Family of Korean War Veteran Awarded $12.1 Million After Mesothelioma Death

John Crane, Inc. is a company that has been named as a defendant in countless mesothelioma lawsuits. The company sold asbestos-contaminated products for a wide range of applications without warning users of the dangers that they posed.  In one such case, the family of a Korean War veteran who died of the disease was awarded $6.1 million in damages by the jury hearing the case, and the presiding judge assessed the company another $6 million in punitive damages for what he called their callous disregard.

Mesothelioma Victim Served in Korea, then Spent Forty Years Working

Before 83-year-old Robert Mitchell died of malignant mesothelioma, he had a long and full life. He served in the Korean War, then spent over forty years working at the Pfaudler Co. plant in Elyria, Ohio, where he was responsible for preparing shipments of specialized glass-coated steel bowls used by the pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturing industry. To ensure that the bowls made it to their destination in one piece, he used rope packing that he cut with a band saw. That packing was manufactured by John Crane, Inc., and it was contaminated with asbestos.

Mr. Mitchell spent years unknowingly inhaling asbestos particles that filled the air when he cut the rope packing, and those toxic particles led to his developing mesothelioma. He was never warned of the dangers or told to wear any type of protective gear to prevent him from breathing in the carcinogen.  To the contrary, the company advertised that their rope packing product was ‘completely non-toxic.’  Shortly after it dangers became known, his employer discontinued its use in their plant, but that change came too late for Mr. Mitchell. For its part, John Crane, Inc. continued to sell and market the product as safe.

Judge and Jury Hold John Crane, Inc. Responsible for Mesothelioma Death

After listening to all of the evidence provided by the mesothelioma victim’s family, as well as by John Crane, Inc., the jury awarded the family $6.1 million in compensatory damages. The judge determined that the company should pay an additional $6 million in punitive damages, which are meant to punish wrongdoing and send a message to the manufacturers of dangerous products.