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Case Decisions / Missouri / Remand/Removal
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Plaintiff’s Motion for Costs, Fees, Expenses, and Sanctions Denied but Granted as to Remand for Untimely Removal

The plaintiff brought this suit against numerous defendants including Ford Motor Company. She alleged that the decedent developed and passed from mesothelioma as a result of exposure to dust from products manufactured, sold, and distributed while Mr. Bristol worked as a mechanic at a Ford dealership from 1972-1989.

Ford removed the case a day after trial began and well over a year from the date the complaint was filed. The plaintiff moved for sanctions and to remand stating that Ford failed to obtain consent of …

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Case Decisions / Indiana / Summary Judgment
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Third Circuit Reverses Summary Judgment for Switchgear Manufacturer and Remands

Carol J. Zellner, on behalf of the estate of Clifford R. Zellner, appealed the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania’s order granting summary judgment in favor of CBS Corporation to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, arguing that the district court erred in finding that she failed to establish a genuine dispute about whether Westinghouse Electric Corporation (predecessor to CBS Corporation) switchgear had deteriorated and exposed her now deceased husband to asbestos-containing dust. The Court of Appeals agreed, and …

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Significant Verdicts
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Verdict Breakdown for $7 Million Award in Los Angeles County Mesothelioma Case

On October 24, 2016, a Los Angeles County jury awarded a total of $7 million in damages to Peter J. Lamonica and his wife, Exine Lamonica, in a case where multiple defendants were found liable as the cause to Lamonica’s mesothelioma. The verdict sheet demonstrates the jury found the defendant’s negligence was a substantial factor in contributing to Peter J. Lamonica’s risk of developing mesothelioma. The jury was then instructed to assign the percentage of fault as to each of the 30 entities listed on …

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California / Case Decisions
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Plaintiffs’ Motion for Sanctions Denied for Failure to Establish Spoliation of Evidence

The plaintiffs contended that their decedent was exposed to asbestos while working as a machinist at a shipyard owned by Electric Boat Corporation from 1962-65. At the close of discovery, a period in which several discovery motions were filed, the plaintiffs filed this motion for spoliation of evidence. The plaintiffs asserted that Electric Boat spoliated evidence in four areas including 1) historical asbestos insulation dust studies 2) material safety data sheets 3) certain deposition transcripts 4) certain deposition exhibits

The court stated that spoliation is …

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California / Case Decisions / Discovery
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Sanctions Granted Against Defendant for Suspension of Corporate Representative Deposition

The plaintiffs’ brought this action against Electric Boat and General Dynamics for their decedent’s alleged development of mesothelioma as a result of his work as a machinist at the defendants’ shipyards.

The plaintiffs sought depositions of the corporate representatives of both Electric Boat and General Dynamics since Electric Boat operated as a division of General Dynamics during the alleged exposure period. The plaintiffs noticed the deposition of General Dynamics’ corporate representative. General Dynamics objected to the notice and a hearing was promptly held. The court …

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Case Decisions / Louisiana / Remand/Removal
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Removal Found Procedurally Proper Based on Diversity

The plaintiffs, Nolan and Susan Legeaux, brought a motion to remand their asbestos case from federal court arguing that removing defendants failed to follow the correct removal procedure, that there are non-diverse defendants, and that the federal officer removal statute, 28 U.S.C. § 1442, is not applicable to the facts of the case. The motion was opposed by defendants Puget Sound Commerce Center, Inc., Vigor Industrial LLC, and Vigor Shipyards, Inc.

The plaintiffs’ motion was denied. The court found there was nothing procedurally improper about …

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Insurance Coverage
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Bankruptcy Injunction Extends to Debtor’s Insurers

W.R. Grace & Co. (Grace), a Chapter 11 bankruptcy debtor, at one time operated a vermiculite mine, and related mining activities released asbestos-containing dust into the atmosphere. It began facing asbestos-related lawsuits in the 1970s.

Grace filed a voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2001, and a plan of reorganization was confirmed in 2014. The plan created a trust for the payment of asbestos personal injury claims. As part of a settlement agreement, one of Grace’s liability, excess, and workers’ compensation insurers, Continental Casualty Company and …

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Case Decisions / Damages / FELA / Illinois / Statute of Limitations
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Court Upholds Verdict in FELA Matter in Face of Limitations Argument But Vacates Damages Award and Remands

In this negligence actions brought under the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA), the Appellate Court of Illinois, Fourth District, affirmed the jury’s verdict against defendant Illinois Central Railroad Company (Central) but vacated the award of damages and remanded for a new damages hearing. In 2003, Paul McGowan was diagnosed with lung cancer and died. In December 2008, his estate filed a 13-count complaint seeking damages from various defendants as a result of Mr. McGowan’s lung cancer and death. Count IV of the complaint was for …

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Case Decisions / Florida / Verdict Reduction
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Court Affirms Judgment for Defendant Carnival Cruise Line That Set Aside a $3.6M Verdict

On October 19, 2016, the Third District Court of Appeal, State of Florida, affirmed a final judgment in favor of defendant Carnival Corporation, finding no merit.

In the original case at bar, the plaintiff, Giovanna Settimi Caraffa, individually and as personal representative of the estate of Benedetto Emanuele Caraffa, deceased, filed suit in the Circuit Court of the 11th Judicial Circuit in and For Miami-Dade County, Florida, alleged among other things, that the decedent was injured as a result of asbestos exposure while working and …

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Case Decisions / New York / Summary Judgment
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Pump Manufacturer Granted Summary Judgment for Plaintiff’s Failure to Establish Sufficient Exposure

Plaintiff-Decedent William Holzworth filed suit against various defendants in the New York Supreme Court on July 9, 2012 alleging personal injuries pursuant to his diagnosis of mesothelioma allegedly caused by his occupational exposure to asbestos. Specifically, Holzworth alleged exposure to asbestos-containing products during this employment, both as a sonarman serving in the U.S. Navy between 1952 and 1955, and as a construction and project manager between 1963 and 2007. The defendants removed this action to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New …

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