social Responsibility; D014481:United States; D014942:Workers' Compensation / Q000266:history / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence
chemical_list: D005579:Fossil Fuels; D019016:Mineral Fibers; D001194:Asbestos
keywords: asbestos; climate change; corporate environmental policy; lead; misinformation; tort lawsuits