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Malignant mesothelioma claims often lead to multi-million dollar verdicts, but when one victim was awarded $35 million, the losing asbestos company objected and argued that there should either be a new trial or that the verdict, which they called “excessive,” should be revised. Despite the company’s arguments, the judge hearing the case said that it …Read More

Luciano Susino died of malignant mesothelioma after years of working as a seaman onboard vessels owned and managed by Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc. (OSG). His daughter Carmela filed a personal injury lawsuit in the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands accusing the company and several other defendants of both negligence and violations of the Jones …Read More

When a mesothelioma victim files a personal injury lawsuit against an asbestos company, they are blaming their negligence for having caused their deadly illness. If a jury agrees with the victim it can cost the company millions, so many defendants attempt to prevent the case from ever being heard. Though some do that by offering …Read More

It’s been a long and painful road for the families of mesothelioma victims August Adams and Clarence Hales, but a big part of their legal journey ended earlier this year when Armstrong International agreed to the terms of a confidential settlement. Both men had been exposed to asbestos when they worked in the company’s Kinston, …Read More

After Dennis Freeman died of malignant mesothelioma, the former insulation contractor’s family members filed a personal injury lawsuit against many of the companies they blame for having exposed him to asbestos. Though several of those companies asked the courts to dismiss them from the case on various grounds, the majority of their motions for summary …Read More

Before Arnold Pritt’s death, he and his wife initiated legal action against the companies they blamed for his illness, and after he died Ruth Pritt filed to amend the original claim to one for wrongful death and to add a claim of punitive damages. Defendant John Crane filed an objection, arguing that the compensation she …Read More

It is not uncommon for a defendant in a malignant mesothelioma to request biological samples from a victim, but those requests are generally made in a timely way, and in a way that is respectful of the victim’s health and wellbeing. By contrast, a recent request by Mercedes Benz was so far beyond either timely …Read More

The road to justice can be long and tortuous for mesothelioma victims and their families, but for many, victory eventually comes. Warren Wright’s family lost him to the rare, asbestos-related disease in 2015, and it took until this past summer for their legal case against ExxonMobil to finally come to an end. ExxonMobil Filed Multiple …Read More

Punitive damages are frequently assessed against companies judged liable for an individual’s mesothelioma. Different from economic or compensatory damages, punitive damages are specifically meant to punish those responsible for actions – or inactions – that are deemed to be malicious. Examples include situations where companies knew of asbestos’ dangers and have extended protections from it …Read More

Tens of thousands of mesothelioma and ovarian victims have been watching and waiting as a New Jersey bankruptcy judge considered a second bankruptcy filing from consumer giant Johnson & Johnson. The victims, who blame the company for negligently exposing them to asbestos-contaminated talc in their iconic baby powder product, learned late last summer that the …Read More

When a mesothelioma lawsuit seeks both compensatory damages and punitive damages, the plaintiff is asserting that the defendant’s actions went beyond negligence to the point of being malicious or egregious and that they demand separate, additional punishment. That is exactly what the family of the late Michael F. Brady is seeking and was granted by …Read More

Those pursuing justice for mesothelioma victims should be prepared for an emotional rollercoaster, as the legal process will present both wins and losses along the way. Though the family of Joan Smith was disappointed by a lower court decision in her second-hand asbestos exposure claim, the Court of Appeal of Florida recently reversed that decision, …Read More

When Alvin Smith died of malignant mesothelioma, the former electrician’s family filed claims against numerous defendants that they blamed for exposing him to asbestos. Though many years have gone by, those claims are continuing to be heard. Most recently, the Long Island Power Authority argued against having to defend themselves because they said they were …Read More

It has been well established that exposure to asbestos causes malignant mesothelioma, a rare and deadly form of cancer that often claims its victims’ lives within months of diagnosis. But despite this and strong evidence to the contrary, asbestos companies exert tremendous effort to argue against their role in mesothelioma victims’ illnesses. In a recent …Read More

When Joseph Munna was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, the former auto mechanic filed suit against those companies he blamed for exposing him to asbestos. Included in that list was Advance Auto, which he blames for selling him parts that were contaminated with asbestos. Though the company asked for the case against them dismissed, a New …Read More

A California court has denied a bowling accessory company’s attempt to evade responsibility for a woman’s mesothelioma. Though Master Industries Worldwide argued that they weren’t a legal entity in the years that Debra Manns had been exposed to asbestos in their product, the victim’s family pointed to the company’s advertising to convince the court otherwise. …Read More

Patricia Casey was awarded $20 million in punitive damages following the mesothelioma death of her husband John. The significant award came after the initial jury hearing the case could not decide on appropriate compensation.  The defendant, Kaiser Gypsum, filed an appeal of the decision, arguing that the large award was a result of either passion …Read More

Christopher Yohe was diagnosed with asbestos-related lung cancer at the age of 64. He and his wife filed personal injury lawsuits against many of the companies whose asbestos-contaminated products he was exposed to during his years working as a plumber.  Though water heater manufacturer Bradford White asked the court to dismiss them from the suit, …Read More

A jury will decide whether Jean Castagna’s death from malignant mesothelioma was caused by asbestos in the printing press that he worked with for years. Though the equipment manufacturer asked for the case against them to be dismissed, a New York judge ruled that there were too many questions of fact to be decided for …Read More

After a two-phase trial, a twelve-person California jury awarded the family of a 46-year-old janitor who died of malignant pleural mesothelioma a remarkable $107 million in compensatory and punitive damages. The defendants in the case were Union Carbide Corporation, E.F. Brady Co., Inc., and Elementis Chemicals. On-the-Job Asbestos Exposure Blamed for Janitor’s Malignant Mesothelioma The …Read More