Woman Awarded $2.7 Million in Secondary Asbestos Exposure Case

A Fort Lauderdale, Florida, jury decided asbestos in brake dust caused the female plaintiff’s peritoneal mesothelioma after a trial in March. They found the maker of a brake grinder used by her father liable for $2.7 million of the total $18 million verdict.

The only defendant in the trial, Hennessy Industries, was found to be 15% responsible for the plaintiff’s mesothelioma. Denise Cook, 64, claimed she developed the disease after years of asbestos exposure caused by work her family did on car brakes, according to the Courtroom View Network. 

Jurors decided that 15 other entities that were not defendants at the trial were 85% responsible for Cook’s mesothelioma. They included auto parts manufacturers and Johnson & Johnson, whose talc-based Baby Powder is another possible cause for Cook’s illness, a cancer affecting the lining of her abdominal cavity.

The maker of the brake-grinding tool allegedly long used by her father, Ammco, is owned by the defendant, Hennessy Industries. Cook argued they’re responsible for her mesothelioma because they failed to warn her father of the risks posed by asbestos in the dust created by the grinder.

The defendant told the jury her peritoneal mesothelioma wasn’t caused by chrysotile asbestos found in brake dust. It was instead the result of genetic risks or natural causes. Plaintiff’s attorney, with the help of a medical expert, convinced the jury otherwise, stating that the only known cause of mesothelioma is asbestos.

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Have you or a loved one been diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma? If so, Satterley & Kelley attorneys can answer your questions, talk about your rights to compensation, and explain how we can help. Call us at 855-385-9532, locally 502-589-5600, or contact us online to arrange a free initial consultation with a Satterley & Kelley PLLC lawyer.