Asbestos Lawsuits Result in Compensation for Plaintiffs

November 19, 2010

Red Bank, NJ A man has been awarded $3.72 million in his asbestos exposure lawsuit. The man was diagnosed with mesothelioma after years of working with asbestos. Meanwhile, a different plaintiff in New Jersey will also receive more than $3 million in asbestos compensation after he filed an asbestos lawsuit.



The $3.72 million was awarded to Howard Bird, a 55 year old, who worked as an electrician and was in contact with asbestos on various job sites. According to The Daily Journal (11/15/10), Bird was diagnosed with mesothelioma, which led to him filing a lawsuit against the manufacturers of the asbestos-containing products he came into contact with.



Meanwhile, another New Jersey resident, James Johnson, will receive $3.33 million after he filed an asbestos lawsuit. Johnson worked as a carpenter who specialized in ceiling installations. The 75 year old was diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma even though he had been in good health prior to the diagnosis. Johnson filed his lawsuit against the manufacturers of products he came in contact with that contained asbestos.



As more people are diagnosed with mesothelioma and asbestosis, more lawsuits are being filed against companies that manufactured products with asbestos and companies that allegedly did not properly protect employees from asbestos exposure. One such lawsuit was filed against 14 companies after a refinery worker developed an asbestos-related disease reportedly linked to his work at the refinery.



The plaintiff, Richard G. Richard Sr., worked for an oil company from 1952 until the 1970s, according to The Southeast Texas Record (11/01/10). Following development of his asbestos-related disease, Richard says he has experienced mental anguish, lost wages and disfigurement. His lawsuit alleges the defendants negligently failed to properly test their products before those products were allowed on the market. Furthermore, the plaintiff alleges those products were unreasonably dangerous.



Mesothelioma is a fatal disease linked to exposure to asbestos particles in the air. The time between exposure to asbestos and the development of symptoms can be as long as 20 to 50 years. Exposure to asbestos can occur in the workplace, but mesothelioma has also been alleged to have developed in people who were exposed to the particles on their loved one's clothing. This is known as secondary, or passive, exposure.