On April 11, 2016, a former steamfitter filed a lawsuit against two major building material manufacturers, alleging that he was exposed to asbestos while working with asbestos-containing products or near contractors who used products that contained asbestos. The plaintiff worked on home improvement projects for a company from 1967-1976. The suit claims both occupational and para occupational (secondhand) exposure to asbestos. The plaintiff, now 68, was diagnosed with mesothelioma in March of 2016.
Though the manufacturing companies refused to admit any liability in the case, a jury decided after a three-week trial that the manufacturers were negligent and liable. The financial breakdown of the more than $14.5 million verdict is as follows:
- $10 million in noneconomic damages
- $1.25 million in economic damages
- $318,000 in past medical expenses
- $3 million for loss of consortium
Sources
Maryland Daily Record. BridgeTower Media, 21 Feb. 2017. Web. 04 Apr. 2017.
