In December of last year, the family of a former Navy shipfitter received an asbestos mesothelioma verdict of $20 million to be paid by the boiler manufacturers who insulated their products with asbestos, which in turn allegedly caused the decedent plaintiff’s mesothelioma condition and his eventual death.

After a six-week trial for this asbestos mesothelioma lawsuit, the New York City jury took just two hours to settle on the $20 million dollar verdict against Burnham Commercial, the defendant boiler manufacturer based in Pennsylvania. According to the jury’s ruling, the court found Burnham acted with reckless disregard for the plaintiff’s safety and wellbeing because the corporation had caused him to experience asbestos exposure through the use of this carcinogenic substance in their boilers.

The asbestos mesothelioma lawsuit verdict states the jury finds Burnham 30 percent liable for the plaintiff’s harm and health condition, which led to his death. The decedent plaintiff was 72 years old when he allegedly died from asbestos mesothelioma lung cancerin 2013. This mesothelioma lawsuit was brought against Burnham Commercial by the plaintiff’s children and grandchildren.

During the Vietnam War, the decedent plaintiff served in the U.S. Navy and was assigned to work as a shipfitter and pipefitter aboard three different vessels based in a New York shipyard. Even after he was discharged from the navy, the plaintiff continued working as a shipfitter in other areas of the country. During his time as a civilian and Navy steamfitter, the plaintiff was exposed to asbestos, especially because he worked in close quarters with the boilermakers during times when the removed the asbestos insulation from the Burnham boiler products.

In early 2012, the decedent plaintiff was diagnosed with pleural malignant asbestos mesothelioma, a diagnoses that followed 30 months of pain and suffering caused by the onset of his asbestos mesothelioma symptoms.

What is Asbestos Mesothelioma Lung Cancer?

Asbestos mesothelioma is a rare lung cancer that develops almost exclusively from prolonged exposure to asbestos fibers. When a person inhales asbestos fibers, the cancer-causing particles become trapped in the lung lining. This in turn causes inflammation, scarring, and tumors that eventually lead to the development of asbestos mesothelioma. According to recent medical reports, asbestos mesothelioma lung cancer is responsible for about 4,800 deaths every year within the United States.

Many individuals may have been unknowingly exposed to asbestos materials on the job and were not notified about this possible carcinogen by the their employers. Additionally, because asbestos mesothelioma has a long latency period, most mesothelioma victims will not show asbestos mesothelioma lung cancer symptoms until 15-35 years after the first asbestos exposure.

Occupations with a high risk of asbestos exposure include:

• Auto mechanics
• Shipyards workers
• Paper mill workers
• Construction workers
• Textile workers
• Insulation installers
• Sheet metal workers
• Roofers
• Toll collectors
• Tilers
• Linotype technicians
• Plumbers

Many individuals and family of deceased individuals have decided to pursue asbestos mesothelioma lawsuits or joined existing asbestos mesothelioma class action lawsuits in order to seek damages from asbestos manufacturers and employers who knowingly exposed their workers to asbestos-containing materials.