On December 06, 2001 a
Answer
was filed
involving a dispute between
Jordan, Cheryl Lynn,
Jordan, James,
Thomas Dee Engineering Company,
and
4520 Corp.,
Abblummus Global, Inc.,
A C And S,Inc.,
A.H. Voss Company,
Albay Construction,
Allis-Chalmers Corp. Product Liability Trust,
American Honda Motor Co., Inc.,
American Standard, Inc.,
Asbestos Corp. Limited,
Asbestos Corporation Ltd.,
Asbestos Defendants,
Babcock Borsig Power Inc Ref To Db Riley Inc,
Blue Diamond Corp.,
Borg Warner Inc.,
Borgwarner Inc. Fka Borg-Warner Automotive, Inc.,
Bragg Investment Company, Inc.,
Bridgestone Firestone Americas Holdings, Inc.,
Bridgestone Firestone,Inc.,
Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, Llc,,
Bwd Automotive,
Calaveras Cement Co.,
Certainteed Corporation,
Chevron Products Company,
Colonial Sugar Refining Company,
Conocophillips Company,
Consolidated Insulation, Inc.,
Crane Co.,
Crown Cork & Seal Company,Inc.,
Daimlerchrysler Corporation,
Dana Corporation,
D. Cummins Corporation,
Diamond International Corp.,
Dillingham Construction N.A.,Inc.,
Dixon Boiler Works Inc,
Dixon Boiler Works, Inc.,
Does 1-800,
Dow Chemical Company,
Dresser Industries Inc.,
D.W. Nicholson Corporation,
Eaton Corporation,
Elliott Company,
Elliott Turbomachinery Co., Inc.,
Fisher Controls International, Llc,
Flintkote Co.,
Flintkote Mines Ltd.,
Flowserve Us Inc,
Flowserve Us Inc.,
Fluor Corporation,
Fmc Corporation -Turbo Pump Operation,
Ford Motor Company,
Foster Wheeler Llc,
Garlock Sealing Technologies, Ll,
Gatke Corporation,
General Electric Company,
General Motors Corporation,
General Refractories Company,
Genstar Co.,
Genuine Parts Company,
Goodrich Corporation,
Grinnell Corporation,
Halliburton Company,
Hanson Cement, Inc.,
Henry Vogt Machine Co.,
Hercules Powder Company,
Honeywell International, Inc. Fka Alliedsignal,
Imo Industries Inc.,,
Imo Industries, Inc.,
J.R.Simplot Company,
J.R. Simplot Company, A Nevada Corporation,,
J.T. Thorpe & Son, Inc.,
Kaiser Gypsum Company, Inc.,
Keenan Properties, Inc,
Kubota Corporation,
Lamons Gasket Company Dba Power Engineering &,
Lear Siegler Diversified Holdings Corp.,
Maremont Corporation,
Metalclad Insulation Corporation,
Monsanto Company,
Morton International, Inc. A Rohm And Haas Company,
Oakfabco, Inc.,
Oscar E. Erickson, Inc.,
Owens-Illinois, Inc.,
Pacific Coast Building Products, Inc Dba Pacific,
Parker Hannifin Corporation,
Parker-Hannifin Corporation,
Parsons Energy & Chemical Group, Inc.,
Parsons Energy & Chemicals Group Inc,
Plant Insulation Company,
Pnuemo Abex Corporation, As Successor,
Power Engineering & Equipment Co. Inc.,
Quigley Company, Inc.,
Rapid-American Corporation,
Republic Supply Company,
Rheem Manufacturing Co,
Rheem Manufacturing Company,
Robertson-Ceco Corporation,
Rosendahl Corporation,
Santa Fe Braun, Inc. As Successor-In-Interest To,
Sequoia Ventures, Inc.,
Shell Oil Company,
Soo Line Railroad Company,
Standard Motor Products,
Stuart Radiator Core Manufacturing Co Inc,
Stuart Radiator Core Manufacturing Co. Inc.,
Stuart-Western, Inc.,
Sugar City Building Materials Inc.,
Taylor Plumbing Supply Company, Dba Globe Plumbing,
Taylor Plumbing Supply Inc.,
Temporary Plant Cleaners, Inc.,
The Budd Company,
Thomas Dee Engineering Company,
Thorpe Insulation Company,
Tosco Corporation,
Tosco Refining Company,
Trimon, Inc.,
Union Carbide Corporation,
Unocal Corporation,
Viacom Inc., Successor By Merger To Cbs Corporatio,
Vogt Valve Company,
Waldron, Duffy, Inc.,
Westburne Supply, Inc.,
Yale Industrial Products, Inc.,
Zurn Industries, Inc.,
for ASBESTOS
in the District Court of San Francisco County.
