2008 D e c i sion s O p inion s of the U nit e d S t at e s C ourt of Appe al s for the Third C ircuit 7-11-2008 

# Jesensky v . A B es t Pro duct s P re c e de nt i al or Non-P re c e de nt i al : Non-P re c e de nt i al D ocke t No . 06-3102

F o llow thi s and a ddit ion al works at : http://digit alc ommon s .l a w . vill anova . e du/thirdc ircuit_2008

Thi s de c i sion i s brought t o you for f re e and ope n a c c e s s by the O p inion s of the U nit e d S t at e s C ourt of Appe al s for the Third C ircuit at V ill anova U nive rsity S choo l of L a

w Digit al Reposit ory

. It h as be e n a c c ept e d for inclusion in 2008 D e c i sion s by an authori z e d a dmini s trat or of V ill anova U nive rsity S choo l of L a

w Digit al Reposit ory

. F or more inform at ion, p le as e c ont a ct Be n j amin . C arl s on@l a

w . vill anova . e du . Re c omme nde d C it at ion
" J e s e n sk y v . A Be s t P roducts " (2008). 2008 D e cisio n s . P ape r 854. http://digit alc ommon s .l a

w . vill anova . e du/thirdc ircuit_2008/854NOT P RE CE DE NT I AL UN I TED STATES CO UR T OF A PP EALS F O R T H E T H IR D C IR C U IT
N o. 06- 3102
K A R E N J E SE N SK Y and A N T H O N Y J E SE N SK Y herhus band, A p p e l l a n t s
v . A
- B E ST PR O D U C T S, i n i t s ow n r i ghtand as s u c c e s s o r - i n - i n t e r e s tt o A s b e s t o s P r o d u c t s C o m p a n y; NI CHI AS C O. ; S AFE TY- F I RS T INDU S TRI ES , I NC. in its o w n ri g h t a n d a s s u c c e s s o r- in -i n te re s t to S a f e ty F ir s t S u p p ly, In c .; A LLI ED G LO V E C O RP. ; N O RT H A M ER I CA N RE FRA CT O RI ES;

GE NE RA L RE F RA CT OR I E S CO M P ANY; D R E S S E R IN D U S T R IES , IN C
. and i t s di vis i on H arbi son-W al ker R efract ori es; CH I CA GO F I RE BR I CK CO M P ANY; P L I BR I CO CO M P ANY; *T H IEM C O R P O R A T IO N and i t s di vis i on , U niver sal R efract ori es; O G L E B A Y N O R T O N C O M PA N Y and i t s di vi s i on, Ferr o E ngi neer i ng; F OS E CO , I NC
. ; S E E GOT T , I NC
. ; HE DM AN MI NE S , L T D; I NS UL CO M P ANY, I NC ; P I T T S BU RG H M E T AL S P UR I F YI NG C OM P ANY; P E T E R S O N C A N V A S P R O D U C T S ; A N C H O R P A C K IN G ; G A R L O C K , IN C .;

A R G O P A C K IN G C O M P A N Y ; D U R A M E T A L L IC C O R P .; D U R A B L A M A N U FA C T U R I N G C O M PA N Y i n i t s ow n r i ght

a n d a s s u c c e s s o r t o D u ra b la C a n a d a , L td .; G O O D Y E A R T IR E & R U B B E R C O M P A N Y , IN C .;

U N I R O Y A L , I N C
. al s o know n as T HE UNI RO YAL GOODR I CH T I RE CO M P ANY; BI GE L OW- L I P T AK C OR P OR AT I ON; B E A Z E R E A S T , IN C . in its o w n rig h t an d a s s u c c e ss o r to K opper s C o. , I nc. , and otherr el at ed compani es i ncl udi ng Th i e m Co rp . , Be a z e rUSA, I n c . , a n d Be a z e r , P LC; GR ANT WI L S ON, I NC ; P I T T S BU RG H C ORNI NG C OR P OR AT I ON; OWEN S
- CO RN I NG F I BE RG L AS CO RP OR AT I ON; T HE RO CK WOOL M ANF AC T UR I NG C OM P ANY; A D IE N C E , IN C . su c e ss o r-in -in ter e st to A d ie n c e C o m p a n y , L P , a s s u c c e s s o r t o B M I, I n c .;2

