Canadian Asbestos Company Ordered to Pay $16 Million to Lung Cancer Victim’s Family
Families who lose loved ones to deadly asbestos-related illnesses, including pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma and several types of lung cancer, frequently seek justice through the legal system. In one recent case, a man’s adenocarcinoma was traced to his exposure to asbestos supplied by a Canadian company that refused to participate in any of the court proceedings. As a result, the judge hearing the case ordered that they pay the family over $16 million in compensation.
Man’s Lung Cancer Blamed on Asbestos from Canadian Company
The case revolved around Steve Kotzerke, who died at the age of 67 after having been exposed to asbestos sold by Asbestos Corporation Ltd., a Canadian company. His survivors filed a claim in Washington’s state court, only to find that the defendant refused to participate in the proceedings. Despite having sold asbestos in the United States for decades and having been named in scores of mesothelioma and other asbestos lawsuits, the company has insisted that Canadian law precludes its compliance.
Failure to Comply With Court Order Leads to Multi-million-dollar Lung Cancer Damages Award
In response, Washington state Superior Court Judge Tateasha Davis first issued sanctions against the company for their refusal “to act in accordance with Washington state law and the court’s authority,” and then followed this decision by ruling that the company had violated the court’s orders. After daily monetary fines of $2,000 added up to $68,000, the court issued a default judgment for the family totalling almost $1.8 million in economic damages, $5 million for pain and suffering, $7.5 million for loss of consortium, and $1 million for each of his daughters.
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