$4.4 Million Verdict Affirmed in Asbestos Bowling Ball Trial

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California Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 8

The decedent, Donald Vanni, and his brother co-owned and operated Arcata Bowl bowling alley in California from 1957 to 1986. During this time, one of the decedent’s duties was to drill custom-fit finger holes in asbestos-containing bowling balls sold by Arcata Bowl. A press release issued by the Vanni family’s legal team stated, in part: “Asbestos, used as a filler in plastic Ebonite bowling balls, was supplied by Honeywell [International Inc.] in the form of discarded brake lining dust. The brake dust was the waste product of Honeywell’s Bendix brake manufacturing plant in Troy, New York.” The decedent was diagnosed with pericardial mesothelioma in 2012 and died in 2013.

On April 19, 2019, a jury awarded $4,397,716 to the Vanni family, finding Honeywell 40 percent liable. Following an appeal by Honeywell, the California Court of Appeal found that the evidence at trial supported the jury’s verdict.