$1.085 Million Mesothelioma Verdict
By: CPR @ Feb 23, 2016
A Philadelphia federal court jury has awarded $1.085 million in damages to the estate and widow of a millwright from Zelienople, Pennsylvania, who died of mesothelioma after working with asbestos products as part of his job.
Valent V. Rabovsky died less than three years after being diagnosed with mesothelioma, a deadly cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. Jurors in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania returned their verdict Feb. 9 following an eight-day trial and four hours of deliberations. The jury found that Crane Co. was 30 percent liable for his death.
Crane manufactured industrial valves with asbestos-containing gaskets and packing, which Mr. Rabovsky handled regularly while working as a millwright from 1951 to 1986 at various sites in Pennsylvania. He was diagnosed with mesothelioma in September 2009 and died in June 2012 at the age of 88. Jurors assessed 70 percent liability for his asbestos exposure against seven other companies that were no longer named as defendants in the lawsuit.
Plaintiff’s Trial Counsel: Charles E. Soechting, Jr. and Sam I. Iola
Defense Counsel: Eric Cottle and Tara Parush of K&L Gates New York, Greg Stokes of Swartz Campbell
The case is Dobrick v. Air & Liquid Systems Corp., et al., No. 2:10-cv-03202-ER. Lynn Dobrick is Mr. Rabovsky’s daughter and the executor of his estate.
