Court Erred in Assessing Punitive Damages in Asbestos Case, Contractor Asserts

AUSTIN, Texas - A contractor held responsible for exposing a Texas steel worker to the asbestos that allegedly caused him to develop mesothelioma is seeking review of a decision upholding an assessment of punitive damages against the company. Brown & Root v. Moore, No. 03-0087 (Texas Sup. Ct.).

In a petition for review filed Jan. 27 in the Texas Supreme Court, Kellogg-Brown & Root claims that the more than $150,000 in punitive damages awarded to the estate of Robert Moore was affirmed absent any evidence that KBR's corporate officers acted with malice in exposing Moore to asbestos.

Moore worked at …