T H E M A R M O N G R O U P , IN C . in its o w n rig h t an d su c c e ss o r-in -in ter e st to th e C e rr o -M a rm o n C o rp ., C e rr o C o rp ., C e rr o W ir e & C a b le C o ., In c ., T h e R o c kb e s to s C o . a n d T h e R o c kb e s to s P ro d u c ts C o rp .; * G A T E W A Y IN D U S T R IA L S U P P L Y ; F .B . W R IG H T C O M P A N Y , IN C .; R A P ID -A M E R IC A N C O R P . in its o w n rig h t an d a s s u c c e ss o r-in -in ter e st to T he Phi l i p C ar eyM anufa ctur i ng C om pany , Phi l i p C ar eyC orpor at i on, B r i ggs M anufa ctur i ng C om pany , Panacon Com panyand G l en A l den C orpor at i on; G E O R G E V . H A M IL T O N , IN C .; T O W N S E N D & B O T T U M , IN C .; A C & S , IN C .; S A U E R , IN C .; H IN C H L IF F E & K E E N E R , IN C .;

RO BE RT S ON C E CO CO RP OR AT I ON, f o rme r l yk n o wn a s H. H. RO BE RT S ON C OM P ANY; H . B . FU L L E R C O M PA N Y i n i t s ow n r i ght and i t s di vi s i on Fost erPr oduct s C orpor at i on; AS BE S T OS P RA Y C OR P OR AT I ON; UNI T E D S T AT E S M I NE RA L P RO DUC T S CO M P ANY; W . R . G R A C E C O M PA N Y i n i t s ow n r i ght a n d a s s u c c e s s o rt o Z o n o l i t e C o m p a n y; A T L A S IN D U S T R IE S , IN C .; E A R L B . B E A C H C O M PA N Y al s o know n as T H E E A R L B . B E A C H C O
. O F PH I L A D E L PH I A al s o know n as THE EARL B. BEACH CO. OF P HI LADEL P HI A, P LC; F L I NT KOT E CO M P ANY; GE NE RA L M OT OR S CO RP OR AT I ON; G E N E R A L E L E C T R I C C O M PA N Y and i t s W i r e & C abl e D i vi s i on; WES T I NGHOU S E E L E CT RI C C OR P OR AT I ON; GR E E NE T WEE D & CO M P ANY; I NGE RS OL L
- RA ND; M .H . D E T R IC K C O M P A N Y s u b s id ia ry o f D e tr ic kC o m p a n ie s , In c .; QUAKE R S T AT E CO RP OR AT I ON; RI L E Y S T OKE R C OR P OR AT I ON; UNI ON B OI L E R C OM P ANY; F OS T E R WHE E L E R C OR P OR AT I ON;

S E P C O C O R P O R A T IO N ; M c C A R L S , IN C .; P E NNS YL VANI A E L E CR I C C OM P ANY; IN D U S T R IA L IN S U L A T IO N S A L E S , IN C .; C O N G O L E U M C O R P O R A T IO N a s u b s id ia ry o f A m e ri c a n B iltr ite , In c .; T HE CA RB OR UNDUM COMP ANY; DUQUE S NE L I GHT CO M P ANY; F AI RMONT S UP P L Y C OM P ANY; RU T L AND F I RE CL AY S UP P L Y C OM P ANY; C O O P E R IN D U S T R IE S , IN C . in its o w n rig h t an d a s s u c c e ss o r-in -in ter e st to M c G ra w -E d is o n , C o ., W a g n e r E le c tr ic C o rp ., S tu d e b a k e r W o rth in g to n , In c .,

