MESOTHELIOMA VERDICT
$17-million verdict obtained by Philadelphia asbestos lawsuit

Philadelphia mesothelioma verdict for two families that lost their breadwinners to job-related asbestos exposure.

Weitz & Luxenberg, P.C. is New York’s largest personal injury law firm. We represent accident victims and their family members in many states, including New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Feature story

December 22, 2009 -- A Philadelphia jury has confirmed a $17 million verdict for the families of two men who died of mesothelioma cancer caused by occupational asbestos exposure.

Breadwinners for both families, the two men had been exposed over time to asbestos-containing materials while working for John Crane, Inc. and Garlock Sealing Technologies, defendants in the families’ mesothelioma lawsuit.

The filing of a mesothelioma lawsuit against culpable parties (usually the employer or an asbestos manufacturer) is an attempt to recover expenses associated with the cancer. This can include compensation for medical expenses, lost income and suffering.

Details of the case

Before the verdict was determined by the jury, John Crane agreed to a confidential settlement, making Garlock the only remaining defendant in the case.

Garlock argued their gaskets could not have contributed to the development of mesothelioma, even though the company’s gaskets contained approximately 75 to 90 percent asbestos.

The “smoking gun” shown to the jury came in the form of a document that Garlock had previously sought to exclude from the case. This document provided evidence of Garlock admitting that their gaskets could cause mesothelioma. Unsurprisingly, Garlock entered into a confidential settlement shortly thereafter.

The defendants

Garlock Sealing Technologies manufactured asbestos products between 1907 and 1980. Some of these products included asbestos cloth, gaskets, and packing material. The products are used in diverse industries such as mining, refining, manufacturing, power plant, chemical plant and steel.

John Crane, Inc. is known for manufacturing seals and associated products for the chemical, pharmaceutical, paper, mining, oil and gas industries. In the past, the company was most popular for its packing material and gasket products.

Seek compensation

The personal injury law firm of Weitz & Luxenberg has protected the legal rights of asbestos-injured workers since 1986. And in that time the firm's mesothelioma lawyers have won several billion dollars in verdicts and settlements for clients injured by occupational asbestos exposure.

Manufacturers of asbestos-containing products can be held liable for the suffering a patient or family member experiences from mesothelioma. If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, obtain a free legal consultation by notifying Weitz & Luxenberg through the questionnaire on this page.

Please know, our firm works on a contingency basis so there is no cost to you until we obtain a verdict or reach a settlement in your favor.