Seattle Jury Rejects $12M Claim in Product Liability Trial

Foley & Mansfield partner Terry Hall, of counsel Melissa Roeder, and associate Zackary Paal of the firm’s Seattle office successfully defended a cement company against products liability claims brought by a husband and wife diagnosed with asbestosis and mesothelioma. Although a number of companies were sued originally, our client was the only company which took the case to trial in the Superior Court for King County, Washington.

After hearing evidence during a three and a half week trial, the jury deliberated for approximately a day and a half before returning a defense verdict on both the wife’s mesothelioma claim and the husband’s asbestosis claim.

The jury found that as to the husband’s claim, our client’s predecessor-in-interest did not supply asbestos-containing products to the husband’s worksite, the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. The jury also found that as to the wife’s claim, the asbestos-containing products supplied by the predecessor-in-interest were not a substantial factor in causing her mesothelioma.

Plaintiffs’ counsel requested approximately $12 million in damages during closing arguments.