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  • LAURANCE HAGEN VS. ASSOCIATED INSULATION OF CALIFORNIA ASBESTOS document preview
  • LAURANCE HAGEN VS. ASSOCIATED INSULATION OF CALIFORNIA ASBESTOS document preview
  • LAURANCE HAGEN VS. ASSOCIATED INSULATION OF CALIFORNIA ASBESTOS document preview
  • LAURANCE HAGEN VS. ASSOCIATED INSULATION OF CALIFORNIA ASBESTOS document preview
  • LAURANCE HAGEN VS. ASSOCIATED INSULATION OF CALIFORNIA ASBESTOS document preview
  • LAURANCE HAGEN VS. ASSOCIATED INSULATION OF CALIFORNIA ASBESTOS document preview
  • LAURANCE HAGEN VS. ASSOCIATED INSULATION OF CALIFORNIA ASBESTOS document preview
  • LAURANCE HAGEN VS. ASSOCIATED INSULATION OF CALIFORNIA ASBESTOS document preview
						
                                

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JOSEPH DUFFY, State Bar No. 241854 AMY J. TALARICO, State Bar No. 209112 2 | GRAHAM C. MILLS, State Bar No. 233261 ELECTRONICALLY MORGAN, LEWIS & BOCKIUS LLP 3 || One Market, Spear Street Tower FILED San Francisco, CA 94105-1126 Superior Court of California, 4 | Tel: 415.442.1000 County of San Francisco Fax: 415.442.1001 AUG 04 2010 5 Clerk of the Court Attorneys for Defendant BY: CHRISTLE ARRIOLA 6 | SCOTT TECHNOLOGIES, INC. Deputy Clerk 7 8 SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA 9 COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO 0 1 || LAURANCE HAGEN, Case No. CGC-10-275582 Plaintiff, DEFENDANT SCOTT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.’S ANSWER TO PLAINTIFF'S VS. UNVERIFIED COMPLAINT FOR PERSONAL INJURY - ASBESTOS CALIFORNIA, et al. 2 3 4 || ASSOCIATED INSULATION OF 5 Defendants. 6 27 MorGAN, Lewis & BOcKIUs LLP Ariowvers AT Law SAN FRANCISCO DB1/65355996.1 DEFENDANT SCOTT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.°S ANSWER TO PLAINTIFF'S UNVERIFIED COMPLAINT FOR PERSONAL INJURY - ASBESTOSBR WON Ce ND 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 MORGAN, Lewis & Bockius LLP ATIORNEYS AT LAW Saw FRANCISCO Scott Technologies, Inc. (“Defendant” or “Scott”), answers Plaintiff's unverified Complaint for Personal Injury - Asbestos (“Complaint”) as follows: Under the provisions of Section 431.30(d), California Code of Civil Procedure, Defendant denies each and every allegation of Plaintiff's Complaint and the whole thereof, and denies that Plaintiff has been damaged in any sum or amount whatsoever, or at all. FIRST AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE The Complaint and each of its purported causes of action fails to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action against Defendant. SECOND AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE Plaintiff's Complaint, and each alleged cause of action, is barred by the applicable statute of limitations, including, but not limited to, Code of Civil Procedure, Sections 337.15, 340.2 and 343, and California Commercial Code, Section 2725. THIRD AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE Plaintiff is barred from recovery herein by virtue of the application of the Doctrine of Laches (inexcusable delay and prejudice to Defendant). FOURTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE The court lacks subject matter jurisdiction over the matters alleged in the Complaint because the Complaint and each alleged cause of action against Defendant is barred by the provisions of California Labor Code, Sections 3600, ef seq. FIFTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE No conduct by or attributable to Defendant was the cause in fact or the proximate cause of the damages, if any, sustained by Plaintiff, nor a substantial factor in bringing about said damages. SIXTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE That any and all events and happenings in connection with the allegations contained in Plaintiff's Complaint and the resulting injuries and damages, if any, referred to therein, were proximately caused and contributed to by the negligence of the Plaintiff thereby barring or reducing Plaintiffs recovery herein. DB1/65355996.1 1 /EFEND: INC.’S ANSWER TO PLAINTIFF'S UNVERIFIED COMPLAINT FOR PERSONAL INJURY - ASBESTOSom IN DW 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 MORGAN, Lewis & Bockius LLP ATTORNEYS AT LAW SAN FRANCISCO SEVENTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE Plaintiff voluntarily assumed the risk of any then-existing conditions alleged in the Com- plaint with full knowledge thereof, thereby proximately causing the injuries and damages, if any, complained of by Plaintiff and Plaintiff is thereby barred from recovery herein. EIGHTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE Plaintiff acknowledged, ratified, consented to, and