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UA
San Francisco Superior Courts
Information Technology Group
Document Scanning Lead Sheet
Apr-23-2002 8:36 am
Case Number: CGC-01-402113
Filing Date: Apr-22-2002 8:32
Juke Box: 001 Image: 00404698
ANSWER
JAMES JORDAN VS. ASBESTOS DEFENDANTS (BHC)
001000404698
Instructions:
Please place this sheet on top of the document to be scanned.
NY
OHN R. WALLACE, ESQ. (State Bar No. 85709) LED A RTER
RICHARD D. DUMONT, }Q. Graze Bar No. 107967) ayy
af
[ACKSON & WALLACE LLP C
55 FRANCISCO STREET, 6TH FLOOR
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133 22 Ph
Telephone; (41 5) 982-6300
Facsimile: 415) 982-6700
A eS
Attorneys for Defendant
THE BUDD COMPANY
Whe
JN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO
COURT OF UNLIMITED JURISDICTION
10
W JAMES JORDAN, No, 402113
12 Plaintiff, ANSWER OF DEFENDANT THE
BO BD COMPANY 70) Pp LAINTIFP’S
13 v, INT
4 ASBESTOS DEFENDANTS (BHC), et
al.,
1$
Defendants.
16
7
18 DEFENDANT THE BUDD COMPANY (hereinafter ‘DEFENDANT”) answers the
19 unverified Complaint herein on its own behalf and on behalf of no other defendant or entity as
20 follows:
21 Pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure section 431.30(d), DEFENDANT denies
22 generally each and every allegation of the Complaint.
23 EIRST AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
24 Neither the Complaint nor any purported cause of action alleged by plaintiff therein
25 states facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action against DEFENDANT.
26 SECOND AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
27 Yo the extent the Complaint asserts DEFENDANT’s alleged “market share” Liability,
28 or “enterprise liability,” the Complaint fails to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action
1
ANSWER OF DEFENDANT THE BUDD COMPANY
—_
against DEFENDANT.
THIRD AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
Neither the Complaint nor any purported cause of action alleged therein states faces
sufficient to entitle plaintiff to an award of punitive damages against DEFENDANT.
FOI A FENSE
The imposition of any punitive damages in this matter would deprive DEFENDANT
ofits propetty without due process of law under the California Constitution and United States
Constitution.
FIFTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
10 The imposition of any punitive damages in this matter would violate the United States
i Coanstitution’s prohibition against laws impairing the obligation of contracts.
1 SIXTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
13 ‘The imposition of any punitive damages in this matter would constitute a criminal fine or
14 penalty and should, therefore, be remitted on the ground that the award violates the United
15 States Constitution.
16 PFIRMA ISE
7 Plaintiff's action, and each alleged cause of action, is barred by the applicable statute of
18 limitations, inchiding but not limited to California Code of Civil Procedure, sections 338(1),
Ww 338(4), 339(1), 340(1), 340(3), 340.2, 343 and 353 and California Commercial Code, section 2725.
20 EIGHTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
2 Plaintiff unreasonably delayed in bringing this action, without good cause therefore, and
22 thereby has prejudiced DEFENDANT as a direct and proximate result of such delay;
23 accordingly, his action is barred by laches and by section 583 et seq. of the Code of Civil
24 Procedure,
25 NINTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
26 Plaintiff was negligent in and about the matters alleged in the Complaint and in each
27 alleged cause of action; this negligence proximately caused, in whole or in part, the damages
28 alleged in the Complaint. In the event plaintiff is entitled to any damages, the amount of these
2
ANSWER OF DEFENDANT THE BUDD COMPANY
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damages should be reduced by the comparative fault of plaintiff and any persan whose negligent
acts or omissions are imputed to plaintiff.
IRMA TIVE DEFENSE
Plaintiff knowingly, voluntarily and unreasonably undertook to encounter each of the
tisks and hazards, if any, referred to in the Complaint and each alleged cause of action, and this
undertaking proximately caused and contributed to any loss, injury or damages incurred by
plaintiff.
ELEVENTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
Any loss, injury or damage incurred by plaintiff was proximately caused by the negligent
10 or willful acts or omissions of parties whom DEFENDANT neither controlled nor bad the right
1 to control, and was not proximately caused by any acts, omissions or other conduct of
12 DEFENDANT.
13 TWELFTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
14 The products referred to in the Complaint were misused, abused or altered by plaintiff
WS or by others; the misuse, abuse or alteration was not reasonably foreseeable to DEFENDANT,
16 and proximately caused any loss, injury or damages incurred by plaintiff.
7 THIRTEENTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
18 DEFENDANT alleges that its products were manufactured, produced, supplied, sold and
19 distributed in mandatory conformity with specifications promulgated by the United States
20 Government under its war powers, as set forth in the United States Constitution, and that any
21 recovery by plaintiff on the Complaint on file herein is barred in consequence of the exercise
22 of those sovereign powers.
23 FOURTEENTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
24 Plaintiff failed to exercise due diligence to mitigate his loss, injury or damages;
25 accordingly, the amount of damages to which plaintiff are entitled, if any, should be reduced by
26 the amount of damages which would have otherwise been mitigated.
27 FIFTEENTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
28 The Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction over the matters alleged in the Complaint
3
ANSWEROF DEFENDANT THE BUDD COMPANY
CC
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Ne
because the Complaint and each alleged cause of action against DEFENDANT are barred by the
provisions of California Labor Code, section 3600, et seq.
& TIVE DEFENSE
DEFENDANT alleges that at the time of the injuries alleged in the Complaint, plaintiff
was employed and was entitled to receive Workers’ Compensation benefits from his employer's
workers’ compensation insurance carrier; thar ail of plaintiff's employers, other than
DEFENDANT, were negligent in and about the matters referred to in said Complaint, and thar
such negligence on the part of said employers proximately and concurrently contributed to the
happening of the accident and to the loss or damage complained of by plaintiff, ifany there were;
10 and thar by reason thereof DEFENDANT is entitled to set off and/or reduce any such Workers’
ML Compensation benefits received or to be received by plaintiff against any judgment which may
2 be rendered in favor of plaintiff. (Witt
u Jackson, 57 Cal.2d 57, 366 P.2d 641)
13 SEVENTEENTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
4 DEFENDANT alleges thatat che time of the injuries alleged in the Complaint, plaintiff's
15 employers were negligent in and about the matters referred to in said Complaint, and that such
16 negligence on the part of said employers proximately and concurrently contributed to any loss
1? or damage, including non-economic damages, complained of by plaintiff, if any there were; and
18 that DEFENDANT is not liable for said employers’ proportionate share of non-economic
19 damages,
20 EIGHTEENTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
at DEFENDANT alleges that at the time of the injuries alleged in the Complaint, parties
22 other than this DEFENDANT were negligent in and about the matters referred to in said
23 Complaint, and that such negligence on the part of said parties proximately and concurrently
24 contributed to any loss or damage, including non-economic damages, complained af by plaintiff,
25 if any there were; and that DEFENDANT herein shell not be liable for said parties’
26 proportionate share of non-economic damages.
27 NINETEENTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
28 DEFENDANT alleges that at all times relative to matters alleged in the Complaint, all
4
ANSWER OF DEFENDANT THE BUDD COMPANY
ee
Ne 7
of plaintiffs employers, other than DEFENDANT, were sophisticated users of
asbestos-containing products and said employers’ negligence in providing the product to its
employees in a negligent, careless and reckless manner was a superseding cause of plaintiff's
injuries and damages, if any.
TWENTIETH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
If plaintiff has received, or in the future may receive, Worker’s 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 DEPENDANT, DEFENDANT claims a credit against this award to the extent
10 that DEFENDANT is barred from enforcing his rights to reimbursement for Worker’s
n Compensation benefits that plaintiff has recived or may in the future receive.
12 TWENTY-FIRST AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
13 If plaintiff has received, or in the future may receive Worker’s Compensation benefits
14 from DEFENDANT under the Labor Code of the State of California as a consequence of the
15 alleged industrial injury referred to in the Complaint, DEFENDANT demands repayment of
16 any such Worker’s Compensation benefits in the event that plaintiff recovers tort damages as a
(7 result of the industrial injury allegedly involved here. Although DEFENDANT denies the
18 validity of plaintiff's claims, in the event those claims are beld valid and not barred by the stature
19 of limitations or otherwise, DEFENDANT asserts that cross-demands for money have existed
20 between plaintiff and DEFENDANT and the demands are compensated, so far as they equal
21 each other, pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure section 431.70,
22 TWENTY-SECOND AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
23 At all times and places in the Complaint, plaintiff was not in privity of contract with
24 DEFENDANT and said lack of privity bars plaintiff's recovery herein upon any theory of
25 warranty.
