Business, Workplace Hazards - Written by Jere Beasley on Friday, October 10, 2008 8:38 - 0 Comments

Former shipyard worker wins his mesothelioma trial

A former shipyard worker received a $4.39 million jury verdict last month from an Illinois maker of asbestos-related parts that he contended gave him a terminal form of cancer. John O. Koonce, 59, a former worker at Norfolk Shipbuilding and Drydock Corp., was awarded $4 million in compensatory damages and $390,000 in medical expenses from John Crane Inc., a Morton Grove, Illinois-based company. The verdict came after a two-and-a-half week and a day of deliberations. Koonce, a resident of Norfolk, who was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2006, worked with John Crane gaskets, packing material and other parts between 1967 and 1971 while repairing ships at the Norfolk dockyard. Koonce then went off to other jobs, including working for many years in operations at The Virginian-Pilot.

Since being diagnosed, Koonce had a lung removed, and suffers severe fatigue. He can’t travel or help his neighbors as he once could. His cancer is in remission, but doctors say he is likely to die a painful from the . Another company that Koonce sued, Garlock Sealing Technologies, settled its portion of the case out of court. The jurors had the chance to reduce the verdict against John Crane by what Garlock would have had to pay had that case gone forward. But it decided not to do so. The suit claimed John Crane knew or should have known that breathing fibers was dangerous, and was negligent in failing to test its products and warn workers. Bobby Hatten, who is with the firm of Patten, Wornom, Hatten & Diamonstein located in Newport News, Virginia, represented the Plaintiff.

Source: Daily Press



Leave a Reply

Comment

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

Powered by WP Hashcash

Recent Settlements - Feb 9, 2012 7:09 - 0 Comments

Settlement In BTSI Defect Case

More In Recent Settlements


Liability, Personal Injury, Product Liability - May 2, 2013 8:56 - 0 Comments

Kentucky Jury Awards Significant Damages In Defective Cochlear Implant Case

More In Product Liability


Recalls Update - May 3, 2013 9:23 - 0 Comments

Natura Pet Expands Recall Of Dry Pet Foods

More In Recalls Update