Mesothelioma Lawsuit Results in $41M Verdict for Retired California Plumber

By: Chris Placitella @ May 17, 2011

Congratulations to the San Francisco legal team of Gil Purcell and Dustin Bodaghi whom represented California plumber, Jake Casey along with Patricia Casey on Wednesday, May 11, 2011 in a mesothelioma lawsuit filed against Kaiser Gypsum Company, Inc.  After a three-week trial and ½ day of deliberations, a San Francisco jury awarded more than $41 million to Mr. Casey, a California plumber who worked in high-rise commercial buildings from 1961 until 2001, and was diagnosed with mesothelioma in January 2011.

This mesothelioma lawsuit was a follow-up to a verdict that was handed down by the courts in March 2011.  In a negligence and products liability case filed in San Francisco the jury ruled against Kaiser Gypsum, Inc, a manufacturer of joint compounds and wallboard materials, and defendant FDCC California, Inc., (formerly known as Dinwiddie Construction Company).  The litigation alleged that the asbestos containing joint compounds and wallboards were defectively designed and contained a failure to warn product defect, and the jury agreed.   At that time, Casey was awarded $1,273,421 in economic damages, $15 million in non-economic damages, and $5 million in loss of consortium. The jury assigned 7 percent of the liability to defendant FDCC California, Inc. and 3.5 percent of the liability to defendant Kaiser Gypsum Company, Inc.

In a statement which was released by the attorneys representing the case, Casey alleged that the companies failed to warn workers that asbestos exposure could cause mesothelioma or cancer, and failed to protect them from deadly asbestos dust and fibers.

On May 10, a jury determined that Kaiser Gypsum acted with oppression or malice and hit the company with a $20 million punitive damages penalty.