About the Manville Personal Injury Settlement Trust
Johns-Manville Corporation was once the largest asbestos manufacturer in the United States, mining, processing, and selling asbestos products from the early twentieth century through the 1970s. By 1982, the company faced more than 16,500 personal injury lawsuits with hundreds of thousands more anticipated. Unable to continue normal operations under this liability, Johns-Manville filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in August 1982 — one of the most consequential corporate bankruptcies in American history.
After six years of litigation involving asbestos victims, insurers, and the company, a reorganization plan was confirmed in 1988. As part of that plan, Johns-Manville contributed its stock, assets, and a share of future earnings to create the Manville Personal Injury Settlement Trust. The trust assumed sole responsibility for compensating all past, present, and future victims of asbestos products manufactured by Johns-Manville.
Since its creation, the Manville Trust has received claims from over 750,000 individuals and paid out more than $4 billion. It remains the largest single asbestos trust fund in the world and continues to accept and process new claims. Claims Resolution Management Corporation (CRMC) in Wilmington, Delaware, serves as its independent claims processor.
Trust Fund Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Trust Name | Manville Personal Injury Settlement Trust |
| Predecessor Company | Johns-Manville Corporation |
| Year Established | 1988 |
| Claims Processor | Claims Resolution Management Corporation (CRMC), Wilmington, DE |
| Payment Percentage | 5.1% |
| Mesothelioma Scheduled Value | ~$180,000 (actual payment ~$9,180 at 5.1%) |
| Claim Types Accepted | Mesothelioma, lung cancer, other asbestos-related cancers, asbestosis, pleural disease |
| Review Tracks | Expedited Review (ER), Individual Review (IR), Extraordinary Hardship |
The 5.1% payment percentage reflects the trust’s obligation to reserve funds for the hundreds of thousands of claims it expects to receive over its operational life. The low percentage does not mean you should not file — even at 5.1%, filing with the Manville Trust is an important part of maximizing your total recovery, especially when combined with other trust claims and a lawsuit.
Who Is Eligible to File with the Manville Trust?
Eligibility is based on documented exposure to Johns-Manville asbestos-containing products and a qualifying medical diagnosis. You do not need to have been a Johns-Manville employee — the trust was created specifically to compensate workers who encountered Manville products on the job.
Eligible occupations commonly include:
- Insulators and pipe covering installers who applied Manville insulation products
- Pipefitters, plumbers, and steamfitters at industrial facilities
- Boilermakers and power plant maintenance workers
- Shipyard workers who installed or removed Manville pipe covering and insulation
- Roofers who handled Manville asbestos shingles and felt underlayment
- Construction laborers who worked near insulation installation crews
- Floor tile installers who cut or removed Manville vinyl-asbestos tile
- Electricians who worked with Transite asbestos-cement conduit
- Auto mechanics who handled Manville brake linings and friction products
- Refinery and chemical plant workers
- Steelworkers and foundry workers at facilities using Manville products
Qualifying diagnoses: mesothelioma (all cell types), asbestos-related lung cancer, laryngeal cancer, asbestosis, pleural plaques with functional impairment, and diffuse pleural thickening.
How to File a Manville Trust Claim
- Retain a mesothelioma attorney: The Manville Trust requires claims to be filed through legal counsel. Mesothelioma attorneys work on contingency — no upfront cost to you.
- Exposure documentation: Your attorney documents your work history at each facility, identifies the Manville products present, and gathers supporting evidence including co-worker affidavits, union records, and site inspection reports.
- Medical records compilation: Pathology reports confirming your diagnosis, imaging studies, surgical or biopsy records, and oncologist records are assembled.
- Claim package submission: Your attorney submits a completed CRMC claim form with all supporting documentation to the Manville Trust.
- CRMC review: Claims Resolution Management Corporation reviews the claim under the applicable review track (Expedited, Individual, or Extraordinary Hardship).
- Payment: Upon approval, the trust pays at 5.1% of the scheduled disease value for your diagnosis category.
The Expedited Review track resolves claims faster by accepting the scheduled disease value without contest. Individual Review allows higher awards for claimants with exceptional damages but involves a longer, more adversarial review. Your attorney will recommend the appropriate track based on your circumstances.
Can You File Other Claims at the Same Time?
Yes, and for most mesothelioma patients, the Manville Trust is just one part of a broader legal strategy. Asbestos exposure typically involved products from multiple manufacturers over a career spanning many years and worksites. Most patients qualify to file claims with several trusts simultaneously.
Trusts commonly filed alongside Manville include Pittsburgh Corning (Unibestos insulation), Owens Corning (Kaylo insulation), W.R. Grace (Zonolite insulation and Monokote fireproofing), Armstrong World Industries, Babcock & Wilcox, and Celotex, among many others. Your attorney will identify every applicable trust based on your specific work history.
You may also file a lawsuit against solvent defendants simultaneously. Companies that have not gone bankrupt remain subject to litigation, and asbestos lawsuit verdicts or settlements are entirely separate from trust fund recoveries. Trust fund claims do not offset lawsuit awards.
Frequently Asked Questions
The current payment percentage is approximately 5.1%. Applied to the mesothelioma scheduled value of roughly $180,000, this produces an actual payment of about $9,180. The percentage is low because the trust must reserve funds to pay hundreds of thousands of anticipated future claims. Despite the low percentage, filing is still worthwhile as part of a comprehensive recovery strategy.
Claims Resolution Management Corporation (CRMC), headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, is the independent administrator and claims processor for the Manville Trust. CRMC reviews all submitted claim packages, verifies documentation, and issues payment determinations on behalf of the trust.
Yes. The Manville Trust is a separate administrative process entirely independent of litigation. Filing a trust claim does not prevent you from pursuing lawsuits against solvent asbestos manufacturers and distributors, nor does it affect claims with other bankruptcy trusts. Your attorney will pursue all available avenues simultaneously.
Expedited Review (ER) claims — which accept the scheduled value without contest — resolve faster, often within 6 to 12 months. Individual Review (IR) claims, which seek higher compensation, take longer and involve more adversarial review. Extraordinary Hardship status can shorten timelines substantially for terminal claimants.
Yes. Surviving spouses, children, and the estate of a deceased asbestos victim may file a wrongful death claim with the Manville Trust. The documentation requirements are the same, and an attorney can handle this process on behalf of the family. Wrongful death claims may also be filed in court against solvent defendants simultaneously.