All the way back in 1966, a man was assigned to work aboard a merchant vessel called the SS Seattle for 67 days. The ship sailed to Anchorage and Kodiak Island, Alaska, before heading back to Seattle. During his work stint, the man was exposed to asbestos from pipe insulation that had been stripped from the steam pipes in the ship. Now, a full 45 years later, the man has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, and has a poor prognosis.
Following the discovery rule, he sued the shipping company under general maritime law and the Jones Act, accusing them of failing to warn him of the dangers of working aboard the SS Seattle, and failing to provide him with protective equipment under such conditions. He also sued WSF (Washington State Ferries), where he had worked as a deckhand for 30 years after his time aboard the SS Seattle, alleging similar claims.
The SS Seattle’s shipping company insisted that the man’s exposure aboard the Seattle was not long enough to have caused mesothelioma and would not settle, so the plaintiff went to trial. He did successfully settle with WSF for a confidential amount, and received a verdict award of $1.45 million after the trial with the shipping company. The jury allocated 70% of the fault to the shipping company for the man’s condition, and 30% of the fault to WSF.
If you have mesothelioma, and you believe it may have been caused by asbestos in your working conditions, you may be entitled to compensation. Please contact The Cochran Firm today to schedule a free case evaluation with an experienced personal injury lawyer.
