Legal Matters and Contingencies

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Asbestos-Related Claims

We are a defendant in a substantial number of lawsuits that seek to recover damages for personal injury allegedly caused by exposure to asbestos-containing products manufactured and/or distributed by our heritage companies in the past. Typically, these lawsuits have been brought against multiple defendants in state and federal courts. While the overall number of asbestos-related claims in which we or our predecessors have been named has generally declined in recent years, there can be no assurance that this trend will continue, or that the average cost per claim to us will not further increase. Asbestos-containing materials incorporated into any such products were encapsulated and used as internal components of process equipment, and we do not believe that significant emission of asbestos fibers occurred during the use of this equipment.

Our practice is to vigorously contest and resolve these claims, and we have been successful in resolving a majority of claims with little or no payment, other than legal fees. Activity related to asbestos claims during the periods indicated was as follows:


	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2023	2022
Beginning claims(1)	8,139	8,712
New claims	577	673
Resolved claims	(640)	(585)
Other(2)	(5)	—
Ending claims(1)	8,071	8,800

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(1) Beginning and ending claims data in each period excludes inactive claims, as the Company considers it unlikely that inactive cases will be pursued further by the respective plaintiffs. A claim is classified as inactive either due to inactivity over a period of three years or if designated as inactive by the applicable court.

(2) Represents the net change in claims as a result of the reclassification of active cases as inactive and inactive cases as active during the period indicated. Cases moved from active to inactive status are removed from the claims count without being accounted for as a "Resolved claim", and cases moved from inactive status to active status are added back to the claims count without being accounted for as a “New claim”.

The following table presents the changes in the estimated asbestos liability:


(Amounts in thousands)	2023		2022
Beginning balance, January 1,	$	98,652	$	94,423
Asbestos liability adjustments, net	(106)		—
Cash payment activity	(3,766)		(1,204)
Other, net	(1,495)		(967)
Ending balance, March 31,	$	93,285	$	92,252

During both of the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 the Company incurred expenses (net of insurance) of approximately $1.8 million to defend, resolve or otherwise dispose of outstanding claims, including legal and other related expenses. These expenses are included within SG&A in our condensed consolidated statements of income.

The Company had cash inflows (outflows) (net of insurance and/or indemnity) to defend, resolve or otherwise dispose of outstanding claims, including legal and other related expenses of approximately $(5.6) million and $5.8 million, respectively, during the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Historically, a high percentage of resolved claims have been covered by applicable insurance or indemnities from other companies, and we believe that a substantial majority of existing claims should continue to be covered by insurance or indemnities, in whole or in part.

We believe that our reserve for asbestos claims and the receivable for recoveries from insurance carriers that we have recorded for these claims reflects reasonable and probable estimates of these amounts. Our estimate of our ultimate exposure for asbestos claims, however, is subject to significant uncertainties, including the timing and number and types of new claims, unfavorable court rulings, judgments or settlement terms and ultimate costs to settle. Additionally, the continued viability of carriers may also impact the amount of probable insurance recoveries. We believe that these uncertainties could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows, though we currently believe the likelihood is remote.

Additionally, we have claims pending against certain insurers that, if resolved more favorably than reflected in the recorded receivables, would result in discrete gains in the applicable quarter.

Other Claims

We are also a defendant in a number of other lawsuits, including product liability claims, that are insured, subject to the applicable deductibles, arising in the ordinary course of business, and we are also involved in other uninsured routine litigation incidental to our business. We currently believe none of such litigation, either individually or in the aggregate, is material to our business, operations or overall financial condition. However, litigation is inherently unpredictable, and resolutions or dispositions of claims or lawsuits by settlement or otherwise could have an adverse impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows for the reporting period in which any such resolution or disposition occurs.

Although none of the aforementioned potential liabilities can be quantified with absolute certainty except as otherwise indicated above, we have established or adjusted reserves covering exposures relating to contingencies, to the extent believed to be reasonably estimable and probable based on past experience and available facts. While additional exposures beyond these reserves could exist, they currently cannot be estimated. We will continue to evaluate and update the reserves as necessary and appropriate.