Couple Wins Record-Setting $27.5 Million Asbestos Lawsuit

An Ohio couple has been awarded $27.5 million in a second-hand asbestos exposure case that is believed to be the largest asbestos verdict ever in the state. The plaintiff in the case claimed that he was exposed to asbestos as a child when he breathed in fibers that his father carried home on his clothing after working all day at plant that manufactured brakes. Besides normal everyday contact with his father, the plaintiff helped sort and wash his dad’s dusty laundry.

Although the plaintiff’s father did not manufacture the brakes, according to EHS Today, he was required to deliver materials all over the plant, and was “a frequent bystander to other employees who drilled and abraded” brake products, “which released asbestos.” The plaintiff’s father died of lung cancer in 1994 at the age of 52.

The victim, who said he was exposed to asbestos from the time he was born up to a decade later, was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2012 after a pleural effusion was accidentally discovered during a chest x-ray for what was believed to be pneumonia or the flu. After undergoing several rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, the then 38-year-old plaintiff underwent surgery, which resulted in the removal of his lungs and part of his diaphragm. While the plaintiff still experiences side effects from his battle with mesothelioma, he says he has shown no evidence of disease since the time of treatment. He is now in his 40s.

The Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court jury awarded the plaintiff $515,000 in economic damages and $12 million in non-economic damages. His wife was awarded $15 million for loss of consortium for a total award of $27,515,000. The previous record asbestos verdict in Ohio is believed to be $6.4 million. This verdict was handed down in 2003.

If you have been exposed to asbestos, see your doctor right away. Even if you show no signs of disease, your doctor can establish a monitoring plan that can help detect changes in the body early. Although there is no cure for mesothelioma, early diagnosis often leads to better treatment options and outcomes. See your doctor today.

Sources

"Forty-Year-Old English Professor Receives $27.5 Million Asbestos Award." Newswire. Newswire.com LLC, 26 Dec. 2013. Web. 15 May 2018.

Smith, Sandy. "English Professor, Wife Win Record-Setting Asbestos Lawsuit." EHS Today. Informa USA, Inc., 23 Jan. 2014. Web. 15 May 2018.