Maremont Trust

About the Maremont Trust

Maremont Corporation was a major American manufacturer of automotive replacement parts, best known for its exhaust system products — including mufflers and pipes sold under the Maremont and related brand names — as well as brake linings, drum brake shoes, disc brake pads, clutch facings, and other friction materials. For decades, Maremont products were staples of the automotive aftermarket, distributed through auto parts stores, wholesalers, and independent repair shops throughout the United States. Many of these products, particularly the friction and brake components manufactured during the 1950s through the 1980s, contained asbestos as a heat-resistant binder. Auto mechanics performing routine brake jobs, muffler replacements, and clutch repairs were regularly exposed to asbestos dust generated when these products were drilled, cut, sanded, or disturbed during installation and removal.

The long latency period between asbestos exposure and the development of mesothelioma — often 20 to 50 years — meant that auto workers exposed to Maremont products during the mid-20th century began receiving mesothelioma diagnoses decades later. As personal injury litigation accumulated, Maremont Corporation eventually faced liabilities that overwhelmed its ability to continue normal operations, and in 2019 the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Under Section 524(g) of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, Maremont's reorganization plan provides for the creation of an asbestos personal injury settlement trust. Because the bankruptcy was filed in 2019 and the trust is relatively newly established, procedures and payment percentages are still being finalized, making it critical for potential claimants to consult with a mesothelioma attorney who monitors trust developments and can file at the earliest opportunity.

Trust Fund Details

Because the Maremont Trust is newly established, payment percentages and procedures are subject to change. Consult an asbestos attorney for the most current information.

Who Is Eligible to File a Claim

The Maremont Trust will compensate individuals who can demonstrate both a qualifying asbestos-related disease and documented occupational or secondary exposure to Maremont asbestos-containing automotive products. Eligible claimants typically include:

• Automotive mechanics and technicians who regularly installed or replaced Maremont brake products, mufflers, and friction components at dealerships, service stations, or independent repair shops
• Brake specialists and brake technicians who performed brake jobs using Maremont brake linings, shoes, and pads containing asbestos
• Muffler shop workers who cut, handled, and installed Maremont exhaust system components on a daily basis
• Auto parts store employees who handled, stocked, and distributed Maremont asbestos-containing brake and friction products
• Clutch repair technicians who worked with Maremont clutch facings containing asbestos
• Fleet maintenance workers at bus companies, trucking firms, government agencies, and large vehicle fleets who regularly serviced brake and exhaust systems using Maremont products
• Garage and shop owners who worked alongside employees performing Maremont product installations
• Do-it-yourself mechanics who used Maremont products for personal vehicle maintenance and were repeatedly exposed to asbestos dust
• Secondary (household) exposure claimants — family members of automotive workers who were exposed through asbestos fibers on contaminated work clothing

Documentation supporting your claim may include employment records, union cards (particularly from automotive trade unions), payroll records, photographs, affidavits from former co-workers, and your own detailed testimony about the specific Maremont products you used and the nature of your exposure.

How to File a Claim with the Maremont Trust

1. Consult a mesothelioma attorney immediately. Because the Maremont Trust is newly established following the 2019 bankruptcy, procedures and timelines are still being finalized. An attorney familiar with the Maremont bankruptcy proceedings will know when the trust begins accepting claims and can ensure your claim is filed at the earliest opportunity.
2. Preserve all medical documentation now. Regardless of when the trust formally opens for claims, you should immediately gather all pathology reports, biopsy results, imaging studies, and physician letters confirming your mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diagnosis. The earlier this documentation is assembled, the stronger your claim position.
3. Document your automotive work history and Maremont product exposure. Your attorney will compile a detailed occupational history identifying every employer, shop, facility, and time period during which you worked with or around Maremont automotive products. Specific identification of Maremont-branded products is important for this trust.
4. Gather supporting evidence of Maremont product use. Evidence may include employment records from auto repair shops, auto parts distributors, or dealerships; former employer records; co-worker affidavits identifying Maremont products used at shared workplaces; and product purchase receipts or invoices where available.
5. File the claim as soon as the trust accepts filings. Your attorney will complete the formal claim package and submit it to the Maremont Trust administrator as soon as the trust begins processing claims under the confirmed reorganization plan.
6. Pursue other compensation sources in the meantime. While awaiting the Maremont Trust, your attorney will simultaneously pursue claims with other applicable asbestos trusts and may file a civil lawsuit against other responsible parties, ensuring you receive compensation as quickly as possible.
7. Review and accept the settlement determination. Once the trust processes your claim and issues a determination, your attorney will advise on whether the offer is appropriate and how it fits into your overall compensation strategy.

Can You File Other Claims in Addition to the Maremont Trust?

Yes — and for automotive workers, this is especially important because Maremont was only one of many suppliers of asbestos-containing brake and friction products. During the same period when Maremont products were in widespread use, auto mechanics also regularly worked with asbestos-containing products from Bendix, Raybestos, Pneumo Abex, Allied Products (American Brake Shoe), Gasket Holdings (formerly Dana Corp.), and numerous other manufacturers. Each of these companies has established or contributed to an asbestos bankruptcy trust, and workers who used multiple brands of brake and friction products may be eligible to file claims with several trusts simultaneously.

In addition, auto mechanics with mesothelioma may have viable civil lawsuits against solvent defendants — including manufacturers that have not yet filed for asbestos bankruptcy, facility owners, and other parties. Because the Maremont Trust is new and its payment procedures are still being finalized, pursuing other trusts and litigation simultaneously is particularly important to ensure timely access to compensation. A mesothelioma attorney will evaluate your entire exposure history and aggressively pursue all available avenues — trust claims, litigation, and any applicable veterans' benefits — on your behalf.

Frequently Asked Questions