October 7th, 2007

Lawyers for asbestos victims trying to sue pharmaceutical giant Pfizer are urging the bankruptcy court to speed along the company’s Chapter 11 suit. The bankruptcy allows Pfizer to ignore lawsuits until they emerge from Chapter 11.

Asbestos victims and their lawyers are urging a bankruptcy court to speed along the process for Quigley Company, a defunct division of Pfizer. The Chapter 11 filing is dragging along, keeping the lawyers from suing the parent company of Pfizer in cases involving heat-resistant materials made by Quigley. The material contained asbestos, which resulted in cases of asbestos-related diseases for those who came in contact with the material during manufacturing. Lawyers are urging that a trustee be put in place to handle the bankruptcy, which has been in process since 2004.

The claims of asbestos related diseases include asbestosis, emphysema and mesothelioma, all of which can be linked to asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma is a form of lung cancer that is directly linked to asbestos exposure and results from airborne asbestos particles becoming stuck in the lungs. The particles keep the tissue from absorbing oxygen, effectively suffocating the victim to death. The move to appoint a trustee will be heard in June of this year.