Last Wednesday, a jury from Mississippi’s Smith County awarded Thomas Brown Jr. the biggest asbestos verdict in U.S. history. Brown is from Brookhaven, MS and filed his asbestos lawsuir against defendants Chevron Phillips Chemical (CP Chem) and Union Carbide Corporation. He has been granted $322 million by the jury to cover medical expenses, pain and suffering, and punitive damages.
Mr. Brown spent from 1979 through the mid-1980’s working in Mississippi oil fields. He has since been diagnosed with asbestosis, a lung disease caused by exposure to asbestos. The disease has been relegated Mr. Brown to an oxygen breathing machine at all times.
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Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fiber that was used as an ingredient in numerous products because of a unique set of properties that include a resistance to heat, friction, electrical, and chemical damage. Asbestos was used within the oil industry for various purposes because of its fireproof qualities and the highly flammable nature of oil. Unfortunately for many, exposure to asbestos can have hazardous health consequences that include asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung cancer.
One of Mr. Brown’s attorneys commented on the case, “Brown inhaled asbestos dust while mixing drilling mud sold by CP Chem and manufactured by Union Carbide. Although the asbestos was known to cause cancer and lung disease, CP Chem and Union Carbide continued to market these almost 100 percent pure asbestos products long after they knew the dangers.”
The jury decided that Union Carbide and Chevron Phillips Chemical were both liable for designing a defective product and for failing to warn their employees. A Chevron Phillips Chemical attorney has already stated their intent to appeal.
Have you or a loved one been exposed to asbestos? An asbestos attorney may be able to help.