Los Angeles: Man Awarded $9.7M in Asbestos Suit

A Los Angeles jury recently awarded a man from Georgia $9.7 million in an asbestos lawsuit filed against his former employers.

The man claims that he developed  mesothelioma lung cancer decades after being exposed to asbestos at his work.

Asbestos Exposure at Work

Chief Y.R. Brewer, 66, was employed as a Navy machinist mate aboard the USS Preble in California for several years.

While aboard the ship, Brewer believes he was unknowingly exposed to asbestos fibers.

“He was exposed to something he didn’t know was dangerous. If he had, he would have protected himself,” explained his wife, Gale.

Plaintiff Developed Mesothelioma

Last year, Brewer developed malignant mesothelioma, an asbestos related illness which affects the lining of the chest cavity.

After filing a suit for his exposure, a jury awarded Brewer and his wife $9.7 million.

The Navy was found to be 50 percent responsible for Brewer’s illness, and Crane Co. was also named in the suit.

“He feels good about it,” says Gale. “But his health is so bad. He can’t eat; when he eats it doesn’t stay down.”

(Source: Mercury News)

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