W.R. Grace, Libby asbestos and Maryland Casualty
In Libby, Montana, a jury in 2022 awarded USD 36.5 million against Maryland Casualty, W.R. Grace's workers' compensation insurer and safety adviser, in a bellwether asbestos trial. The judge found the insurer knew of the risk and urged Grace to conceal reports.
USD 6.5 million compensatory and USD 30 million punitive; reported as upheld in January 2023.
Status As of the latest research: the 2022 verdict of USD 36.5 million was reported upheld in January 2023; hundreds of claims pending; no appeal outcome found for 2024–2025.
- Maryland Casualty (now part of Zurich) — Ordered by a jury to pay USD 36.5 million; verdict reported upheld in January 2023. Daily Montanan
- Libby workers — The court held the insurer had a duty to warn them; hundreds of further claims were pending. The Western News
What happened
The matter concerns W.R. Grace's vermiculite and asbestos at Libby, Montana. Maryland Casualty, now part of Zurich, was Grace's workers' compensation insurer and safety adviser.
On 25 March 2020 the Montana Supreme Court, in Maryland Cas. Co. v. Asbestos Claims Court (2020 MT 70), held that the insurer had an independent duty to warn workers.
In February 2022 a Cascade County jury in a bellwether trial awarded USD 36.5 million against the insurer: USD 6.5 million compensatory and USD 30 million punitive damages. The verdict was reported as upheld in January 2023.
The judge found that the insurer knew of the risk and actively urged W.R. Grace to conceal reports of it, as reported by the Daily Montanan and by the law firm Goldberg Segalla. Hundreds of further claims were pending; the research found no appeal outcome for 2024–2025.
- 202025 March: Montana Supreme Court holds the insurer had an independent duty to warn workers
- 2022February: Cascade County jury awards USD 36.5 million (USD 30 million punitive) in a bellwether trial
- 2023January: the verdict is reported upheld
What was said
“knew of and actively urged W.R. Grace to conceal”
How it looked
Shown
Recorded
- The Montana Supreme Court held on 25 March 2020 that the insurer had an independent duty to warn workers.
- A Cascade County jury awarded USD 36.5 million in February 2022: USD 6.5 million compensatory and USD 30 million punitive.
- The verdict was reported as upheld in January 2023.
- Hundreds of further claims were pending; no appeal outcome was found for 2024–2025.
In court and with insurers
Lawsuits and rulings
- 2020-03-25Claimant wonMaryland Cas. Co. v. Asbestos Claims Court, 2020 MT 70Montana Supreme Court · Civil · Libby asbestos claimants (parties not detailed in the sources reviewed) → Maryland Casualty
The court held that the insurer had an independent duty to warn workers. The Western News
- 2022-02Claimant won$36500bn USD 6.5 million compensatory + USD 30 million punitiveBellwether asbestos trial against Maryland CasualtyCascade County jury trial, Montana · Civil · A bellwether claimant → Maryland Casualty (now part of Zurich)
The jury awarded USD 36.5 million. The judge found that the insurer knew of and actively urged W.R. Grace to conceal reports of the risk. The verdict was reported as upheld in January 2023; hundreds of further claims were pending, and no appeal outcome was found for 2024–2025. Daily Montanan
Insurers
- 2022In litigationMaryland Casualty (now part of Zurich) → W.R. Grace
The insurer, Grace's workers' compensation insurer and safety adviser, was itself the defendant: the jury awarded USD 36.5 million against it and the judge found it knew of the risk and urged concealment. Daily Montanan
What we don't know
Nature
- Not measured Harm to nature: The record holds no measurement of harm to nature.
Record
- None on record Appeal outcome: the research found none for 2024–2025.
- None on record Earnings from the activity: none of the coverage sources documented revenue or profit.
- Unclear Number of the further claims pending: given only as hundreds.
Did the harm stop?
not on record.
Who paid?
not on record: the USD 36.5 million award was against the insurer, and hundreds of further claims were pending.
Sources
Press and investigations
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