N.Y. Jury Awards $12.5 Million at Conclusion of Asbestos Lung Cancer Case Against Caterpillar Inc.

NEW YORK –– A New York jury has awarded $12.5 million to plaintiffs asserting claims of a former mechanic, who allegedly developed lung cancer as a result of exposure to asbestos-containing products.

In the Oct. 28 verdict, the New York Supreme Court for New York County assessed 45 percent liability to the decedent, who smoked two packs of cigarettes per day. Judge Martin Shulman presided over the trial.

In their complaint, the plaintiffs alleged that George Cooney was exposed to asbestos-containing products while handling brakes, clutches and engine gaskets on Caterpillar forklifts he worked on while employed as a mechanic. …