Toxic Exposure Liability

Protecting businesses and property owners from toxic exposure claims is our focus. NJL represents product manufacturers, sellers, property owners, builders, and contractors encountering a wide range of hazardous substances, including asbestos, PFAS, benzene, lead, chlorinated solvents, carbon monoxide, and other chemicals and metals. We also assist with emerging concerns like perchlorate and flame retardants.

Our defense extends beyond our home state of Minnesota. We act as national and regional coordinating counsel for major manufacturers across the US and Canada. We have successfully defended both individual personal injury claims and multi-party mass torts and class action threats, producing excellent results including trial victories, summary judgment wins, and dismissals. We excel at bridging the gap between complex legal issues and scientific evidence, effectively dismantling “junk science” claims. Our established network of leading experts ensures they are readily available to partner with you and defuse potentially harmful litigation.

In addition to leading comprehensive litigation efforts, our attorneys are sought-after by other firms for their specialized expertise. We understand that complex or high-profile trials often require a strategic boost, and we are available to serve as trusted “drop-in” counsel, providing invaluable insight and firepower at critical junctures during a case.

Our team has secured exceptional outcomes for clients facing toxic exposure claims, from individual lawsuits to large-scale mass torts and class actions. Our team has successfully secured trial wins, summary judgments, and dismissals of meritless claims on behalf of clients.

Focus on PFAS

We also advise clients in a shifting regulatory landscape to limit potential exposure. One such area involves PFAS, known by the moniker “forever chemicals.” We are equipped to advise manufacturers on how to build the business case for PFAS mitigation within their organization; respond to evolving regulatory requirements; and mitigate their risk of PFAS-related litigation exposure. Our PFAS product stewardship advisory practice also involves review of insurance policies for PFAS exclusions, assistance with PFAS-related supplier communications and downstream customer audits or media inquiries, and evaluation of warnings and advertising and marketing statements about products containing PFAS.

Representative Successes

Obtaining dismissals, summary judgment rulings, and trial wins as regional counsel defending a Fortune 100 company in asbestos litigation.
Advising a manufacturer regarding PFAS regulatory burdens and litigation risks
Obtaining defense verdict in a lung cancer jury trial in a case tried in Ramsey County, Minnesota
Garnering voluntary dismissals in virtually every case over 10 years as regional coordinating counsel defending an industrial valve manufacturer in asbestos litigation
Serving as national counsel for manufacturer in defense of its carbon monoxide litigation
Securing a defense verdict in a week-long trial of a residential indoor air-quality case in Washington County, Minnesota
Winning a defense verdict in a two-week trial in a mesothelioma case tried in Ramsey County, Minnesota
Serving as lead counsel for a multinational manufacturer of defense products in connection with personal injury, medical monitoring, “cancerphobia,” and class action litigation arising out of contamination of a regional drinking water aquifer with trichloroethylene and other chlorinated solvents.
Obtaining a defense verdict in a two-week trial of a personal injury case claiming cancer from trace benzene products in Madison County, Illinois
Serving as trial counsel in public nuisance and product liability cases in Rhode Island (the longest civil jury trial in this state’s history) as well as in Wisconsin
Acting as trial counsel for a gasoline retailer involving personal injury and property damage claims arising out of underground storage tanks leak
Serving as trial counsel for a major Minnesota municipality confronting multiple claims for personal injury, property damage, and economic loss based on allegedly toxic airborne releases from its wastewater treatment plant
Serving as national coordinating counsel for a former manufacturer of lead paint and pigment in industry-wide conspiracy, fraud, and public nuisance litigation throughout the United States. In addition to our trial work, we obtained dismissals of lead personal injury and abatement claims in more than 100 other actions across the country
Serving as national coordinating counsel for a major multinational consumer and industrial products manufacturer in trace benzene mass tort cases
Acting as local counsel for a manufacturer defending against hydrochloric acid exposures