Johns Manville Trust
Johns Manville Trust: $5+ Billion Paid, 1 Million Claims Processed, America's First Asbestos Bankruptcy Trust (1988)
Executive Summary
The Johns Manville Trust is the oldest and largest asbestos bankruptcy trust in the United States, having processed nearly one million claims and distributed over $5 billion in compensation since its establishment in 1988. Originally funded with $2.5 billion, the trust currently maintains $558-630 million in assets and pays 5.1% of scheduled claim values following its March 2025 adjustment. Johns Manville Corporation, founded in 1858 and once the world's largest asbestos manufacturer, filed for bankruptcy protection in 1982 in a landmark case that created the legal framework for all subsequent asbestos trusts. Mesothelioma victims exposed to Johns Manville's signature Transite products, Kaylo insulation, or any of the company's thousands of asbestos-containing materials can file claims with this trust while simultaneously pursuing additional compensation through lawsuits and other trust funds.
Why This Matters
Despite having one of the lowest payment percentages among major trusts at 5.1%, Johns Manville remains critically important for mesothelioma victims because the company's products were ubiquitous in American construction, shipbuilding, and industrial applications from the 1920s through the 1970s. Most workers with significant asbestos exposure encountered at least one Johns Manville product, making this trust a near-universal component of comprehensive compensation recovery strategies.
| ⚠️ Document Destruction Alert: The Johns Manville Trust announced plans to destroy claim records over 10 years old beginning in 2025. Claimants and their families should preserve all documentation immediately and file claims without delay. |
Key Facts Box: Johns Manville Trust Essential Information
| Critical Trust Fund Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Trust Established | 1988 (first major asbestos bankruptcy trust in U.S. history) |
| Initial Funding | $2.5 billion (exceeded through stock appreciation and additional contributions) |
| Total Paid to Date | Over $5 billion since 1988 |
| Current Assets | $558-630 million (as of 2023-2024) |
| Claims Received | Nearly 1 million total claims |
| Current Payment Percentage | 5.1% (reduced from 5.5% in March 2025) |
| Mesothelioma Scheduled Value | $350,000 (actual payout: approximately $17,850) |
| Company Bankruptcy Filed | August 26, 1982 |
| Peak Employment | 30,000+ workers at height of operations |
| Manufacturing Facilities | 40+ plants across North America |
| Trust Administrator | Claims Resolution Management Corporation (CRMC) |
What Was Johns Manville and Why Did It Cause So Many Mesothelioma Cases?
Johns Manville Corporation was the world's largest manufacturer of asbestos-containing products for over a century, producing thousands of different items that exposed millions of American workers to deadly asbestos fibers. The company's history began in 1858 when 21-year-old Henry Ward Johns founded H.W. Johns Manufacturing Company in New York City, using his wife's clothes wringer and a household tea kettle to create the company's first roofing shingles in the basement of his tenement building.
Johns Manville's corporate lineage traces through two major companies that merged in 1901: H.W. Johns Manufacturing Company (founded 1858) and Manville Covering Company (founded 1886 in Milwaukee by Charles B. Manville). The merged entity became H.W. Johns-Manville Company, renamed Johns-Manville Corporation in 1926, and went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 1927 with sales of $45 million and profits exceeding $3.3 million.
| ℹ️ Historical Note: Henry Ward Johns, the company founder, died in 1898 at age 61 from what was then called "dust phthisis"—almost certainly an asbestos-related disease caused by his own products. |
What Asbestos Products Did Johns Manville Manufacture?
Johns Manville produced an extensive range of asbestos-containing products that were used in virtually every major American industry:
Transite Products (Signature Product Line, 1929-1980s):
- Transite cement boards containing 12-50% asbestos fiber
- Transite pipes for water and sewer systems
- Transite roof shingles and siding
- Transite panels for industrial applications
The Transite brand became so ubiquitous that "transite" became a generic term for all asbestos-cement products regardless of manufacturer.
Insulation Products:
- Vulcabestos insulation (extensively used in naval vessels)
- Thermobestos block and pipe insulation
- Kaylo boiler and pipe insulation
- High-temperature industrial insulation
Building Materials:
- Colorbestos siding sheets
- Flexstone asbestos roofs
- Salem asbestos shingles
- Terraflex plastic-asbestos floor tiles
- Transitop asbestos panels
Industrial Products:
- Johns Manville 352 Insulating Cement
- Gaskets and packing materials
- Brake linings and clutch facings
- Fireproofing materials
| "In our experience representing mesothelioma victims, Johns Manville products appear in the exposure history of nearly every case we handle. The company's dominance in the asbestos industry meant that anyone working in construction, shipbuilding, or manufacturing during the mid-20th century almost certainly encountered their products." — Paul Danziger, Founding Partner, Danziger & De Llano |
Where Were Johns Manville Manufacturing Facilities Located?