acquiesced in the alleged acts or omissions, if any, of this Defendant, thus barring Plaintiff from any relief as prayed for herein. NINTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE Any loss, injury or damage to Plaintiff was proximately caused or contributed to by the negligent or other tortious acts, omissions, conduct or products of persons, entities or parties other than Defendant, and that each, any, and all damages recoverable by Plaintiff must be diminished in proportion to the amount of fault attributable to said other persons, entities or parties, and there must be apportioned among all such persons, entities and parties the amount of damages attributed to them as an offset against damages, if any, awarded against Defendant. TENTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE Any loss, injury, or damage, if any, incurred by Plaintiff was the result of superseding or intervening causes arising from the negligent or willful acts or omissions of other parties which Defendant neither controlled nor had the right to control, and that said loss, injury or damage was not proximately or legally caused by any act, omission, or other conduct of Defendant. ELEVENTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE If Plaintiff sustained any injury or illness attributable to the use of any product manu- factured by Defendant, which allegations are expressly denied, the injuries were solely caused by and attributable to the unreasonable and improper use which was made of said products, and each of them. TWELFTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE Plaintiff was advised, informed, and warned of any potential hazards and/or dangers, if any there were, associated with the normal or foreseeable use, handling, and storage of the products, substances, and equipment described in the Complaint. DB1/65355996.1 2 DEFENDANT SCOTT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.’S ANSWER TO PLAINTIFF'S UNVERIFIED COMPLAINT FOR PERSONAL INJURY - ASBESTOS.1 THIRTEENTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE 2 Plaintiff failed to mitigate his damages, if any, in that he failed to use reasonable diligence 3 | in caring for his injuries and reasonable means to prevent their aggravation or to accomplish their 4 | healing. 5 FOURTEENTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE 6 The Complaint, and each cause of action thereof, which is admittedly based upon a lack of 7 | identification of the manufacturer of the alleged injury-causing product, fails to state facts suf- 8 || ficient to constitute a cause of action in that Plaintiff has asserted a claim for relief which, if granted, would contravene Defendant’s constitutional rights to substantive and procedural due process of law as preserved for Defendant by the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States 11 | Constitution and by Article I, Section 7, of the Constitution of the State of California. 12 FIFTEENTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE 13 The product involved was materially altered or changed by a party or parties other than, 14 | and without the permission of, Defendant, its employees, servants, or other agents, and such 15 | alteration or change created the alleged defect, if any, which was the proximate or legal cause of 16 | Plaintiffs injuries, or damages, if any. 17 SIXTEENTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE 18 The asbestos-containing products, if any, for which Defendant had legal responsibility 19 || were installed, labeled, assembled, serviced, supplied, manufactured, designed, packaged, 20 | distributed, marketed and/or sold in accordance with contract specifications imposed by its co- 21 | defendants, by the U-S. Government, by Plaintiff's employers and by third parties yet to be 22 |) identified. 23 SEVENTEENTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE 24 Plaintiff's Complaint and each purported cause of action therein are barred under the 25 | government contractor defense. 