Jury Awards $1.5 Million in Asbestos Lawsuit

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New Orleans, LA: An Orleans Parish Civil District Court jury hearing an asbestos lawsuit has found in favor of the plaintiff, and awarded him a $1.5 million settlement in general damages.

Leopold Granier Jr., developed asbestos mesothelioma as a result of his exposure to asbestos, the suit claimed. Granier was exposed to asbestos through his the negligence of Avondale Shipyards, Cajun Insulation and Union Carbide Corp. The jury's four page verdict also found that Avondale, Cajun and Union Carbide were strictly liable and that the products in their possession were a "substantial and contributing cause" of Granier's mesothelioma.

The jury also found that Union Carbide, in particular, was strictly liable because asbestos materials incorporated into the company's Taft, La., plant were a "substantial and contributing cause" of the man's cancer, the jury found.

Avondale shipyard was, at one time, the largest employer in the state of Louisiana, employing more than 20,000 people. The shipyard was acquired by Northrop Grumman Corp., and is now slated to close in 2013. Northrop Grumman made the decision as a result of a reduced order for warships from the US Navy. The jury also awarded Granier $104,160.77 in special damages, in addition to the $1.5 million in general damages.