E d is o n In te rn a tio n a l, I n c ., a n d T u n g S o l E le c tr ic , In c .; P E NNS YL VANI A I NDUS T RI AL S UP P L I E S CO M P ANY; J . H. F RA NC E RE F RA CT OR I E S CO M P ANY3 *PerC l erk' s O r derof 1/ 5/ 07
O n A p p ea l from the U n it ed S tat es D istri ct C o u rt f o r th e W e ste rn D istric t o f P e n n sy lv a n ia D . C
. C i vi l A ct i on N o. 96- cv- 0680 ( H onor abl e I l a J eanne Sens eni ch)
A r gued A pr i l 17, 2008 B e f o re : S C IR IC A , C hi ef

Judge , A M B R O a n d F IS H E R , C i r cui tJudges
. ( Fi l ed Jul y11, 2008 ) D avi d B
. R odes , E s qui r e ( A r gued) Jaso n T . S h ipp , E sq u ir e G o ldb e rg , P e rsk y& W h ite 1030 Fi fth A venue, T hi r d Fl oor Pi tt s bur gh, Penns y l vani a 15219 A tto rn e y s f

o r A p p e llan ts D avi d P. H el w i g, E s qui r e ( A r gued) M arks , O ' N ei l l , O ' B r i en & C ourtney 2600 G ul f Tow er 707 G r antStr eet Pi tt s bur gh, Penns y l vani a 15219 A tt orneyforA ppel l ee M cC ar l ’ s , I nc. C athyR . G or don, E s qui r e ( A r gued) Swa rt z Ca mpb e l l , LLC 4750 U
. S. St eel T ow er 600 G r antStr eet Pi tt s bur gh, Penns y l vani a 15219 A tt orneyforA ppel l ee D uques ne Li ghtC om pany M ark A
. B eh ren s, E sq u ir e Shook, H ar dy& B acon 600 14th Str eet , N . W . , Sui t e 800 W as hi ngt on, D . C
. 20005 A tt orneyforA m i ci C ur i ae- A ppel l eeJ es ens ky ’ s hus band al s o as s ert s cl ai m s r el at i ng t o the i nj ur i es s us t ai ned byK ar en 1 J e s e n s k y. 4 T h e C o a litio n f

o r L itig a tio n J u s tic e , In c ., C hamberof C om m er ce of the U ni t ed St at es of A m er i ca, N at i on al A ssoci at i on of M anu factures, A m er i can I ns ur ance A s s oci at i on, Pr opertyC as ual tyI ns ur er s A s s oci at i on of A m er i ca, A m e ric a n C h e m istryC o u n c il
OPINI ON O F THE COURT
S C IR IC A , C hi ef

Judge
. A p p e llan t K a re n Je se n sk y a ss e rts c laim s f o r in ju rie s a lleg e d lysu f

f e re d a s a re su lt 1
o f e x p o s u re to a s b e s to s f

ib e rs h e r f

a th e r i n a d v e rt e n tly c a rr ie d h o m e f ro m h is w o rk p la c e . T he D i s tr i ctC ourtgr ant ed s um m aryj udgm enti n favorof def endant s M cC ar l ’ s , I nc. and Du q u e s n e Li g h tCo mp a n y . W e wi l l a f f i rm. E ugene Schi rr a, a uni on s t eam fi tt erand pi pe fi tt erfornear l ythi rtyy ear s , w orked
as a contr act orats ever al i ndus tr i al s i t es . D ur i ng thatt i m e per i od, hi s daught er , K ar en J es ens ky , r egul ar l yl oaned he rcart o hi m fora w ork carpool , pi cked hi m up fr om hi s bus
s t op aft erw ork, and w as hed hi s w ork cl othes
. I n l at e 1994 orear l y1995, J es ens kyw as di agnos ed w i th m es othel i om a, s er i ous l yi m pai r i ng herheal th. J es ens kyfi l ed cl ai m s agai ns ts i xty - ni ne def endant s i n the Penns y l vani a C ourtof C o m m o n P lea s. S h e a lleg e d h e r m e so th e lio m a w a s c a u se d b yse c o n d h a n d e x p o su re toJe se n sk y ’s c laim s a g a in st m o st o f th e se d e f

e n d a n ts w e re e ith e r se ttl e d o r d ism iss e d in 2 sta te c o u rt f

