California Injury Lawyer Blog

In personal injury news, a jury in Newport News, Virginia, has awarded $25 million against Exxon Mobil to a former shipyard worker who was exposed to asbestos while working as a ship fitter in new construction for seven years, and then repairing commercial vessels for the company for 11 years. The plaintiff, Rubert Minton, 72, now suffers from mesothelioma, a rare cancer that develops almost exclusively from prolonged exposure to asbestos. Minton, who has been given a prognosis of only two years to live, was awarded $12 million in compensatory damages, $12.5 million in punitive damages, and $430,961 in medical expenses, plus interest. Exxon Mobil will likely appeal the verdict - which could take several years.

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In personal injury lawsuit news, a jury in Miami-Dade recently awarded more than $14 million to a Sarasota man who inhaled asbestos in the 1970s and now has mesothelioma.

According to the Miami Herald, William Aubin, a 59-year-old retired firefighter, worked for his family's construction company in the 1970's and during that time, was exposed to joint compounds laden with asbestos. Eventually, Aubin developed peritoneal mesothelioma, a rare and usually fatal type of cancer that attacks the lining of the abdominal cavity and organs.

The jury found chemical manufacturer Union Carbide was negligent in using the asbestos fibers to make the joint compounds that were used by Aubin's family's construction company. The labeling on the compounds did not mention asbestos or warn users about the dangers associated with asbestos. The jury also found four of the compound manufacturers, including Georgia-Pacific, shared some of the responsibility for causing Aubin's cancer.

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