26 EIGHTEENTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE 27 The products, substances, and equipment referred to in the Complaint were properly woxcaw, tem28 | designed and manufactured, and safe for the purpose intended. Said products, substances, and Bockius LLP DB1/65355996.1 3 Acronis Ar baw DEFENDANT SCOTT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.’S ANSWER TO PLAINTIFFS UNVERIFIED COMPLAINT FOR PERSONAL INJURY - ASBESTOS27 MORGAN, Lewis & Bocius LLP ATTORNEYS AT LAD SAN FRANCISCO equipment were modified, altered, misused, abused and/or improperly maintained by Plaintiff or others, and said conduct was not reasonably foreseeable to Defendant and proximately caused or contributed to the injuries, losses, and damages complained of, if any there were, thus barring Plaintiff's recovery herein. NINETEENTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE Plaintiff failed to give Defendant reasonably prompt notice of the breaches of warranty, if any, alleged in the Complaint. TWENTIETH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE Plaintiff was not in privity of contract with Defendant and said lack of privity bars Plaintiff's recovery herein upon any theory of warranty. TWENTY-FIRST AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE Any exposure of Plaintiff to Defendant’s products was so minimal as to be insufficient to establish by a reasonable degree of probability that any such product caused any alleged injury, damage, or loss to Plaintiff. TWENTY-SECOND AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE This Defendant’s products were not a substantial factor in bringing about the injuries and damages complained of by Plaintiff, and, therefore, Defendant may not be held liable to Plaintiffs as alleged. TWENTY-THIRD AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE The state of the medical, scientific, and industrial knowledge and practice was at all material times such that Defendant neither breached any alleged duty owed Plaintiff, nor knew, nor could have known, that its product(s) presented a foreseeable risk of harm to Plaintiff in the normal and expected use of such product(s). TWENTY-FOURTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE Any products, substances, or equipment manufactured, formulated, sold or distributed by Defendant were made consistent with the state of the art applicable to said products, substances, or equipment at the time of their manufacture, sale, formulation, or distribution. DB1/65355996.1 4 DEFENDANT SCOTT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.’S ANSWER TO PLAINTIFF'S UNVERIFIED COMPLAINT FOR PERSONAL INJURY - ASBESTOSny nw so 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 MORGAN, LEWIS & Bockius LLP ATIORMEYS AT LAW SAN FRANcrsco TWENTY-FIFTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE If Defendant is responsible to Plaintiff, which responsibility is expressly denied, Defendant shall be liable to Plaintiff only for the amount of non-economic damages allocated to each defendant in direct proportion to each defendant’s percentage of fault, if any. (California Civil Code, Sections 1431, ef seq.) TWENTY-SIXTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE At the time and place of the happening of the occurrences and injuries alleged in the Complaint, and all times material thereto, Plaintiff was employed by various employers, the names of which are unknown to this Defendant, and working within the course and scope of their employment and/or employments. Said employer and/or employers and Plaintiff was subject to the provisions of the Workers’ Compensation Act of the State of California and Plaintiff was entitled to receive Workers’ Compensation benefits from his employers. Certain sums have been paid to or on behalf of Plaintiff herein under the applicable provisions of the Labor Code of the State of California. Said employer and/or employers and each of them were negligent, careless, and at fault in and about the matters referred to in the Complaint and such negligence, carele- ssness, and fault proximately and concurrently contributed to and caused the happening of the incidents complained of by Plaintiff, if any there were. By these premises, any judgment rendered in favor of Plaintiff herein must be reduced by any benefits or payments made or to be made to Plaintiff by Plaintiff's employer’s or employers’ compensation carrier under the authority of Witt vs. Jackson (1961) 57 Cal.2d 57 [17 Cal Rptr. 369, 360 P.2d 641]. TWENTY-SEVENTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE Plaintiff has received, or in the future may receive, Workers’ Compensation benefits from Defendant under the Labor Code of the State of California as a consequence of the alleged industrial injury referred to in the Complaint, and, in the event Plaintiff is awarded damages against Defendant, Defendant claims a credit against this award to the extent that Defendant is barred from enforcing its rights to reimbursement for Workers’ Compensation benefits that Plaintiff has received or may in the future receive. DB1/65355996.1 5 DEFENDANT SCOTT TECHNOLOGIES, INC,’S ANSWER TO PLAINTIFF'S UNVERIFIED COMPLAINT FOR PERSONAL INJURY - ASBESTOS27 Morcan, Lewss & Bockius LLP ATTORNEYS AT LAW SAN FRANCISCO, TWENTY-EIGHTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE Plaintiff herein have failed to join indispensable parties (California