o r Je se n sk y ’s f

a ilu re to p ro f

f e r e v id e n c e sh o w in g th a t h e r f a th e r w a s in c o n ta c t w ith p a rt ic u la r p ro d u c ts . See Ecke nr od v. GA F C or p. , 544 A
. 2d 50, 52 ( Pa. S u p e r. C t. 1 9 8 8 ) ( to s u rv iv e a m o tio n f o r s u m m a ry ju d g m e n t in a n a s b e s to s c a s e , a pl ai nt i ff mustes t abl i s h thati nj ur i es w er e caus ed bythe pr oductof a pa rt i cul ar m anufa ctur erors uppl i erand mustpr es entevi dence t o s how thathe/ s he i nhal ed as bes t os fib ers sh ed b ythe s p ec ifi c p rod u ct). 5 asb esto s p rod u cts p rese n t ath er f athe r’s w o rkp lace s. M o st of the d ef en d an ts w ere
m anu facturer s or s up pli ers of asb est os produ ct s. 2 T w o d ef en d an ts – M cC arl’s an d D u q u esn e L igh t – w ere n eith er m an u fa cture rs
nors uppl i er s of as bes t os pr oduct s . J es ens ky ’ s cl ai m s agai ns tM cC ar l ’ s al l egedl yar i s e out
o f a fo u r-m o n th p eriod d u ri n g w h ich M cC arl’s em p loy ed S ch irra a t B ab co ck & W il co x ’s
s t eel m i l l i n K oppel , Penns y l vani a. J es ens ky ’ s cl ai m s agai ns tD uques ne Li ghtC om pany
ar i s e outof a f

our - y earper i od i n w hi ch Schi rr a w orked atthe Shi ppi ngportA t om i c Pow er St at i on. T he Shi ppi ngportpow erpl ant , w hi ch us ed a nuc l earr eac t oras a s our ce f or gener at i ng comm er ci al el ectr i ci ty , w as over s een bythe A t om i c Ener gyC om m i s s i on ( “A E C ”) i n exer ci s e of i t s author i tyunderthe A t om i c Ener gyA ctof 1954, as amended, 42 U
. S. C
. § 2011 et

s eq . D u q u e sn e L ig h t C o m p a n yc o n tra c ted w ith th e A E C to part i ci pat e i n the cons truct i on and oper at i on of the pow erpl ant . Schi rr a w orked atthe S h i p p i n g p o rtp o w e rp l a n ta s a n i n d e p e n d e n tc o n tr a c t o ro f D u q u e s n e L i g h tC o m p a n y. Jesensky ’s com plai nt, ori ginal l yfi l ed in the P enn sy l van i a C ou rtof C om m on P l eas,
w a s re m o v e d b yD u q u e s n e L ig h t u n d e r th e f e d e ra l o f f ic e r r e m o v a l s ta tu te , 2 8 U .S .C . §R emoval under28 U
. S. C
. § 1442( a) ( 1) i s pr operi f the movi ng party : ( 1) demonstr at es 3 that i tact ed u nd er the d i rect i on of an off i cer of the U nit ed S t at es; (2) dem on strat es a caus al nexus betw een Pl ai nt i ffs ’ cl ai m s and the ac t s i tper form ed undercol orof fe der al o f f ic e ; a n d (3 ) r a is e s a c o lo ra b le f e d e ra l d e f

e n s e . Se e Me sa v . Ca lif o rn ia , 489 U
. S. 121, 1 2 4 -3 5 (1 9 8 9 ). D u q u e sn e L ig h t C o m p a n yc o n ten d s re m o v a l w a s p ro p e r h e re b e c a u se , in cons truct i ng and oper at i ng the Shi ppi ngportpow erpl ant , i t : ( 1) act ed underthe s upervi s i on and s peci fi c di r ect i on of R earA dm i r al H . G
. R i ckover , D i r ect orof the D i vi s i on of N aval R eac t or s of the A E C and hi s as s i gned off i cer s ; ( 2) fol l ow ed A dm i r al R i ckover ’ s expr es s or der s i n des i gni ng, cons truct i ng and oper at i ng the pl ant ; and ( 3) i ndi cat ed i t s i nt entt o pur s ue the “gove rnm entcontr act ordefe ns e” a rt i cul at ed i n B oyle v. U ni ted Techs
. C or

