Former Naval Serviceman Awarded $12.1 Million in Asbestos Case

A former U.S. Navy serviceman was awarded $12.1 million by a Los Angeles court after being exposed to asbestos during a navel tour of duty in the 1960’s. Charles H. Cundiff, a 66-year-old retired truck driver, was diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma after working as a machinist’s mate on the USS Kitty Hawk from 1962 to 1966.

The manufacturer John Crane, Inc. and their supplier Lone Star Industries were found liable for defective products and failure to warn. The verdict, announced May 6th, awarded Mr. Cundiff $10 million for pain and suffering and an additional $506,000 in economic damages for lost wages. The jury also awarded Mr. Cundiff’s wife, Glenda, $1.5 million for loss of consortium.

Mr. Cundiff, who was too ill to take the witness stand, gave his testimony in a deposition and described his work on the navel ship. He often cleaned, repaired, and replaced valves, pumps and gaskets. He also used Insulag insulating cement that contained asbestos in the engine rooms. The work exposed him to a large amount of asbestos dust with no protective equipment.

Asbestos fibers, once inhaled, can become lodged into the soft tissue of the lungs. Due to a long latency period, symptoms of asbestos related diseases take between 20 and 50 years to appear. Exposure to asbestos can lead to diseases such as asbestosis and malignant pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma. Symptoms of these illnesses include shortness of breath as well as chest and abdominal pain. Currently, there is no cure but treatments involve a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.

Source: http://www.pressreleasepoint.com/us-navy-machinist039s-mate-awarded-121m-1960s-asbestosexposure-case