Code of Civil Procedure, Section 389) and the Complaint is thereby defective, and Plaintiff is thereby precluded from any recovery whatsoever as prayed for herein. TWENTY-NINTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE oe To the extent the Complaint asserts Defendant’s alleged “alternative,” “market share,” or “enterprise” liability, the Complaint fails to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action against Defendant. THIRTIETH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE The Complaint, and each cause of action thereof, fails to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action against Defendant, in that Plaintiff has failed to join a substantial market share of the producers of the product or products to which Plaintiff was allegedly exposed. THIRTY-FIRST AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE Defendant did not and does not have a substantial percentage of the market for the asbestos-containing products which allegedly caused Plaintiff's injuries. Therefore, Defendant may not be held liable to Plaintiff based on Defendant’s alleged percentage share of the applicable market. THIRTY-SECOND AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE Plaintiff's alleged cause of action seeking punitive damages against Defendant does not state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action against this Defendant. THIRTY-THIRD AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE Plaintiff’s claim for punitive or exemplary damages, if any, alleged by Plaintiff is barred by the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. THIRTY-FOURTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE Plaintiff's claim for punitive or exemplary damages, if any, alleged by Plaintiff is barred by the proscription of the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution, as applied to the States through the Fourteenth Amendment, prohibiting the imposition of excessive fines. DB1/65355996.1 6 DEFENDANT SCOTT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.’S ANSWER TO PLAINTIFF'S UNVERIFIED COMPLAINT FOR PERSONAL INJURY - ASBESTOSeo ay DR WA & 9 10 1 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Morcan, Lewis & Bockiws LLP ATTORNEYS AT Law SAN FRaNcIs¢D THIRTY-FIFTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE Plaintiff's claim for punitive or exemplary damages, if any, alleged by Plaintiff is barred by the “double jeopardy” clause of the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, as applied to the States through the Fourteenth Amendment. THIRTY-SIXTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE Plaintiff has no standing or right to sue for fraud and conspiracy, breach of warranty, deceit, or any cause of action under California Civil Code, Sections 1708-1710, and therefore the Complaint and each cause of action thereof fail to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action against this Defendant. THIRTY-SEVENTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE Fraud and conspiracy do not constitute a separate and distinct form of damages from general damages, and, therefore, the prayer for fraud and conspiracy in addition to general damages does not sufficiently support or constitute a separate claim for damages against this Defendant, but is simply cumulative and included in general damages. THIRTY-EIGHTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE As between Plaintiff and Defendant, the law applicable to this action is the law as it existed during the period Defendant engaged, if at all, in the manufacture, sale, or distribution of asbestos-containing products to which the Plaintiff claims exposure. It is unlawful, inequitable, and in violation of Defendant’s contractual, statutory, and constitutional rights to apply principles of law other than or in a manner different from those which existed for the period in which Defendant manufactured, sold, or distributed products to which Plaintiff claims exposure. THIRTY-NINTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE Defendant denies any and all liability to the extent that Plaintiff asserts Defendant’s alleged liability as a successor-in-interest, successor-in-business, successor-in-product line, or a portion thereof; assign, predecessor, predecessor in business, predecessor in product line, or a portion thereof; parent, alter ego, subsidiary, wholly or partially owned by, or the whole or partial owner of or member in an entity researching, studying, manufacturing, fabricating, designing, labeling, assembling, distributing, leasing, buying, offering for sale, selling, inspecting, servicing, DB1/65355996.1 7 DEFENDANT SCOTT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.’S