Jury Awards $3 Million to Mesothelioma Victim’s Widow
November 16, 2006 - A jury awarded $3 million to a woman whose husband died from mesothelioma as a result of exposure from asbestos fibers inhaled while working with industrial talc. The talc was included in glazes used in pottery. The verdict was against R.T. Vanderbilt, Inc., which mined the industrial talc, and Hammill & Gillespie, Inc., the distributor of the product. While the industrial talc is not used in baby powder or talcum powder, the talc is used in a variety of products, including plastics, rubber, paint, and ceramics.
The deceased’s exposure to asbestos-contaminated industrial talc occurred during a period of approximately 7 years when he operated pottery studios. The deceased personally mixed the glazes containing Vanderbilt’s industrial talc purchased from Hammill & Gillespie, Inc. and other sources. The exposure apparently occurred when he scooped or poured out contents of the talc which generated a very fine dust in the air.
The jury will be asked to consider punitive damages, in addition to the award of $3 million, at a later date.
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