p. , 487 U
. S. 500 ( 1988)
. J es ens kycont ends r emoval w as i m pr operand se e k s re m a n d to sta te c o u rt. 6 1 4 4 2 (a )(1 ). In D istric t C o u rt, D u q u e sn e L ig h t m o v e d f o r su m m a ryju d g m e n t, 3 cont endi ng thatJ es ens ky ’ s compl ai ntfai l ed t o pr oper l ypl ead acl ai m , and i f a c l ai m had been pr oper l ypl eade d, thati tow ed no dutyt o J es ens kyunderPenns y l vani a l aw . T he M agi s tr at e Judge i nt erpr et ed J es ens ky ’ s compl ai ntas as s ert i ng a cl ai m of negl i gence , pr edi cat ed on a pr emi s es l i abi l i tytheory , w i thoutdi s cus s i ng the s uffi ci encyof the pl eadi ngs . R eac hi ng the mer i t s , the M agi s tr at e Judge r ecomm ended gr ant i ng D uques ne L ig h t’ s m o tio n , f

in d in g th e c o m p a n yo w e d J e s e n s k yn o d u ty u n d e r P e n n s y lv a n ia la w . T he D i s tr i ctC ourt , adopt i ng the M agi s tr at e Judge’ s R eportand R ecomm endat i on, gr ant ed
s u m m a ry ju d g m e n t in f a v o r o f D u q u e s n e L ig h t C o m p a n yw ith o u t f u rth e r c o m m e n t. M c C a rl’s a lso m o v e d f

o r su m m a ryju d g m e n t in D istric t C o u rt, co n ten d in g th a t it had notbeen i dent i fi ed as a s our ce of anyas bes t os expos ur e thatal l egedl yi nj ur ed Je se n sk y . T h e M a g istra te J u d g e , fin d in g th a t Je se n sk yh a d n o t alle g e d a n yf a c ts to
s upporta negl i gence cl ai m agai ns tM cC ar l ’ s and i ndi cat i ng thatno s uch cl ai m coul d beT he M agi s tr at e Judge i s s ued a Suppl ement al R eportand R ecomm endat i on on the 4 m o ti o n b yM cC arl’s fo ll o w ing Jese n sk y ’s fil ing o f o b jecti o n s to the M ag istrate Ju d g e’s i ni t i al R eportand R ecomm endat i on. T h e c o m p lain t alle g e s, in p a rt: 5 [¶ ] 7. D ef

en d an ts, at all ti m es re leva n t and p erti n en t here to, w ere engage d i n the bus i nes s of m i ni ng and/ orm i l l i ng and/ or (c o n tin u e d ...) 7 found i n the pl eadi ngs , r ecomm ended gr ant i ng M cC ar l ’ s s um m aryj udgm entm ot i on. 4 T he D i s tr i ctC ourtgr ant ed s um m aryj udgm enti n favorof M cC ar l ’ s w i thoutfurther
c o m m e n t. T h e D istri ct C o u rtw as c o rrect t o d ism iss Jesen sk y ’s claim s ag ains t M cC arl’s bas ed on the i ns uffi ci encyof the pl eadi ngs , and the s ame r eas oni ng i s di s pos i t i ve as t o the cl ai m s agai ns tD uques ne Li ght
. I n the br i efs , J es ens kychar act er i zes the compl ai ntas
asse rt ing a c lai m fo r ne g li g en ce b ase d o n the c o m p an y ’s “f ail u re to w arn ” o f th e d an g ers
o f th e a s b e s to s p ro d u c ts u s e d a t its f a c ility. See , e .g ., J es ens kyB r . at11 ( “A l though the C om pl ai nti n the pr es entact i on i s couche d i n t erm s pr i nci pal l yappl i cabl e t o pr oduct d ef en d an ts, the e ssen ti al claim ag ains t D u q u esn e L igh t i s p red icated o n it s fa il u re to w arn
orotherw i s e pr ot ectM r . Schi rr a, and thus der i vat i vel yM s . J es ens ky , agai ns toff- pr emi s es tr ans port at i on of as bes t os fi ber s . ”)
. A tor al ar gum ent , J es ens kynot ed “the es s ence of our th e o ry w a s th a t it w a s a n e g lig e n c e p re m is e s lia b ility c a s e .” T hes e s t at e l aw cl ai m s ar e abs entfr om J es ens ky ’ s compl ai nt . O n i t s fac e, the compl ai nti s voi d of anyr efe r ence t o a pr emi s es l i abi l i tycl ai m or“fa i l ur e t o w arn” theo ry . A t oral arg u m en t, Jese n sk yco n ce d ed the c o m p lai n t’ s d ef ici en cy , stat ing : “i t’ s 5(
. . . cont i nued) 5 m anufa ctur i ng and/ orfabr i cat i ng and/ ors uppl y i ng and/ or

