Johns Manville Trust: $5+ Billion Paid, 1 Million Claims Processed, America's First Asbestos Bankruptcy Trust (1988)

Johns Manville Trust Quick Facts
	America's oldest and largest asbestos trust fund
Payment Rate	5.1% (March 2025)
Meso Scheduled Value	$350,000
Actual Meso Payout	~$17,850
Total Claims Paid	~1 Million
Total Distributed	$5+ Billion
Administrator	CRMC
	🛡️ Check Your Eligibility

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

Get Help Filing Your Johns Manville Trust Claim

🛡️ Free Johns Manville Trust Claim Review

Our team has helped recover compensation from the Johns Manville Trust for decades. We handle all paperwork, coordinate with other trust claims, and ensure you receive maximum compensation.

📞 Call (866) 222-9990

✅ Start Your Free Case Review

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.