Court Opinion

ID: 9959902
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-04-12 20:11:47.587888+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:18:59.294391
License: Public Domain

Papsodero v Air & Liquid Sys. Corp.
               2024 NY Slip Op 31212(U)
                      April 8, 2024
           Supreme Court, New York County
        Docket Number: Index No. 190102/2022
                  Judge: Adam Silvera
Cases posted with a "30000" identifier, i.e., 2013 NY Slip
 Op 30001(U), are republished from various New York
 State and local government sources, including the New
  York State Unified Court System's eCourts Service.
 This opinion is uncorrected and not selected for official
                       publication.
 [FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 04/09/2024 05:02 P~                                             INDEX NO. 190102/2022
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 260                                                                    RECEIVED NYSCEF: 04/09/2024

                           SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
                                     NEW YORK COUNTY
           PRESENT:       HON. ADAM SILVERA                                PART                              13
                                                               Justice
                -----------------------------X
                                                                           INDEX NO.          190102/2022
            THOMAS LOUIS PAPSODERO, AMPARO PAPSODERO,
                                                                           MOTION DATE        12/20/2023
                                           Plaintiff,
                                                                                               003
                                                                           MOTION SEQ. NO. - - - ---
                                     -V-
            AIR & LIQUID SYSTEMS CORPORATION, ALFA LAVAL
            INC.,A.O. SMITH CORPORATION, ARMSTRONG
            INTERNATIONAL, INC.,ATWOOD & MORRILL COMPANY,
            INC.,BARNES AND JONES, INCORPORATED, BOSTIK,
            INC.,CARRIER CORPORATION, CLEAVER-BROOKS
            COMPANY, DAP PRODUCTS, INC, FMC CORPORATION,
            FORT KENT HOLDINGS, INC, GARDNER DENVER,
            INC.,GOULDS PUMPS, LLC,H.B. SMITH COMPANY, INC,
            HEXION INC.,HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.,IMO
            INDUSTRIES, INC.,INGERSOLL-RAND COMPANY, ITT
            CORPORATION, JERGUSON GAGE & VALVE COMPANY,
            KAISER GYPSUM COMPANY, INC.,LENNOX
            INDUSTRIES, INC, NASH ENGINEERING CO.,
            PROGRESS LIGHTING, INC.,RICHARDS INDUSTRIES
            VALVE GROUP, SID HARVEY INDUSTRIES, INC.,SPIRAX
            SARCO, INC.,TRANE U.S., INC.,UNION CARBIDE
            CORPORATION, WARREN PUMPS, LLC,WEIL MCLAIN
            CO., YORK INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION,
            AMERICAN BILTRITE, INC.,BURNHAM LLC IND. AND AS
            sue. TO KEWANEE BOILER AND BRYAN STEAM,                           DECISION + ORDER ON
            LLC,CHAMPION INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION AS                                MOTION
            SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO U.S. PLYWOOD-
            CHAMPION PAPERS, INC.,CLA-VAL CO., COPES-
            VULCAN, INC.,CURTISS-WRIGHT CORPORATION,
            FLOWSERVE CORP. SUCCESSOR TO DURCO,
            FLOWSERVE US, INC. IND. AND AS sue. TO
            NORDSTROM VALVES, FLOWSERVE US, INC. IND. AND
            AS sue. TO EDWARD VALVES, INC.,ROCKWELL
            MANUFACTURING INC.,GESTRA INC.,DURAMETALLIC
            CORP., ALDRICH PUMPS, CAMERON PUMPS, VOGT
            VALVES, AND WILSON-SNYDER CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS,
            GOODRICH CORPORATION IND. AND AS sue. TO F/K/A
            THE BF GOODRICH COMPANY SUCCESSOR -IN-
            INTEREST BY MERGER WITH COLTEC INDUSTRIES,
            INC. AND GARLOCK, INC.,GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER
            COMPANY, GRUNDFOS PUMPS CORPORATION USA,
            HOMASOTE COMPANY, H.B. FULLER COMPANY,
            INTERNATIONAL PAPER COMPANY IND. AND AS sue.
            TO OTIS FALLS PULP & PAPER COMPANY, J.H. FRANCE
             REFRACTORIES CO., INC.,MILWAUKEE VALVE
            COMPANY IND. AND AS sue. TO HAMMOND VALVE,

