Weitz & Luxenberg attorneys recently won a trial verdict for more than $33 million on behalf of our client who was exposed to asbestos. The jury found the company Mole-Richardson 100% responsible for the mesothelioma injury our client suffered. The jury also issued a finding that their conduct was punitive, saying the company’s conduct was beyond negligent and that they acted with malice.
Our client is a Vietnam veteran and cameraman who was diagnosed with mesothelioma in December 2024, at almost 80 years of age. He worked in Hollywood for nearly 50 years. Mole-Richardson was the manufacturer responsible for supplying 95% of the theatrical and studio lighting used in Hollywood. They utilized asbestos in their products until 1986.
W&L Team Secures Win Due to Mesothelioma
W&L attorney Jamie L. Mattera served as the lead attorney in our case against Mole-Richardson. Following the jury verdict, she says, “It was an honor and privilege to represent this wonderful client and get him justice for his suffering. He more than deserves this vindication for all that he has endured during his battle with mesothelioma.”
Ms. Mattera continues, “We are incredibly thankful for the jury. They issued the only just verdict. They understood the truth and didn’t buy the lies Mole-Richardson was putting forth.”
W&L Legal Team’s Efforts Played a Critical Role
She emphasizes, “This outcome is a testament to the teamwork, dedication, and unwavering commitment of everyone involved. Our team worked as one and this includes our science and medical experts who left no doubt that chrysotile asbestos led to our client’s mesothelioma.”
In addition to Ms. Mattera, attorneys Sara Merrill and Tyler Stock played key roles in the trial.
Ms. Merrill handled the direct examination of our client with care and poise, skillfully presenting two of our experts and their testimony. She was also highly effective in cross-examining the defense’s historian.
Mr. Stock managed California law and briefing issues throughout the trial. He also delivered a masterful cross-examination of Mole-Richardson’s final witness, a pulmonologist.
Senior trial paralegal Keith Morriesette provided invaluable support throughout the proceedings, as did legal assistant Anell Paulino.
Exposure to Asbestos in Cables Led to Mesothelioma
Our client served in the United States Army as a combat cameraman during the Vietnam War. However, his asbestos exposure came afterwards, when he embarked on a career in the film industry. He remained active in the industry as a cameraman until just a few years ago, when he was diagnosed with mesothelioma.
The source of our client’s mesothelioma was not the cameras. It was the lights, sometimes 30 to 40 at a time. Specifically, the motion picture cables were insulated with asbestos. Some cords were just 3 feet long, others 25. Every day on set, people were moving lights around. Sometimes they did repair work in real time.
Our client was exposed to asbestos every day he worked, hour after hour, decade after decade. And his exposure resulted in a diagnosis of life-threatening mesothelioma.
Manufacturer Claimed Asbestos Didn’t Cause Mesothelioma
In court, the CEO of Mole-Richardson tried to present himself as head of a small, family-owned business. However, according to Ms. Mattera, he was anything but. In fact, he provided the lighting for much of Hollywood for decades.
Perhaps one of Mole-Richardson’s biggest arguments was that the asbestos used in their lighting cords doesn’t cause mesothelioma. However, W&L easily refuted this claim. Our expert witnesses who presented the science of asbestos “very clearly helped us make our case,” Ms. Mattera explains.
Chrysotile Asbestos Causes Mesothelioma
The science is clear. Exposure to chrysotile asbestos is associated with an increased risk of developing mesothelioma. People who work around asbestos face a much greater risk of getting this cancer than compared to people who aren’t exposed to it. (1)
Even after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued specific guidelines warning the public of the dangers of asbestos in the 1980s (2), Mole-Richardson did not take action. The movie industry in Hollywood said they couldn’t use the company’s lighting anymore, due to the asbestos. “Mole-Richardson did nothing. The company also never initiated a recall or in any way warned the public,” states Ms. Mattera.
When asbestos fibers are disturbed, they put people’s lives at risk. Breathing in any asbestos fibers can lead to mesothelioma, often decades later. “And our client paid the price,” Ms. Mattera continues.
Jury Issues Verdict in Favor of Veteran
The trial began on February 9, 2026. Closing arguments were made the afternoon of February 26. Early the next morning, the jury issued its unanimous verdict in favor of our client. The jury awarded him $33,384,400 in noneconomic damages — $3,640,000 for past injury and $29,744,400 for future pain and suffering.
The case was tried before the Honorable Judge J. Stephen Czuleger in downtown Los Angeles. It happened over the course of nine court days.
W&L Has a History of Winning Asbestos Exposure Lawsuits
Weitz & Luxenberg was founded in the mid-1980s. Since then, it has been our mission to help people who have been injured by the negligence of large companies. Particularly when it comes to asbestos exposure cases, our goal is to hold every offending company accountable for its most grievous actions.
We aren’t afraid to go up against even the largest corporations. We fight on behalf of our clients with every legal tool available to secure a just outcome. Here are a few examples of our many wins on behalf of our asbestos clients:
- $117 million trial victory for a 75-year-old sheet metal worker. This win represents W&L’s largest ever for a single plaintiff, and the largest asbestos verdict for one person in the whole state of New York.
- $40 million award in a jury verdict on behalf of the family of a U.S. veteran exposed to asbestos during his work repairing and rewinding electric motors. There was asbestos in the motor internal insulation parts and varnish.
- $43 million trial win for a woman exposed to asbestos when she came into contact with it while washing her husband’s work clothes. He was a carpenter and general contractor.
