Florida Jury Awards More Than $21 Million to Asbestos Plaintiffs; Allocates 60 Percent Liability to Premises Defendant

MIAMI –– A Florida jury has awarded more than $21 million at the conclusion of an asbestos trial, finding that the premises defendant remaining in the case was 60 percent liable for the plaintiff’s development of mesothelioma.

The Florida 11th Judicial Circuit for Miami-Dade County jury reached the verdict on Aug. 30 after six days of trial, sources said. Judge William Thomas presided over the trial.

Plaintiff Richard and Regina Batchelor asserted the claims, contending that Richard’s mesothelioma was caused by exposure to asbestos-containing insulation he encountered while working as an instrument technician for Florida Power and Light in …