About C.E. Thurston & Sons and Its Asbestos Liability
C.E. Thurston & Sons was an industrial insulation contracting company that performed pipe insulation and equipment insulation work at industrial facilities. Insulation contractors occupied a unique position in the asbestos exposure chain: unlike manufacturers who made asbestos products, or facility owners where asbestos products were installed, insulation contractors were the companies whose workers directly applied the asbestos insulation on a daily basis as their core occupation.
Insulators employed by C.E. Thurston & Sons worked with asbestos pipe covering, block insulation, and related materials manufactured by companies like Johns-Manville, Owens Corning, Pittsburgh Corning, and Philip Carey. The act of cutting, fitting, and applying this insulation — and the cleanup and removal work that followed — generated high concentrations of airborne asbestos fibers. Insulators as an occupational group have among the highest documented rates of mesothelioma of any trade.
As asbestos personal injury claims accumulated against insulation contracting companies, C.E. Thurston & Sons established a trust to compensate its workers and others exposed at its job sites. The trust pays at 50% of the scheduled disease value — a high payment percentage that reflects the severe and direct nature of the asbestos exposure that Thurston’s insulation workers experienced.
Trust Fund Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Trust Name | C.E. Thurston & Sons Asbestos Trust |
| Predecessor Company | C.E. Thurston & Sons (industrial insulation contractor) |
| Payment Percentage | 50% |
| Type of Liability | Insulation contracting — direct asbestos pipe insulation application |
| Primary Exposure Group | Insulators, pipefitters, and construction workers at C.E. Thurston project sites |
| Claim Types Accepted | Mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, pleural disease |
The 50% payment percentage is one of the highest available among insulation contractor trusts and reflects the direct and intensive nature of asbestos exposure that insulation workers experienced. Your attorney will obtain current scheduled values to calculate the specific payment amount.
Who Is Eligible to File with the C.E. Thurston Trust?
Eligibility requires documented employment by C.E. Thurston & Sons or work on projects where Thurston performed insulation contracting work, combined with a qualifying disease diagnosis.
Eligible workers include:
- Insulators and pipe covering mechanics who were directly employed by C.E. Thurston & Sons
- Apprentice insulators and helpers who assisted Thurston mechanics during insulation work
- Pipefitters and steamfitters who worked alongside C.E. Thurston insulation crews at industrial facilities
- Workers at industrial facilities where C.E. Thurston performed insulation contracting work and who were in proximity to the insulation operations
Important note: Filing with the C.E. Thurston Trust addresses the contractor’s liability. You may also have separate claims against the trusts of the asbestos insulation product manufacturers whose materials Thurston workers applied (e.g., Manville, Pittsburgh Corning, Owens Corning). These are separate claims requiring separate documentation and can be filed simultaneously.
How to File a C.E. Thurston Trust Claim
- Consult a mesothelioma attorney: Your attorney will assess your employment history to determine whether you worked for C.E. Thurston & Sons or on C.E. Thurston project sites.
- Document Thurston employment or project work: Employment records, union records, and co-worker affidavits establishing your connection to C.E. Thurston & Sons are compiled.
- Medical documentation: Pathology report and diagnosis records are assembled.
- Claim submission: Your attorney submits the completed claim to the C.E. Thurston Trust administrator.
- Review and payment: The trust pays at 50% of the scheduled disease value upon approval.
Can You File Other Claims at the Same Time?
Yes — and for insulators, this is especially important. The C.E. Thurston Trust covers the contracting company’s liability, but the asbestos insulation products Thurston workers applied were made by Manville, Pittsburgh Corning, Owens Corning/Owens-Illinois, and other companies with their own separate trusts. All product manufacturer trusts can be filed simultaneously with the Thurston contractor trust, and a lawsuit against solvent defendants can proceed at the same time. An experienced mesothelioma attorney will identify every applicable trust.
Frequently Asked Questions
The C.E. Thurston & Sons Trust pays at 50% of the scheduled disease value — one of the highest percentages among insulation contractor trusts. Your attorney will determine the current scheduled value to calculate the specific dollar amount for your disease category.
Yes, and this is standard practice for former insulators. The C.E. Thurston Trust addresses the contracting company’s liability. The product manufacturer trusts (Manville, Pittsburgh Corning, Owens Corning, etc.) address the manufacturers’ liability for the specific insulation products used. These are separate claims that can — and should — be filed simultaneously to maximize your total recovery.
Insulators applied asbestos pipe insulation as their core job function. Cutting, fitting, and applying asbestos insulation generated very high airborne asbestos fiber concentrations. Studies of insulators have consistently documented mesothelioma rates dozens to hundreds of times above background rates in the general population. The asbestos insulation trade was one of the most hazardous occupations for asbestos disease risk.