February 3, 2023 (Sacramento, CA) – Hawkins Parnell & Young secured a victory for an international manufacturer in a product liability wrongful death case in the Superior Court of California for Sacramento County. Ana Reeg of San Francisco represented the client.

The decedent worked in the construction trades as a pipefitter and plumbing contractor at various commercial and industrial locations from 1956 to 1993. The plaintiffs, who are the decedent's wife and surviving heirs, claimed that exposure to asbestos and asbestos-containing products through his work in various locations and projects throughout Oregon caused his mesothelioma.

Hawkins Parnell argued that the plaintiffs did not provide evidence that the decedent worked with the manufacturer's products in or from California. The defense also asserted that the case does not belong in California since none of the plaintiffs were or are residents of the state. The court agreed with Hawkins Parnell's defense that the plaintiffs' claims and the manufacturer's business activities in California were insufficient to establish jurisdiction. The court granted the motion to quash for lack of personal jurisdiction for Hawkins Parnell's client.