            190102/2022 PAPSODERO, THOMAS LOUIS ET AL vs. AIR & LIQUID SYSTEMS CORPORATION     Page 1 of 5
            ETAL
            Motion No. 003

                                                         1 of 5
[* 1]
 [FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 04/09/2024 05:02 P~                                                  INDEX NO. 190102/2022
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 260                                                                       RECEIVED NYSCEF: 04/09/2024

            MTH PUMPS/MTH TOOL COMPANY, INC.,MILTON ROY
            LLC,NICHOLSON STEAM TRAP, INC.,ROPER PUMP
            COMPANY, ROTH PUMP COMPANY, SLANT-FIN
            CORPORATION, SPX COOLING TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
            IND. AND AS sue. TO INDIVIDUALLy AND AS
            SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MARLEY COOLING
            TOWER COMPANY, SUPERIOR BOILER WORKS,
            INC.,WEIR VALVES & CONTROLS USA, INC.IND. AND AS
            sue. TO ATWOOD & MORRILL, CO.,
            INC.,WEYERHAEUSER COMPANY, GOODRICH                                                                   L
            CORPORATION, HUBBELL INCORPORATED
            (DELAWARE), LEVITON MANUFACTURING CO.,
            TENNECO AUTOMOTIVE OPERATING COMPANY
            INC.,AURORA PUMP COMPANY, BORGWARNER MORSE
            TEC LLC,CYCLOTHERM OF WATERTOWN, INC.,RAIN
            BIRD CORPORATION IND. AND AS sue. TO HAMMOND
            VALVE, GOODYEAR CANADA, INC.,CANVAS MW,
            LLC,F/K/A THE MARLEYWYLAIN COMPANY, LLC AND
            CANVAS SX, LLC,F/K/A SPX, LLC

                                             Defendant.

                                 ------------------------X

            The following e-filed documents, listed by NYSCEF document number (Motion 003) 223, 224, 225
           were read on this motion to/for                           CONSOLIDATE/JOIN FOR TRIAL

                   Upon the foregoing documents, it is ordered that plaintiffs order to show cause for a

           joint trial is granted for the reasons set forth below.

                   Here, plaintiff moves for a joint trial of two asbestos actions. Plaintiff seeks to

           consolidate the instant action with Stein as Executor for the Estate of Thomas McCormick v Air

           & Liquid Systems Corp., Individually and as Successor by Merger to Buffalo Pumps, Inc., et al.,

           190052/2023. Defendants Burnham LLC ("Burnham") and Jenkins Bros. ("Jenkins") oppose on

           the basis that plaintiff has not demonstrated sufficient commonalities between the cases, that a

           joint trial would violate moving defendants' due process rights, and would be judicially

           inefficient. Defendant Velan Steam Trap Corporation ("Velan Steam Trap") also opposes the

           instant order to show cause, joining in defendants Burnham and Jenkins' opposition.

             190102/2022 PAPSODERO, THOMAS LOUIS ET AL vs. AIR & LIQUID SYSTEMS CORPORATION         Page 2 of 5
             ETAL
             Motion No. 003

                                                            2 of 5
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 [FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 04/09/2024 05:02 P~                                                 INDEX NO. 190102/2022
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 260                                                                      RECEIVED NYSCEF: 04/09/2024

                  The Case Management Order dated June 20, 2017 (hereinafter referred to as the "CMO")

           states that "[t]wo cases may be joined for trial where plaintiff demonstrates that joinder is

           warranted under Malcolm v National Gypsum Co. (995 F2d 346), and New York State cases

           interpreting Malcolm. Malcolm and its progeny list factors to measure whether cases should be

           joined; it is not necessary under Malcolm that all such factors be present to warrant joinder."

           CMO, §XXV. B. The factors to be considered under Malcolm are "(1) common worksites; (2)

           similar occupation; (3) similar time of exposure; (4) type of disease; (5) whether plaintiffs were

           living or deceased; (6) status of discovery in each case; (7) whether all plaintiffs were

           represented by the same counsel; and (8) type of cancer alleged". Malcolm, 955 F2d at 350-351.

           The United States Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit, further noted that "[c]onsolidation of tort actions

           sharing common questions of law and fact is commonplace. This is true of asbestos-related

           personal injury cases as well." Malcolm, id. at 350 (internal quotations and citations omitted).