s el l i ng as bes t os - cont ai ni ng pr oduct s t o w hi ch pl ai nt i ff w as expos ed. Speci fi cal l y , i n the ca s e of de fenda ntFost er W heelerC orporat i on , this i ncludes the u t i l i zat i on of asb est oscont ai ni ng pr oduct s i n the cons truct i on and/ orr econs truct i on and/ orr epai rof boi l er s i n pow erhous es , i ndus tr i al fac i l i t i es and el s ew her e.

. . . [¶] 10. Pl ai nt i ff’ s di s eas es [s i c] as s etforth her ei n w i th as s oci at ed

compl i cat i ons w as [s i c] di r ect l yand pr oxi m at el ycaus ed by th e a c ts o f

th e d e f e n d a n ts a c tin g th ro u g h th e ir a g e n ts, se rv a n ts a n d e m p lo y e e s a n d th e d e f e n d a n ts a re liab le th e re f o re , join tly and s ever al l y , t o the pl ai nt i ff f orthei rnegl i gence , br eac h of w arr antyand as a r es ul tof the s tr i ctdutyand l i abi l i tyi m pos ed un der Sec t i on 40 2A of the R est at em ent ( S econ d) of T ort s. [¶] 11. T he def

endant s m i ned and/ orm i l l ed and/ orm anufa ctur ed and/ orfabr i cat ed and/ ors uppl i ed and/ ors ol d pr oduct s w hi ch th e yk n e w w e re d e f

e c tiv e a n d /o r u n re a so n a b lyd a n g e ro u s to the us erorcons um er , s uch as pl ai nt i ff, and ac t ed i n s uch a m annerw hi ch w as w i l l ful , w ant on, gr os s and i n t ot al d isr eg ard fo r th e h ea lth an d saf etyo f th e u ser o r co n su m er, i
. e. , pl ai nt i ff. 8 true thatthat ’ s nothow w e pl ed i t ; i tw as an i nart ful pl eadi ng. ” M or eover , J es ens ky
a d m itte d a t o ra l a rg u m e n t th a t th e c o m p la in t “ s h o u ld h a v e b e e n a m e n d e d . . . .” E v e n s o , J e s e n s k yh a s n o t s u b m itte d a p ro p o s e d a m e n d e d c o m p la in t o n th is ap p e a l. A nd ther e i s no r ecor d of herhavi ng everpr epar ed ors ubm i tt ed a pr opos ed amended
c o m p lain t in th e p a st. In a law su it th a t n o w d a tes b a c ktw e lv e y e a rs, w e d e c lin e to p e rm it9

amendm entof the pl eadi ngs w her e the pl ai nt i ff ha s neverm oved t o amend hercompl ai nt
noroffe r ed anyexpl anat i on forherfai l ur e t o do s o. F o r th e f o reg o ing rea so n s, w e w il l aff irm the D istri ct C o u rt ’s gra n t of su m m ary j udgm enti n favorof D uques ne Li ghtC om panyand M cC ar l ’ s . A ccor di ngl y , the J es ens ky s ’ cl ai m s agai ns tboth defe ndant s ar e di s m i s s ed w i thoutl eave t o amend.