Connecticut Jury Awards $20 Million to Mesothelioma Victim, Punitive Damages Still Being Considered

John Peckham was exposed to asbestos for just four months, but that was enough time for the mineral to do its damage and lead to the malignant mesothelioma that claimed his life. When he died eleven months after his diagnosis, his widow filed a lawsuit against the two companies she blamed for his exposure. After seven weeks of testimony, it took a Connecticut jury just two hours to award her and her family $20 million in damages. Punitive damages are still being considered.

Mesothelioma Death Traced to Temporary Work in 1960s

Mr. Peckham was just 76 years old when he died of malignant mesothelioma, a rare disease caused by exposure to asbestos. After his diagnosis, he was able to trace his exposure to work that he did in the 1960s for Stillwater Worsted Mill, replacing windows in a factory building.

Evidence submitted in the case showed that the mesothelioma victim had been assigned to chisel out dozens of individual window planes.  The work involved scraping out sealant and glaze that had been made by Vanderbilt Minerals and made and sold by DAP, Inc.  The DAP “33” window glazing that he removed, was contaminated with asbestos, and his exposure to and inhalation of the dust it created led to his fatal illness. The jury was also shown that both companies had been well aware of the dangers posed by the asbestos in their products but had done nothing to alert the public of the risk of exposure or of how to protect themselves.

$20 Million Mesothelioma Award Among Highest in State History

The $20 million personal injury amount is among the largest ever awarded in the state of Connecticut, and it may not be all that the mesothelioma victim’s family receives. While the two companies will each be required to pay half of the initial verdict, that portion of the decision only provided compensatory damages. The jury will still be asked to decide whether the two companies are liable for punitive damages.