                  Plaintiff argues that consolidation of the cases for joint trial as specified above is

           appropriate. Plaintiff contends that both plaintiffs, Thomas McCormick and Thomas Papsodero,

           were exposed to asbestos during the course of their service with the United States Navy from

           similar asbestos-containing machinery aboard naval vessels (including gaskets, pumps, valves,

           and traps). Plaintiff further contends that both plaintiffs developed pleural mesothelioma from

           such exposure and the exposure occurred during "substantially overlapping years starting in the

           1960s". See Affirmation ofDerell D. Wilson, Esq. dated December 18, 2023, p. 9-10. Moreover,

           both cases are at the same stage of discovery and both plaintiffs are represented by the same

           counsel.

                   Defendants Burnham, Jenkins, and Velan Steam Trap argue that the plaintiffs did not

           have similar enough worksites or occupations and that plaintiffs' dates of exposure differ.

            190102/2022 PAPSODERO, THOMAS LOUIS ET AL vs. AIR & LIQUID SYSTEMS CORPORATION         Page 3 of 5
            ETAL
            Motion No. 003

                                                          3 of 5
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 [FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 04/09/2024 05:02 P~                                                 INDEX NO. 190102/2022
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 260                                                                      RECEIVED NYSCEF: 04/09/2024

           Defendants further argue that each matter requires different witnesses on their part and that a

           joint trial will not necessarily be resolved more quickly.

                  Here, reviewing all the Malcolm factors, the Court finds, and it is undisputed, that both

           plaintiffs, Mr. McCormick and Mr. Papsodero, were exposed to asbestos through their

           employment with the United States Navy, working aboard naval vessels, and their handling of

           similar materials and equipment. Additionally, both plaintiffs developed pleural mesothelioma

           from their exposure to asbestos, such overlapping period of exposure time being approximately

           24 years. The discovery in both of these actions are complete, and both plaintiffs have the same

           counsel. Thus, six of the eight Malcolm factors have been satisfied. There are common issues of

           law and fact in both actions. The CMO explicitly states that the Court may order joinder of cases

           based upon the Malcolm factors and that not all such factors must be present. Here, the Malcolm

           factors support joinder of the two actions. Although the two plaintiffs did not share common

           worksites, this does not preclude joinder of the cases for trial. Adequate safeguards can be put in

           place during the trial to avoid juror confusion. Thus, plaintiffs motion seeking a joint trial is

           granted.

                   Accordingly, it is

                   ORDERED that plaintiffs motion seeking a joint trial is granted; and it is further

                   ORDERED that a joint trial is granted as to the instant action with Stein as Executor for

           the Estate of Thomas McCormick v Air & Liquid Systems Corp., Individually and as Successor

           by Merger to Buffalo Pumps, Inc., et al., 190052/2023; and it is further

                   ORDERED that all parties to appear in Court on June 4, 2024 at 9:30am in room 422 of

           60 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007 for trial. Counsel must be prepared for jury selection on

           such date; and it is further

            190102/2022 PAPSODERO, THOMAS LOUIS ET AL vs. AIR & LIQUID SYSTEMS CORPORATION         Page 4 of 5
            ETAL
            Motion No. 003

                                                          4 of 5
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 [FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 04/09/2024 05:02 P~                                                    INDEX NO. 190102/2022
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 260                                                                           RECEIVED NYSCEF: 04/09/2024

                   ORDERED that, within 14 days of entry, plaintiffs shall serve a copy of this order upon

           all parties, together with notice of entry.

                   This constitutes the Decision/Order of the Court.

                   4/8/2024
                    DATE                                                           ADAM SILVERA, J.S.C.

            CHECK ONE:                   CASE DISPOSED              X   NON-FINAL DISPOSITION

                                     X   GRANTED         □ DENIED       GRANTED IN PART            □ OTHER
            APPLICATION:                 SETTLE ORDER                   SUBMIT ORDER

            CHECK IF APPROPRIATE:        INCLUDES
                                         TRANSFER/REASSIGN
                                                                        FIDUCIARY APPOINTMENT      □ REFERENCE

            190102/2022 PAPSODERO, THOMAS LOUIS ET AL vs. AIR & LIQUID SYSTEMS CORPORATION           Page 5 of 5
            ET AL
            Motion No. 003

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