Asbestos Mesothelioma Victim Wins Appeal of $20 Million Asbestos Cancer Verdict

November 10, 2009

San Francisco, CA: An appellate court has upheld a $20 million dollar asbestos cancer verdict this week, in an asbestos cancer lawsuit brought on behalf of mesothelioma patient Joan Mahoney and husband Daniel Mahoney.

The lawyers who represented the Mahoneys proved that Mrs. Mahoney's mesothelioma was linked to her exposure to an asbestos-containing joint compound manufactured by Georgia Pacific and that the company knew beforehand that asbestos exposure caused disease.

Mrs. Mahoney, a San Francisco native, spent much of her career in show business. Her singing career spanned 30 years and took her around the world seven times on United Service Organizations (USO) tours. But, it was Mrs. Mahoney's work in the family home-remodeling business that exposed her to an asbestos-containing joint compound produced by Georgia Pacific. Together, Mrs. Mahoney and her husband built and remodeled numerous houses in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.

In August 2006, Mrs. Mahoney was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a cancer affecting the lining of the lung caused by asbestos exposure. Several months before, her husband suffered a severe stroke that left him paralyzed and unable to speak. Weakened by cancer and chemotherapy, Mrs. Mahoney was unable to take care of her husband, who required home nursing care.

The jury awarded Mrs. Mahoney and her husband $20,050,000 and apportioned 30% of the fault to Georgia Pacific, and the remaining liability to Bondex, Kaiser Gypsum and Durabond joint compound, and CertainTeed construction products. After reducing the award to reflect Georgia Pacific's percentage of fault, settlements made by other defendants prior to trial, and a stipulated amount of medical damages, the court entered a judgment of $6,289,544. The appellate court upheld the full verdict, finding it was "amply supported" by the evidence at trial.

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