Jury Awards $22M in Settlement of Goodyear Asbestos Lung Cancer Lawsuits

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New York, NY: A jury hearing two consolidated asbestos lawsuits brought by the families of two former employees of Goodyear, has awarded $22 million to the plaintiffs' families.

Eugene “Mac” McCarthy and Walter Koczur, who both died of asbestos-related lung cancer in 1998, reportedly worked for Goodyear during the 1960s and 1970s. Mr. McCarthy as a heavy equipment engineer and Mr. Koczur was employed as a steamfitter. Their respective lawsuits allege that the men were exposed to Goodyear’s asbestos-containing gaskets through the course of their work, and were subsequently diagnosed with lung cancer years later.

The lawsuits were originally filed in 1998, against the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and Goodyear Canada. On June 21, 2011, following a 5-week trial being heard in New York State Supreme Court, the jury determined that the asbestos-laden sheet gasket material manufactured by Goodyear during the 1960s and 1970s was partially to blame for the men's asbestos disease.

In Mr. McCarthy’s case, his family was awarded $8.5 million for main and suffering. They found The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company to be only 7% responsible and Goodyear Canada 5% responsible for his lung cancer.

With respect to Mr. Koczur’s case, the jury awarded his family $13.5 million for pain, suffering, and loss of consortium. The jury found The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company to be 27% responsible for his lung cancer and Goodyear Canada to be 18% responsible.