April 16th, 2008

A jury in New Jersey awarded the family of a mesothelioma victim more than $30 million this week. The victim dies from the aggressive lung cancer in 2002, and two companies are being held responsible for the award.

The family of a New Jersey man that dies from mesothelioma has been awarded more than $30 million this week. A New Jersey jury awarded the victim’s family $30.3 million after two companies were found to have contributed to the man’s death. The two companies, a manufacturer of brake pads and a clutch manufacturer, were found responsible for the man breathing in dangerous asbestos fibers and are being held accountable for the award to the family. Both companies are expected to appeal the decision later this year.

Asbestos is normally a safe material that only poses a health threat when fibers of the material become airborne. Car parts that wear away, such as brake pads and clutches, create asbestos dust that can be inhaled into the body. Breathing in asbestos fibers has been known to result in mesothelioma and asbestosis. Mesothelioma, a type of deadly lung cancer, can take years to develop and is often times terminal at the time of detection.