26 TWENTY-THIRD AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
27 Plaintiff is barred from recovery in chat all products produced by DEFENDANT, ifany,
28 were in conformity with the existing state-of-the-art, and as a result, these products were not
5
ANSWER OF DEFENDANT THE BUDD COMPANY
defective in any manner.
TWENTY-FOURTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
DEFENDANT did nat and does not have a substantial percentage of the market for the
asbestos-cantaining products which allegedly caused plaintiff's injuries and damages. Therefore,
DEFENDANT may not be held liable to plaintiff based on this DEFENDANT’s alleged
percentage share of the applicable market.
TWENTY-FIFTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
DEFENDANT denies any and all ability to the extent that plaintiff osserts
DEFENDANT’s alleged liability as a successor, successor in business, successor in product line
19 or a portion thereof, assign, predecessor, predecessor in business, predecessor in product line or
W a portion thereof, parent, alter-ego, subsidiary, wholly or partially owned by, or the whole or
12 partial owner of or member in an entity researching, studying, manufacturing, fabricating,
13 designing, labeling, assembling, distributing, leasing, buying, offering for sale, selling, inspecting,
14 servicing, installing, contracting for installation, repairing, marketing, warranting, rebranding,
15 manufacturing for others, packaging and advertising a certain substance, the generic name of
16 which is asbestos,
17 *. oT ATEIR.
18 DEPENDANT alleges that plaintiff's claims are or may be barred in whole or in part by
19 res judicata, collateral estoppel, issue preclusion and/or release.
20 TWENTY-SEVENTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
21 DEFENDANT alleges that it is immune from liability for any alleged failure to warn
22 plaintiff of material risks associated with DEFENDANT’s products because such risks were or
23 should have been obvious to a reasonably prudent product user in plaintiff's position, or were
otherwise a matter of common knowledge to persons in the same or similar position to plaintiff.
25 TWENTY: FA NSE
26 ‘This court lacks subject matter jurisdiction over the causes of action alleged in the
27 Complaint.
28 Vif
6
ANSWER OF DEFENDANT THE BUDD COMPANY
a
TWENTY.NINTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
Asa result of plaintiff's unreasonable delay in bringing this action, without good cause
therefore, in addition to his other unreasonable acts and omissions, plaintiff has waived each or
some of the claims stated or purportedly stated in the Complaint.
THIRTIETH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
The activity alleged in the Complaint, to the extent that it was engaged in by
DEFENDANT, if ar all, was not ulerahazardous under California law.
THIRTY-FIRST AFEIRMA TIVE DEFENSE
California Civil Code sections 1431.1 through 1431.5, known as the Fair Responsibility
10 Act of 1986, is applicable at Least in part to the present action and to certain claims therein, and
i based upon the principle of comparative fault, the liability, if any, of DEFENDANT, if liable
12 at all, shall be several only and shall not be joint, DEFENDANT, if liable at all, shall be liable
13 as to certain claims only for the amount of non-economic damages allocated to DEFENDANT
14 in direct propottion ta DEFENDANT’s percentage of fault, if any, and a separate and several
Is judgment shall be rendered against DEFENDANT for non-economic damages, if any.
16 THIRT?. SECOND AFFIR/AA TIVE DEFENSE
17 Plaintiff cannot prove any facts showing that the conduct of DEFENDANT was the
18 cause in fact of any alleged injuries or damages suffered by plaintiff as alleged in the Complaint.
19 THIRTY-THIRD AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
20 Plaintiff cannot prove any facts showing that the conduct of DEFENDANT was the
a1 proximate cause of any alleged injuries or damages suffered by plaintiff as alleged in the
22. Complaint.
23 URTY-PFOURTH AFFIRMA
24 Tf plaintiff was injured as alleged in the Complaint, those injuries were proximately caused
25 by allergies, sensitivities and idiosyncrasies particular to plaintiff, not found in the general public
26 and unknown and unknowable to DEFENDANT. Such injuries, if any, were not reasonably
27 foreseeable to DEFENDANT.
