Litigation involving asbestos exposure and the potential cancers that can develop, such as mesothelioma and lung cancer, is often long and drawn out, and it can be emotionally draining for the families involved.

Companies involved in asbestos lawsuits don’t easily give up the fight. They may spend long hours and many financial resources in order to maintain that they are not responsible for the plaintiff’s medical condition.

However, a recent asbestos verdict found Honeywell International was responsible for the cancer and ultimate death of a California man who died of mesothelioma.

Plaintiff James P. filed this asbestos lawsuit against more than 25 defendants, including Honeywell International. He alleged he had been exposed to asbestos the age of 13 when he learned how to change the brakes in vehicles and at various times throughout his life. James said he continued to repair the brakes in his vehicles, and in his employment as a maintenance worker he worked with asbestos insulation and steam pipes.

James died at age 59 while his asbestos lawsuit was still pending, and he was never able to see the results of the final verdict. Most of other defendants besides Honeywell decided to settle outside of court. The company chose not to settle, and the asbestos lawsuit went to trial.

The asbestos verdict from the jury trial found that Honeywell was negligent, and required it to pay more than $400,000 in economic damages, over $1.9 million in noneconomic damages and $3.5 million in punitive damages.

Following the asbestos verdict, Honeywell appealed the total of $5.8 million against the company, saying that the asbestos verdict was consistent, and the evidence presented at the trial was insufficient to prove malice or oppression on behalf of the company to warrant the punitive damages that were awarded to the family.

During court proceedings, Honeywell asserted that there is a lack of evidence of its predecessor Bendix engaging “in despicable conduct involving a willful and conscious disregard for the safety of others.” The court found that two important factors assisted them in reaching the asbestos verdict in favor of the family: the fact that the company was aware of health-related asbestos risks and that the company neglected to take positive action to avoid exposing others to asbestos.

The core of many asbestos verdict rulings center around the concept of malice, and it is often believed by the courts that if the companies had been responsible in their actions and had shown an interest in the health of those who were exposed to their products and the asbestos that it contained, diseases and death related to asbestos exposure could have been avoided.

Taking Legal Action After Asbestos Exposure

If you or a loved developed mesothelioma, lung cancer or another type of cancer following asbestos exposure during employment, exposure to certain products, or even through secondhand exposure by living in a household where another family member was exposed to asbestos, you may be eligible to seek legal compensation for your injuries.

Filing an asbestos lawsuit could help you to recover damages related to physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of employment and earnings and more. An experienced asbestos attorney can provide you with a no-cost, no-obligation consultation to review your case and can advise you on your legal options.