Kraft Heinz and Others Ordered to Pay $32 Million to Mesothelioma Victim’s Family

Kraft Heinz is one of the world’s most recognized and iconic brands, but their stature and power did nothing to prevent a jury from ordering them to pay millions to the bereaved family of a mesothelioma victim. The company had been accused of negligence for allowing asbestos exposure in a Louis Rich Company facility that they owned. 

Asbestos Carried Home on Clothing Blamed for Mesothelioma

When a person with mesothelioma’s exposure to asbestos occurred in their workplace, it is considered occupational or primary exposure. But many victims are sickened by what is known as second-hand exposure. This occurs when they are exposed to the toxic fibers being carried into their environment on the clothing, skin, or hair of others. This is what happened to Kathy Weist. Both her husband and his father worked during the 1980s for Metal Masters within a Louis Rich Company plant owned by Kraft Heinz. The asbestos that they were exposed to there adhered to their clothing, which she laundered each day.

Though evidence existed that Mrs. Weist had also suffered second-hand exposure to asbestos as a child from her father and uncle’s work in asbestos-contaminated factories, that was during the 1960s, when less was known about the mineral’s role in causing mesothelioma. Her husband and son pursued justice from Kraft Heinz and Metal Masters because by the time they worked there in the 1980s, the companies were well aware of the dangers that the toxic material posed and had a duty of care to warn about the risk.

Mesothelioma Victim Leaves Behind Husband and Son

When Kathy Weist succumbed to malignant mesothelioma she was just 62 years old. The South Carolina jury that heard her case agreed that the defendants had been negligent in failing to warn against the danger asbestos posed to her. Their verdict provided her widower and son with compensatory and punitive damages totaling $32 million, which included $10 million in punitive damages against Kraft.