Another asbestos lawsuit has reached a verdict, with the plaintiff’s family set to receive a mesothelioma damage award of $22.17 million.

The deceased plaintiff, Richard B., worked as a paint maker and tinter in California for decades, from 1972 through 1993. During his work as a paint maker, he was consistently exposed to paint containing asbestos. Some 22 years later, Richard was diagnosed in 2015 with asbestos mesothelioma cancer. After this diagnosis, Richard died less than a year later.

Richard left his family behind, who filed an asbestos mesothelioma lawsuit on his behalf. According to the lawsuit, Richard’s mesothelioma diagnosis came as a direct result of exposure to asbestos during his work as a paint maker decades previously. Mesothelioma is characterized as often coming with a period of years or even decades between exposure to asbestos and symptoms of the disease first appearing.

According to the lawsuit, the management at Richard’s workplace was actually aware of the risks of asbestos exposure, and even knowingly placed Richard and other employees at risk.

The jury awarded a substantial mesothelioma damage award to the family Richard left behind, including an individual mesothelioma damage award each for his widow, children, and grandchildren. The total mesothelioma damage award for the family amounts to $22.17 million.

Background of Asbestos

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that used to be popular for commercial purposes such as electrical or building insulation, as well as countless others.

Over the years, however, the risks of exposure to asbestos have become more and more well known. The United States has added regulations regarding asbestos exposure since the 1970s, and the use of this product has died down. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned new uses of asbestos in 1989. While asbestos is now heavily regulated, there is still some risk of exposure, especially during construction or repair on older buildings.

The microscopic fibers of asbestos can accumulate in a person’s lungs via the air, attacking the lining of the lungs, and then quickly spreads to distant organs. Asbestos exposure can cause several serious health problems, including deadly mesothelioma cancer.

In many cases, mesothelioma can take decades to develop, so it is often diagnosed at a late stage of development, when it has reached its later and more dangerous stage of development.

Filing a Lawsuit Over Asbestos Mesothelioma Products

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with or died from an asbestos-related disease like mesothelioma cancer after exposure to asbestos or asbestos products, you may be able to file a mesothelioma lawsuit or seek a mesothelioma damage award. Filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering of cancer like mesothelioma, or bring a loved one back to life, but it can help to alleviate the financial burden caused by medical bills and lost wages.