Pfizer Faces Asbestos Suit as ‘Apparent’ Product Maker (1)

Pfizer Inc. will face asbestos wrongful-death claims based on a subsidiary’s cement product bearing Pfizer’s name.

The Washington Supreme Court adopted the “apparent manufacturer” doctrine for product liability claims based on subsidiary activities, like asbestos exposure, that occurred before 1981.

The doctrine allows claims against a company when a reasonable consumer would believe it made the product because of such marketing-related actions as putting its logo on the product’s label.

The ruling essentially makes a parent company potentially liable for product-related claims tied to its subsidiaries at any time because the state legislature explicitly adopted the doctrine in 1981 for ...