Jury Awards Construction Worker Nearly $9 Million In Asbestos Mesothelioma Lawsuit

An Oregon jury recently awarded a Beaverton man and his wife $8.75 million dollars in a mesothelioma asbestos lawsuit filed against drywall maker, Kaiser Gypsum. Jurors agreed the plaintiff’s mesothelioma was more likely than not caused by his repeated exposure to the asbestos-laced spackle product at his job and that the defendant knew for a decade about the risks the product could pose.

The award is one of the largest asbestos verdicts in Oregon. The Portland jury awarded the plaintiff $750,000 for medical expenses, $4 million to himself for pain and suffering, and an additional $4 million to his wife. Doctors estimate the plaintiff has less than two years left to live. The judge in the case estimated the plaintiff could have lived for almost two-decades longer under the state’s life table.

The plaintiff is a father of three and grandfather to several grandchildren. He had just retired when doctors diagnosed him with the deadly cancer of the lining of the lungs. The plaintiff claims he contracted mesothelioma due to repeated exposure to asbestos while working as a carpenter in his early 20s. The asbestos flakes were contained inside gypsum board applied by drywall workers who would then sand down the product to create a uniform finish.

The dust particles created contained asbestos, which the plaintiff allegedly breathed in while on the job site. Attorneys for the plaintiff claim Kaiser Gypsum was aware of the risk of asbestos exposure but did nothing to warn the plaintiff and continued to make the asbestos-laced product.

Asbestos Contamination Known as Far Back as 1970s

Kaiser Gypsum only stopped making its products with asbestos in 1975, around the same time federal regulators finally began to issue health and safety warnings for the deadly material. Even today, people may be exposed to asbestos when renovating older homes or doing demolition on structures constructed before the asbestos ban of the 1970s.

Every year an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma. The disease is a rare, aggressive form of lung cancer linked directly to asbestos exposure. Doctors identify the disease by evaluating fluid buildups in the lining of the lungs.

Mesothelioma victims usually contract the disease by contact with asbestos through their work, often in occupations like construction, pipe working, ship building, and industrial jobs. Children and spouses have also been known to contract the disease due to coming in contact with their family member’s asbestos-contaminated clothing.

Construction Job Mesothelioma Lawsuits

If you worked in the construction industry or any other industrial job and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, it could be because you were exposed to asbestos while on the job. Mesothelioma victims may be able to recover necessary compensation for medical bills and other damages by holding their employer or others responsible for their asbestos exposure.

For a free consultation about your case, contact our office. Our mesothelioma attorneys have years of experience recovering compensation and obtaining justice for our clients.