$25 Million Awarded to Philadelphia Asbestosis Victim
Like many victims of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases, Richard Daciw worked with asbestos in various occupational settings throughout his life. After being diagnosed with asbestosis, he and his wife filed a legal claim against the companies that exposed him to the toxic mineral and recently were awarded $25 million in damages by a Philadelphia jury.
Man’s Asbestosis Blamed on Years of Asbestos Exposure
Over the course of ten days, a Pennsylvania jury heard the details of Mr. Daciw’s years-long asbestos exposure. From 1965 to 1969 he had served in the U.S. Navy as a fireman and shipfitter. He then worked as a maintenance mechanic from 1969 to 1972 and as a pipefitter and welder for Domino Sugar from 1972 to 1983. Following those jobs he went on to work as a welder at Allied Chemical in 1983 and then served in maintenance roles at Smith Kline from 1983 to 2004.
The original asbestos claim filed by Mr. Daciw and his wife named 55 separate defendants, but by the time the case got to court there was only one remaining: John Crane, Inc. In addition to learning about the various exposures he suffered and the asbestos in the various gaskets, packing, pumps, and other equipment he worked with, the jury also heard extensive testimony about how the 76-year-old’s physical condition had deteriorated, leaving him with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes. He was fully oxygen-dependent.
$25 Million Jury Verdict Represents Significant Increase
In previous years, victims who have pursued compensation following an asbestosis diagnosis have won their cases but have been awarded significantly less in damages than is the case with mesothelioma victims. The last asbestosis case that went to a jury in Philadelphia saw the victim awarded $957,000, and the case before that ended with a verdict of $3.8 million. However, neither of those victims was in the same severe physical state that Mr. Daciw was. The attorneys who represented him believe that his significant disability played a large role in the compensation that the jury awarded.
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