Asbestos News Roundup: 5.13.11

May 13th, 2011. By LucyC

A roundup of recent asbestos-related news and information that you should be aware of. An ongoing list of asbestos hot spots from the Asbestos News Roundup archive appears on our asbestos map.

Asbestos Lawsuits

St. Clair County, IL: Forty-one companies have been named as defendants in the latest asbestos suit to be filed in St. Clair County. Debra L. Trimble of Illinois filed the asbestos lawsuit alleging that the defendants caused her to develop lung cancer resulting from career exposure to asbestos-containing products.

In her suit, Trimble claims she was employed as a foundry worker for General Motors from 1976 until 1999. During that time, the defendants should have known of the harmful effects of asbestos, but failed to exercise reasonable care and caution for the plaintiffs’ or their deceased relative’s safety.

Trimble further alleges that as a result of her asbestos-related disease, she became disabled and disfigured, incurred medical costs and suffered great physical pain and mental anguish. Consequently, she became prevented from pursuing her normal course of employment and, as a result, lost large sums of money that would have accrued to her, the suit alleges.

Trimble is seeking a judgment of more than $100,000, plus punitive and exemplary damages of more than $100,000 and compensatory damages of more than $50,000. (madison record.com)

Jefferson County, TX: A couple from Texas have filed an asbestos suit naming nine defendant companies. In their suit, the couple claims the defendants caused the man to develop a malignant asbestos-related disease and industrial dust disease. The suit claims he worked around products manufactured by the defendant companies.

In their suit, Mr. and Mrs. Clark allege the defendant companies caused Walter Clark’s diseases because they allowed asbestos-related products to be used on their premises even though they knew the products were carcinogenic. As a result of his exposure to the known carcinogen, Walter Clark developed a multitude of severe and incapacitating injuries, including breathing difficulties and cancer. Further, he experienced pain, suffering, mental anguish, disfigurement and physical impairment before his death, the complaint states.

The defendent companies named in the complaint are: Chevron, Exxon Mobil Corp., Gulf Oil Corporation., Huntsman Petrochemical Corporation, Mobil Chemical, Mobil Oil Refining Corp., Temple-Inland Forest Products Corporation, Texaco and Union Oil Company of California. (SETexasrecord.com)

Asbestos Settlements

Jackson, MI:  A Mississippi roughneck has been awarded $322 million by a jury in settlement of his lawsuit against Chevron Phillips Chemical and Union Carbide Corp. Thomas C. Brown of Brookhaven alleged in his suit that he inhaled asbestos dust while mixing drilling mud sold and manufactured by the companies.

The attorney representing Brown stated that he believes the settlement is the largest single plaintiff’s asbestos verdict in the U.S. The verdict was handed down Wednesday in Smith County Circuit Court.

According to his attorney, Brown worked in the oilfields from 1979 to the mid-80s mixing asbestos drilling additive and as a result now has a lung condition. The suit claims the companies defectively designed the product and failed to provide adequate warnings to workers. (m.vcstar.com)

San Francisco, CA: A jury in San Francisco has handed down a unanimous verdict, finding against Kaiser Gypsum Company, in a lawsuit filed by Mr. John Casey who alleged he developed asbestos mesothelioma and lung cancer from being exposed to asbestos-containing joint compound manufactured by the company.

Mr. Casey was diagnosed with fatal asbestos-related cancer in January 2010. He had worked as a plumber at numerous high-rise commercial buildings throughout San Francisco between 1961 and 2001. In his suit, Casey alleged he had worked directly with asbestos-containing products and near other workers who used and disturbed asbestos-containing products.

After a three-week trial and a half-day of deliberations, the jury found Kaiser Gypsum Company guilty of acting with oppression or malice by clear and convincing evidence. The jury levied a $20,000,000 punitive damages verdict against the company. (SFGate.com)

Asbestos Hot spots

Surry, VA: Following the recent rash of damaging tornados reports have surfaced of asbestos exposure at Dominion Virginian Power’s Surry Power Station. State officials are investigating.

The reports were made by a contractor who claimed to have been exposed to asbestos after a tornado knocked out power at the station on April 16.  (cnbc.com)

Tags: Asbestos, Asbestos Mesothelioma, asbestos_mesothelioma

This was posted on Friday, May 13th, 2011 at 10:25 am and is filed under Asbestos Mesothelioma . Feel free to respond, or trackback. Read our comments policy.