Analysis: Adoption of strict liability for product defects
The Washington Product Liability Act (WPLA) does not govern Lunsford’s claim because he was exposed to asbestos before its adoption. Mavroudis v. Pittsburgh-Corning Corp., 86 Wn. App. 22, 33-34, 935 P.2d 684 (1997) (a cause of action "arises" when the plaintiff was exposed to asbestos, not when he discovered his injury); Koker v. Armstrong Cork, Inc., 60 Wn. App. 466, 472, 804 P.2d 659 (1991) (applying the law in effect prior to the WPLA because the plaintiff’s claim arose prior to that act).
Courtesy of The Court of Appeals of the State of Washington
The Lunsford mesothelioma case and Griffith