Garlock GST Settlement Facility

About the Garlock GST Settlement Facility

Garlock Sealing Technologies, a subsidiary of EnPro Industries, was one of the leading American manufacturers of industrial gaskets, compression packing, and sealing products for much of the twentieth century. Founded in the 1880s in Palmyra, New York, Garlock supplied gaskets and packing materials to refineries, chemical plants, paper mills, power plants, and shipyards across the country. For decades, many of these products contained chrysotile and other forms of asbestos, which provided heat resistance, durability, and flexibility critical to high-temperature industrial applications.

Workers who cut, trimmed, or installed Garlock gaskets — and those who removed old Garlock packing from pipe flanges and valve stems — were routinely exposed to dangerous asbestos fibers. The acts of cutting sheet gaskets to fit pipe flanges or removing old compressed packing from stuffing boxes released airborne fibers that workers inhaled without protective equipment. Decades after these exposures, many pipefitters, millwrights, refinery operators, and maintenance mechanics were diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, and asbestos-related lung cancer.

Garlock Sealing Technologies filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of North Carolina on June 5, 2010. EnPro Industries and Garlock stated that the bankruptcy was necessary to address mounting asbestos personal injury liabilities that threatened to overwhelm the company. The bankruptcy proceeding became exceptionally contentious. Bankruptcy Judge George Hodges issued a landmark 2014 opinion estimating Garlock's asbestos liability at approximately $125 million — dramatically lower than plaintiffs had sought — based in part on findings that prior tort system settlements had been inflated. That ruling was ultimately vacated and the case returned for further proceedings, resulting in a more substantial settlement. The GST Settlement Facility was established following a negotiated resolution to handle all present and future asbestos personal injury claims against Garlock entities.

Trust Fund Details

Note: Because the GST Settlement Facility is still being finalized, specific payment percentages and scheduled values remain subject to change. An attorney experienced with asbestos trusts can provide updated figures at no cost to you.

Who Is Eligible to File a Garlock GST Claim

The GST Settlement Facility compensates individuals who were exposed to asbestos from Garlock-manufactured products and who have been diagnosed with a qualifying asbestos-related disease. Eligibility is based on both a confirmed disease diagnosis and documented exposure to Garlock products. The following occupations and worksites are most commonly associated with Garlock product exposure:

Occupations With High Garlock Exposure Risk

• Pipefitters and steamfitters who cut and installed Garlock sheet gaskets at industrial facilities
• Plumbers and pipe trades workers in industrial and commercial settings
• Boilermakers who worked on boiler flanges and high-temperature piping systems
• Maintenance mechanics and millwrights at refineries, paper mills, and chemical plants
• Refinery operators at petroleum refineries where Garlock products were standard issue
• Power plant workers including operators and maintenance staff
• Shipyard workers who installed and removed Garlock gaskets on marine piping systems
• Valve and pump mechanics who handled Garlock compression packing materials
• Industrial workers at paper and pulp mills throughout the United States
• Steel mill maintenance workers who used sealing products in high-heat applications
• Insulators and other trades workers who worked alongside pipefitters using Garlock products

Key Worksites and Industries

• Petroleum refineries (Gulf Coast, Midwest, and West Coast facilities)
• Chemical processing plants across the United States
• Paper and pulp mills
• Power generation facilities (coal, nuclear, and steam plants)
• Naval shipyards and commercial shipbuilding facilities
• Steel manufacturing plants
• Industrial manufacturing facilities throughout the eastern and midwestern United States

Exposure Timeframe

Garlock manufactured asbestos-containing gaskets and packing products from the early twentieth century through the 1970s and into the early 1980s. Workers exposed to Garlock products during this period are at risk of asbestos-related disease. Because mesothelioma has a latency period of 20 to 50 years, many workers are only now receiving diagnoses for exposures that occurred decades ago.

Qualifying Diagnoses

• Mesothelioma (pleural, peritoneal, or pericardial)
• Lung cancer with confirmed asbestos exposure history
• Asbestosis
• Other asbestos-related diseases as defined in the trust distribution procedures

How to File a Claim With the Garlock GST Settlement Facility

Filing a trust fund claim is a legal process that requires documented medical evidence and a verified exposure history. Here is how the process typically works:

1. Retain an experienced mesothelioma attorney. Trust fund claims involve complex legal procedures, document requirements, and firm deadlines. Virtually all asbestos attorneys work on a contingency fee basis — you pay nothing unless you recover compensation.
2. Gather your work and exposure history. Your attorney will need a detailed account of where you worked, what products you handled, and when you were exposed to Garlock gaskets or sealing products. Union records, Social Security earnings history, and co-worker affidavits can all help establish exposure.
3. Obtain your medical records and diagnosis documentation. A pathology report confirming a mesothelioma or asbestos disease diagnosis is essential. Your attorney will obtain these records and may arrange for review by a qualified specialist physician.
4. Your attorney prepares and submits the claim package. The claim package includes the completed claim form, medical documentation, exposure evidence, and any required affidavits. Your attorney handles this process entirely on your behalf.
5. The trust reviews and evaluates your claim. The GST Settlement Facility processes the claim and determines whether it meets the criteria in the Trust Distribution Procedures (TDP). Expedited review may be available for terminal mesothelioma patients who need faster resolution.
6. Receive a payment offer and decide to accept or contest. If the trust makes a payment offer, you and your attorney will evaluate it together. You have options if the offer is below the expected scheduled value, including requesting individual review.
7. Receive your compensation. Upon acceptance, funds are disbursed according to the trust's payment schedule. Your attorney's contingency fee is deducted from the recovery at that time.

Can You File Other Claims in Addition to a Garlock Claim?

Yes — and most mesothelioma victims should. Asbestos diseases almost always result from exposure to multiple asbestos-containing products made by different manufacturers. Garlock gaskets may have been one source of exposure among many. Workers in industrial and maritime settings routinely encountered asbestos insulation, pipe covering, boiler block, brake linings, floor tiles, roofing materials, and other products made by dozens of other now-bankrupt or solvent companies.

There are currently more than 60 active asbestos bankruptcy trusts in the United States, and an experienced mesothelioma attorney will systematically evaluate your work history against all of them. It is common for a single claimant to file with five to fifteen or more separate trusts. Each trust claim is processed independently and does not prevent you from filing with other trusts.

In addition to trust fund claims, you may have grounds for a civil lawsuit against companies that are still solvent — manufacturers, distributors, and suppliers who sold asbestos-containing products and have not filed for bankruptcy protection. Trust fund claims and personal injury lawsuits proceed on parallel tracks. In many states, you can also file a workers' compensation claim if your employer failed to protect you from asbestos exposure. A mesothelioma attorney will map out all available avenues and pursue every source of compensation available to you and your family.

Frequently Asked Questions