Jury Awards $371,050 to Ironworker Injured by Asbestos Products

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — April 19, 2000 — On April 19, 2000, a San Francisco jury awarded $371,050 to Cecil Martin, a retired ironworker suffering from asbestosis and asbestos-related pleural disease due to his occupational exposure to asbestos. The defendant was Plant Maintenance, Inc. of California, a company that has performed maintenance contracts involving the use, removal, and disturbing of asbestos-containing products at major East Bay oil refineries for a number of years.

During the trial, Mr. Martin described how the activities of Plant Maintenance, Inc. had exposed him to asbestos, and a variety of medical experts and treating physicians described how this exposure had caused him to develop asbestos-related lung disease and severe breathing problems.

The jury was also provided evidence of the history of medical and scientific knowledge regarding the health hazards of asbestos exposure and corporate documents relating to Plant Maintenance, Inc.’s direct knowledge of asbestos hazards. Plant Maintenance contended that Mr. Martin did not have asbestosis and that they were not negligent. Cecil Martin, had a long work history of asbestos exposure covering many decades while working as an ironworker at several major East Bay oil refineries.

The jury determined that Plant Maintenance, Inc., was negligent in carrying on its maintenance contracts at these oil refineries and exposing Cecil Martin to asbestos dust. The jury further found that the plaintiff was injured as a result of exposure to asbestos dust created by the negligent activities of Plant Maintenance, Inc.