A federal jury recently handed down a $32.7 million award to the widow of a North Carolina man who passed away from a mesothelioma his estate claimed was due to asbestos exposure facilitated by hazardous conditions created by the defendants in the case. The mesothelioma cancer lawsuit named a pipe insulation supplier, Covil Corporation, as the main defendant in the case, alleging the company knowingly supplied carcinogenic materials for workers at the Firestone tire factory where the victim worked.
According to the asbestos cancer lawsuit, filed in August 2016 in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, the now deceased victim in the case was frequently exposed to deadly asbestos fibers while working at a Firestone tire factory from 1975 to 1995. The mesothelioma lawsuit claims that exposure took place due to asbestos-contaminated insulation supplied by the defendant, Covil Corporation.
Despite knowing full well the dangers its asbestos insulation products posed to workers at the Firestone tire plant, Covil Corporation made no attempt to provide warnings about the dangers of exposure to asbestos in its products, according to the lawsuit. After five days of testimony, the federal jury took just two hours to decide in favor of the victim and awarded his surviving spouse $32.7 million in compensatory damages for the harm brought on by the defendant’s negligence.
Unfortunately, the victim in this mesothelioma cancer lawsuit did not live long enough to see justice served as he passed away from his cancer diagnosis a short time after filing his lawsuit against Covil Corporation. In cases in which plaintiffs pass away before they have their day in court, the law allows executors of their estates, usually a family member, to carry on the claim and hold wrongdoers accountable for their indifference to public safety.
Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer directly linked to asbestos exposure. The mineral was once commonly used in a variety of industrial and construction applications which put hundreds of thousands of people at risk for developing serious health conditions. The latency period of mesothelioma is 20 to 50 years, which means it can be a substantial amount of time between exposure and the time a physician makes a diagnosis.
Although nothing can undo a mesothelioma cancer diagnosis, the law gives victims and their families the right to file asbestos cancer lawsuits against he asbestos companies to recover compensation for lost wages, medical bills, and the pain and suffering of living with the disease. In some cases, it may be possible to file claims with asbestos trusts and recover compensation without going to court or filing lawsuits.
Nationwide Mesothelioma Lawyer
If you or a loved one were diagnosed with mesothelioma, contact our office to speak to one of our experienced nationwide mesothelioma attorneys about your situation. Our office can help investigate your case and determine if compensation can be sought from negligent parties to help pay for your medical treatment to help you and your family live a more comfortable life.