In
Certain Underwriters at Lloyd’s, London v. NL Industries Inc., a New York Supreme Court recently ruled that paint maker NL Industries Inc. may seek insurance coverage for its almost $102 million share of a settlement, stemming from a suit over the negative impact of the use of its lead-based paint in California homes and buildings.
A Case 20 Years in the Making
The underlying suit was first filed in 2000 by certain California counties that sought to hold a number of gasoline, paint, and chemical companies responsible for what they called a “massive public health crisis” caused by lead in California homes and public buildings. Among the named companies were NL Industries, Conagra, and Sherwin-Williams.