On Thursday, January 31, Delaware Superior Court Judge Ferris W. Wharton denied Ford Motor Company's request to overturn a $9.1 million asbestos verdict awarded to the widow of an auto mechanic who died in 2014 owing to mesothelioma. The company's request for a new trial was denied by the Judge who ruled in favor of the widow and disagreed with the company's argument that the damages awarded were excessive.
According to the lawsuit filed by the woman, her husband who owned an Automotive in Los Alamos, New Mexico, was exposed to asbestos from the clutches and brakes in the company, which caused his deadly cancer. The case headed to trial last year in May when the jury awarded the woman $1 million in punitive damages and ordered Ford to pay $9.1 million to the plaintiff as the company was found 20% liable for the man's death. Ford argued that the plaintiff failed to furnish sufficient evidence in accordance with the New Mexico causation standard to prove Ford's conduct directly caused the disease. However, the court found no merit in Ford's argument and considered the evidence provided at the trial sufficient.
Asbestos exposure at workplaces has been a prime reason for an increasing number of mesothelioma lawsuits, which are pending in several state and county courts. Talcum powder is another product alleged to cause ovarian cancer and mesothelioma in several individuals across the U.S. over asbestos exposure present in the talc.