ANSWER TO PLAINTIFF'S UNVERIFIED COMPLAINT FOR PERSONAL INJURY - ASBESTOSC0 CNY DW FB BW NH S ll 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Morcan, Lewis & Bocktus LLP Attonveys AT LAW SAN FRANCISCO installing, contracting, or installation, repairing, marketing, warranting, re-branding, manu- facturing for others, packaging and advertising a certain substance, the generic name of which is asbestos. FORTIETH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE Plaintiff's Complaint and each purported cause of action alleged therein are barred by the equitable Doctrine of Unclean Hands. FORTY-FIRST AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE Plaintiff's Complaint and each purported cause of action alleged therein are barred by the equitable Doctrine of Waiver. FORTY-SECOND AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE 7o aintiff’s Complaint and each purported cause of action alleged therein are barred by the equitable Doctrine of Estoppel. FORTY-THIRD AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE If Defendant provided the products alleged to have been defective, and without admitting that it did so or that any product was defective, Defendant provided such products to distributors or other intermediaries, including Plaintiffs’ employers, who were knowledgeable, informed and sophisticated concerning the use of the products and the alleged risks to the health of ultimate users, such as Plaintiffs, from the use of the products. FORTY-FOURTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE Plaintiff's causes of action are barred pursuant to Johnson v. American Standard, Inc. (2008) 43 Cal.4th 56 because Plaintiff and/or his employer are sophisticated users. FORTY-FIFTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE Plaintiff's causes of action are barred pursuant to Taylor v. Elliot Turbomachinery Co., Inc. (2009) 171 Cal.App.4th 564, because Plaintiff has not pled and cannot show that Plaintiff was exposed to asbestos-containing products that were manufactured, sold or distributed by Defendant or that were original to any equipment alleged to be manufactured, sold or distributed by Defendant. DBI/65355996.1 8 DEFENDANT SCOTT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.’S ANSWER TO PLAINTIFF'S UNVERIFIED COMPLAINT FOR PERSONAL INJURY - ASBESTOS.Morcan, Lewis & Bockius LLP ATTORNEYS AT Law SAM FRANCISCO Each denial of Plaintiff's allegations, together with each of Defendant’s allegations, defenses and factual contentions, all as set forth herein, are hereby specifically identified as denials, allegations, defenses and factual contentions subject to reasonable opportunity for further investigation and discovery, as set forth in Code of Civil Procedure section 128.7(b)(3)(4). WHEREFORE, this Defendant prays that Plaintiff's Complaint be dismissed and that Plaintiff take nothing by virtue of this Complaint on file herein, for its costs of suit herein incurred, for appropriate credits and setoffs arising out of any payment of Workers’ Compensation benefits alleged herein, and for any other and further relief as the Court may deem proper. Dated: August 4, 2010 Respectfully submitted, MORGAN, LEWIS & BOCKIUS LLP x Graham C. Mills One Market, Spear Street Tower San Francisco, CA 94105 415/442-1000 SBN 233261 By Attorneys for Defendant SCOTT TECHNOLOGIES, INC. DB1/65355996.1 9 DEFENDANT SCOTT TECHNOLOGIES, INC,’S ANSWER TO PLAINTIFF'S UNVERIFIED COMPLAINT FOR PERSONAL INJURY - ASBESTOSwa oO SB ND 10 il 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Morcan, Lewis & Bocktus LLP ATTORNEYS AT Lal Saw Peancisco PROOF OF SERVICE Laurance Hagen vs. Associated Insulation of California, et al. San Francisco Superior Court Case No. CGC-10-275582 Iam a resident of the State of California and over the age of eighteen years, and not a party to the within action; my business address is One Market, Spear Street Tower, San Francisco, CA 94105-1126. On August 4, 2010, [ served the within documents: DEFENDANT SCOTT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.’S ANSWER TO PLAINTIFF’S UNVERIFIED COMPLAINT FOR PERSONAL INJURY — ASBESTOS x] by transmitting via E-Filed by Lexis Nexis File & Service the document(s) listed above to the person(s) designated on the Transaction Receipt located on the LexisNexis File & Serve website. I declare under penalty of perjury, under the laws of the State of California and the United States of America, that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed on August 4, 2010, at San Francisco, California. Bridget Mullins Morgan, Lewis & Bockius One Market, Spear Street Tower San Francisco, CA 94105 415-442-1000 DB1/65355996.1 PROOF OF SERVICE