Category: Expert Challenges

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Expert Challenges
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Shipyard’s Motion to Exclude Plaintiff’s Causation Experts Denied

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana

As previously reported on Asbestos Case Tracker, plaintiff Frank Ragusa alleges that he developed mesothelioma from asbestos exposure. Defendant Huntington Ingalls, Inc. (Avondale) moved to exclude the testimony of the plaintiff’s experts Dr. Stephen Terry Kraus, radiation oncologist, and Dr. Rodney Landreneau, thoracic surgeon. The defendant argued that the experts’ “no safe level of exposure” or “every exposure” theory is inadmissible. In support of its contention, the defendant pointed to Dr. Kraus’s deposition testimony regarding …

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Courtroom, Gavel And Law Books
Expert Challenges
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Turbine Manufacturer’s Motion to Exclude Expert Opinion Testimony Denied

U.S.  District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana

Decedent James Grant Gooding was employed at various shipyards in Louisiana between 1970 and 1979. On March 4, 2020, he filed suit against a variety of premises defendants, suppliers, and manufacturers, including defendant General Electric Company, alleging their liability in causing him to be exposed to asbestos while working for the American Bureau of Shipping, which he alleged caused his mesothelioma. The decedent passed away on March 22, 2020.

GE filed a motion in liminie to …

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Mesothelioma
Expert Challenges / New Jersey
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J&J Files Complaint against Plaintiffs’ Expert Dr. Jacqueline Moline

Court: United States Bankruptcy Court, District of New Jersey

On December 16, 2022, LTL Management LLC, formerly known as Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc., filed a complaint against Dr. Jacqueline Moline (expert for the plaintiffs’ bar in asbestos litigation) in the United States Bankruptcy Court, District of New Jersey. 

In this action, LTL generally seeks to recover damages for “knowing and repeated disparagement of Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower by Dr. Jacqueline Moline.” More specifically, the complaint pleads (I) Injurious Falsehood / Product …

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Courtroom, Gavel And Law Books
Expert Challenges / Louisiana
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Plaintiff’s Expert precluded from offering testimony on whether Supplier can be Considered a Manufacturer

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, July 20, 2022

In this asbestos action, decedent Callen Cortez was diagnosed with mesothelioma following occupational and take-home exposure to asbestos. As relevant to the motion, plaintiff’s complaint alleged that former suppliers and distributors Eagle and McCarty were liable as manufacturers as a “professional vendor,” as they “would package [asbestos-containing] products from other distributors and manufacturers . . . in their own boxes and packaging, and hold out the products as their own.” Defendants moved …

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Mesothelioma
Expert Challenges / Louisiana
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Plaintiffs’ Motion to Exclude Defense Expert’s Hearsay Statements Granted

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana; July 18, 2022

Plaintiffs filed an asbestos-related lawsuit on behalf of Decedent, Callan Cortez, alleging that Mr. Cortez contracted mesothelioma as a result of exposure to asbestos, and subsequently died. The relevant exposure claimed by Mr. Cortez was take-home exposure from his brother, Daniel, who lived with Mr. Cortez while he worked at Avondale Shipyards from 1967 until 1968.

Danny Joyce, an Avondale industrial hygienist and corporate witness, gave deposition testimony about conversations he had …

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Appeal / Expert Challenges / New York
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Appellate Court Reverses Plaintiff’s Verdict on Causation Grounds

New York Court of Appeals, April 26, 2022

The plaintiff’s decedent, Florence Nemeth, was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma in 2012 and passed away in 2016. She and her husband filed suit against numerous defendants, alleging that Ms. Nemeth’s exposure to asbestos-containing products throughout her lifetime caused her mesothelioma. Ms. Nemeth was deposed prior to her death, but died prior to trial. The plaintiff settled with all defendants prior to trial with the exception of Whittaker, Clark & Daniels (Whittaker), the entity that the plaintiff alleged …

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Expert Challenges / New York / Summary Judgment
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Electrical Equipment Manufacturer’s Motions to Preclude Expert Testimony and for Summary Judgment Denied

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, March 28, 2022

In this asbestos action, plaintiff Arnold Pritt alleged that he was exposed to asbestos during his service in the U.S. Navy, and over the course of his career as a civilian electrician. Mr. Pritt was diagnosed with mesothelioma in September 2019. On October 10, 2019, he filed suit in New York State Supreme Court against a variety of defendants, including the General Electric Company (GE). The case was subsequently removed to federal …

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Expert Challenges / North Carolina
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Plaintiffs’ Experts Fail to Calculate Dose of Exposure; Specific Causation Opinions Precluded

U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, Asheville Division, December 6, 2021

Plaintiffs David L. Settlemyer and Jan Settlemyer filed the complaint for their asbestos-related action on December 12, 2019, alleging that Mr. Settlemyer contracted mesothelioma from his work as an automobile and truck mechanic for various employers from 1979 through the present.

The defendants filed motions topreclude the plaintiffs’ expert, Dr. Edwin Holstein, from testifying as to the specific causation of Mr. Settlemyer’s mesothelioma and also moved to exclude the testimony of …

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Expert Challenges / Illinois
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Plaintiff’s Expert Opinions on Causation, Historical Literature, and “Cumulative Exposure Theory” Precluded

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, November 23, 2021

The plaintiff alleged that her late husband, Bruce Johnson, was exposed to asbestos between 1971 and 1984 while working with ceramics for different companies and schools. Mr. Johnson was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2017 and died in 2020. The plaintiff filed suit against Vanderbilt, inter alia, alleging that Vanderbilt was liable under a negligent products liability theory for manufacturing, distributing, or selling asbestos-containing products used in the production of ceramics. …

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Expert Challenges / North Carolina
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Court Compels Discovery from Non-Testifying Expert Finding Exceptional Circumstances Under Rule 26

U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, September 27, 2021

Plaintiff Laura M. Walls filed a products liability action on behalf of the estate of her husband, Robie W. Walls (decedent). The plaintiff alleged that defendant Pneumo Abex LLC, among others, manufactured, sold, and/or distributed asbestos-containing products or raw asbestos materials for use in North Carolina and other states at times relevant to this action, and the decedent’s exposure to such products caused him to develop mesothelioma, resulting in his death on …

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