Mesothelioma Legal Blog

For purposes of this article, the Navy widow in this case will be referred to as J.G.P., and her late husband as J.E.P. In a recent decision, the Missouri Court of Appeals upheld a $10 million punitive damages award for a Navy widow who lost her husband in 2012 after he developed malignant mesothelioma. Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer that develops in the mesothelium, which is the tissue layer covering most internal organs. This illness is mainly caused by asbestos exposure, a toxic mineral fiber that was widely used in the 20th century.

Asbestos can remain in the body, seemingly dormant, for a long period of time. As a result, it may be very near the end of the victim’s life before it is clear that exposure to asbestos caused a life-threatening disease. This raises an important question for victims and the families of victims: if the victim predeceases a lawsuit for being exposed to asbestos, what recourse does the victim’s family have? A claim of wrongful death alleges that the death would not have occurred were it not for the negligent actions of the defendant.

In a mesothelioma lawsuit, giving a deposition is one of the most vital parts of the case. Unfortunately, many people involved in mesothelioma lawsuits do not understand depositions. If you have filed or are planning to file a mesothelioma lawsuit, it is crucial that you learn about depositions. Here is what you need to know about mesothelioma depositions. What is a Mesothelioma Deposition? A deposition, which is part of the discovery phase of a lawsuit, is a form of pre-trial sworn testimony involving attorneys asking questions to witnesses who are relevant to the case.

A New Jersey state jury recently handed down a substantial $37.3 million verdict to a group of plaintiffs who claim they developed mesothelioma cancer from years of using talcum powder products that the defendants allegedly knew contained asbestos fibers. The jury handed down the asbestos cancer verdict after two months of testimony, deciding that pharmaceutical and cosmetics giant Johnson & Johnson knowingly developed and marketed a dangerous product to consumers but provided no warning labels to consumers about the risks.

In a recently decided Ohio mesothelioma lawsuit, a jury awarded the estate of an 83-year-old Korean War Veteran $12.1 million in compensatory and punitive damages. The jury awarded the veteran’s estate this amount after hearing and deliberating on the details of the veteran’s decades-long asbestos exposure and his ensuing diagnosis and death from malignant mesothelioma. At first, the jury had awarded the plaintiff compensatory damages amounting to $6.1 million. The judge then decided to add another $6 million in punitive damages against John Crane, Inc. The war veteran worked in the stockroom at the Pfaudler Co.

The American Thoracic Society (ATS) will hold their annual international symposium on pulmonary care scheduled for May 13-18, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. The ATS conference is titled “Where today’s science meets tomorrow’s care in pulmonary, critical care & sleep medicine” and will feature topics from bioengineering to genetic technologies. The ATS conference brings researchers in pulmonary care together to develop new treatments for lung diseases such as mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is an asbestos-related cancer that invades the mesothelium – the lining of tissue that surround vital organs.