Johns Manville operated manufacturing plants across North America, with major facilities including:
- Berlin, New Jersey - Major production facility
- Cleburne, Texas - Regional manufacturing center
- Defiance, Ohio - Multiple production plants
- McPherson, Kansas - Manufacturing operations
- Phenix City, Alabama - Southern regional facility
- Finderne, New Jersey - State-of-the-art research center (opened 1945)
- Innisfail, Alberta, Canada - Canadian operations
- Waukegan, Illinois - Industrial production
Workers at these facilities faced direct occupational exposure, while those who lived near the plants often experienced secondary exposure through contaminated work clothing and environmental contamination.
How Did Johns Manville's Bankruptcy Create the Modern Trust Fund System?
The Johns Manville bankruptcy of 1982 was a watershed moment in American corporate law, establishing the legal framework that all subsequent asbestos bankruptcy trusts would follow.
What Led to the Bankruptcy Filing?
By the early 1980s, Johns Manville faced an avalanche of litigation:
- Over 16,000 pending asbestos lawsuits at the time of filing
- Projected future claims numbering in the hundreds of thousands
- Mounting evidence of corporate knowledge of asbestos dangers dating back decades
On August 26, 1982, Johns Manville filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the Southern District of New York, becoming the first major industrial company to use bankruptcy as a mechanism for managing mass tort liability.
How Was the Trust Established?
The Manville Personal Injury Settlement Trust was established in 1988 under the supervision of bankruptcy Judge Burton Lifland with initial funding of approximately $2.5 billion. The trust received:
- 80% of Manville Corporation's common stock
- Future insurance settlements
- Ongoing contribution agreements
| "Many families don't realize that the Johns Manville Trust has paid out more than double its original funding—over $5 billion total. Even with the current 5.1% payment rate, this trust remains a vital component of most mesothelioma compensation strategies." — Rod De Llano, Founding Partner, Danziger & De Llano |
What Happened During the 1990 Crisis?
By July 1990, the trust faced near-failure when it became apparent that current assets could only satisfy a small portion of pending claims. Judge Jack Weinstein imposed a payment stay and ordered restructuring. In 1991, Manville Corporation, court-appointed representatives, and the Trust negotiated a new financial agreement that stabilized operations.
Despite paying over $4 billion by 2012—far exceeding the initial $2.5 billion funding—the trust still maintained over $600 million in assets through stock appreciation and careful fund management.
What Compensation Can You Receive from the Johns Manville Trust?
The Johns Manville Trust uses a scheduled payment system that assigns specific dollar values to different asbestos-related diseases, then pays a percentage of those values based on current fund solvency.
Current Scheduled Values and Payouts
| Disease Level | Scheduled Value | Current Payment (5.1%) |
|---|---|---|
| Mesothelioma | $350,000 | ~$17,850 |
| Lung Cancer (Level II) | $95,000 | ~$4,845 |
| Severe Asbestosis | $95,000 | ~$4,845 |
| Asbestosis/Pleural Disease (III) | $25,000 | ~$1,275 |
| Asbestosis/Pleural Disease (II) | $12,000 | ~$612 |
| Asbestosis/Pleural Disease (I) | $600 | ~$31 |
| ✅ Important Context: While the 5.1% payment percentage may seem low, Johns Manville is typically just one of 5-15 trusts for which mesothelioma victims qualify. Combined multi-trust recoveries average $300,000-$400,000, with exceptional cases exceeding $1 million from trust funds alone. |
Who Qualifies for Johns Manville Trust Claims?
To file a claim with the Johns Manville Trust, you must demonstrate:
1. Diagnosed Disease:
- Mesothelioma (any type)
- Asbestos-related lung cancer
- Asbestosis or pleural disease
- Other qualifying asbestos-related conditions
2. Exposure to Johns Manville Products:
- Direct occupational exposure
- Secondary/take-home exposure through family member
- Environmental exposure near JM facilities
- Exposure must be documented through employment records, witness statements, or product identification
3. Meeting Statute of Limitations:
- Generally 2-3 years from diagnosis or discovery
- Varies by state
- Trust may apply state-specific deadlines
| "Having lost my father to asbestos lung cancer, I understand how overwhelming the claims process can feel. What families need to know is that documenting Johns Manville exposure often opens doors to multiple compensation sources—the trust fund is just one piece of a much larger recovery picture." — David Foster, Senior Client Advocate, Danziger & De Llano |
How Do You File a Claim with the Johns Manville Trust?