28 “tt
7
ANSWER OF DEFENDANT THE BUDD COMPANY
se me
Sa
THIRTY-FIFTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
Arall times relevant, DEFENDANT’s acts and omissions were in conformity with all
government statutes and regulations and all industry standards based upon the state of knowledge
existing at the time of the acts or omissions.
THIRTY.SIXTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
Plaintiff has failed to join all parties necessary for full and just adjudication of the
purported causes of action asserted in the Complaint.
THIRTY SEVENTH ALFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
DEFENDANT alleges thar plaintiff has directed, ordéred, approved and/or ratified
10 DEFENDANT’s conduct and plaintiff is therefore estopped from asserting his claims alleged in
I the Complaint as a result of his own acts, conduct or omissions.
12 THIRTY-EIGHTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
13 DEFENDANT alleges that plaintiff's claims are preempted by the Federal Employers
14 Liability Act (45 U.S.C. §§ 51 et seq.) and/or the Locomotive Boiler Inspection Act (49 U.S.C.
Is §§ 20701 et seq.) and/or the Safety Appliances Act (49 U.S.C. §§20301 et, seq.), all as recodified
16 by the Federal Rail Safety Act, requiring that an action against the rail employer under the
17 F.E.L.A. is plaintiff's exclusive remedy.
18 EFENSE
19 DEFENDANT refers to and incorporates herein. each and every affirmative defense
20 pleaded by the other parties herein to the extent that such defenses are not inconsistent with the
21 matters stated herein.
22 FORTIETH AFFIRMATIVE DERENSE
23 DEFENDANT alleges that it presently has insufficient knowledge or information on
24 which to form a belief as to whether it may have additional, as yet unasserted defenses available,
25 DEFENDANT reserves herein the right to assert additional defenses in the event discovery
26 indicates that they would be appropriate.
27 ‘WHEREFORE, DEFENDANT prays:
28 (1) That plaintiff take nothing by his Complaint;
8
ANSWER OF DEFENDANT THE BUDD COMPANY
~~
(2) That Judgment be entered in favor of DEFENDANT;
(3) For recovery of DEFENDANT’s costs of suit;
(4 For appropriate credits and set-offs arising out of any payment of Workers’
Compensation or other benefits as alleged above; and
(5) For such other and further relief az the Court deems just and proper.
DATE: April (7, 2002 JACKSON & WALLACE LLP
1 A ek
Atromeys for Defendant
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THE BUDD COMPANY
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ANSWER OF DEFENDANT THE BUDD COMPANY
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James Jordan v. Asbestos Defendants (BHC), et al. S.FS.C, #402113
PROOR OF SERVICE BY MAIL
(Code Civ. Proc., §§ 1013, 2015.5)
STATE OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO
I, the undersigned, declare as follows:
Tam over 18 years of age and not a party to the within action; my business
address is 55 Francisco Street, 6th Floor, San Francisco, California 94133; lam
employed in San Francisco County, California.
Tam readily familiar with my employer's practices for collection and
processing of correspondence for mailing with the United States Postal Service. On
10 the date own below, I served a copy, with all exhibits, of the following document(s):
iW DEFENDANT THE BUDD COMPANY'S OBJECTION TO STIPULATION
OF HEARING BY COMMISSIONER
42
DEFENDANT THE BUDD COMPANY’S DEMAND FOR TRIAL BY JURY
13 AND ESTIMATE OF LENGTH OF TRIAL
14 ANSWER OF DEFENDANT THE BUDD COMPANY TO PLAINTIFF'S
UNVERIFIED COMPLAINT
15
on the interested parties in the above-referenced case by y following ordinary business
practices and placing for collection and mailin at 55 Francisco Street, San Francisco
f
16
on the date shown below, a true copy of the a ove-referenced document(s), enclosed
17 in a sealed envelope; in the ordi ‘course of business, the above document(s) would
have been deposited for first-class livery with the United States Postal Service the
18 same day they were placed for deposit, with postage thereon fully prepaid.
19 The foregoing envelope(s) was/were addressed as follows:
20 Bray n & Purcell
222 Rush Landing Road
2t Novato, CA 94948
22 T declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Californ nee
th ie foregoing is true and correct and that this declaration was executed on April
23 20
m4
25
Leslie Clough
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‘VARI ortaal\PO5-t0siL wp
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