The Johns Manville Trust offers two claim review options:
Expedited Review (Faster, Fixed Amount)
- Processing time: Typically 90 days to 4 months
- Fixed payment based on disease category
- No individual assessment of case specifics
- Best for: Straightforward cases with clear documentation
Individual Review (Longer, Potentially Higher)
- Processing time: 4-12 months or longer
- Case-specific evaluation
- May receive higher compensation based on:
- Severity of disease
- Economic losses (lost wages, medical costs)
- Extent of documented exposure
- Best for: Complex cases or exceptional circumstances
Required Documentation:
- Pathology report confirming diagnosis
- Medical records and imaging studies
- Employment history with dates and locations
- Product identification evidence
- Witness affidavits from co-workers (when available)
- Death certificate (for wrongful death claims)
Which Occupations Had the Highest Johns Manville Exposure?
Johns Manville products were used across virtually every American industry, but certain occupations faced particularly intense exposure:
Highest Risk Occupations:
- Shipyard workers (Kaylo and marine insulation)
- Insulation installers and removers
- Construction workers
- Boilermakers and pipefitters
- Electricians
- HVAC technicians
- Brake mechanics (brake linings)
- Roofers (shingles and roofing materials)
- Factory workers at JM facilities
Industries with Extensive JM Product Use:
- Naval shipbuilding (WWII through Vietnam era)
- Commercial construction
- Power generation plants
- Oil refineries
- Chemical plants
- Automotive manufacturing
- Railroad industry
| "Growing up in Pasadena near the refineries, we saw Johns Manville products everywhere. These companies knew for decades that their insulation was killing workers, but they kept selling it anyway. Every claim we help file honors the workers who deserved better." — Larry Gates, Client Advocate, Danziger & De Llano |
Can You File Both a Trust Claim and a Lawsuit?
Yes. Filing a Johns Manville Trust claim does not prevent you from pursuing:
- Other Trust Fund Claims: Most mesothelioma victims qualify for 5-15 different trust funds
- Lawsuits Against Solvent Companies: Companies that haven't declared bankruptcy can still be sued directly
- VA Benefits: Veterans can claim VA disability benefits alongside trust compensation
- Workers' Compensation: In most states, trust fund payments don't affect workers' comp eligibility
| ⚠️ Coordination Required: Some states require disclosure of trust fund payments during lawsuit discovery. Experienced asbestos attorneys coordinate these filings to maximize total recovery while complying with all legal requirements. |
What Is the Future Outlook for the Johns Manville Trust?
The Johns Manville Trust is projected to remain operational for 10-20+ years based on current payment rates and claim projections. Key considerations:
Trust Sustainability:
- Current assets: $558-630 million
- Payment percentage adjusted to preserve long-term solvency
- Approximately 10-20 year projected sustainability at current levels
Ongoing Concerns:
- Document destruction policies may affect future claims
- Payment percentages have trended downward over time
- Claimants should file without delay to preserve rights
Related Wiki Pages
- Asbestos Trust Funds Master Database
- Owens Corning Trust
- Pittsburgh Corning Trust
- W.R. Grace Trust
- Statute of Limitations Guide
- Evidence Preservation Guide
Get Help Filing Your Johns Manville Trust Claim
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References and Citations
- Johns-Manville Asbestos Trust Payments & Lawsuits - Danziger & De Llano
- Asbestos Trust Fund Payouts Guide - Danziger & De Llano
- Asbestos Bankruptcy Trust Fund Guide - Danziger & De Llano
- Johns Manville: Asbestos Use, Lawsuit and Trust Fund - Mesothelioma Lawyer Center
- Mesothelioma Trust Funds Overview - Mesothelioma.net
- Mesothelioma Trust Funds: Compensation Without Lawsuit - MesotheliomaAttorney.com
This article draws from trust fund documentation, court records, Securities and Exchange Commission filings, GAO reports on asbestos compensation, and RAND Corporation studies on asbestos bankruptcy trusts. Payment percentages and asset levels current as of January 2025.