Jury Awards $15.25 Million, Accepts Chrysotile as Cause of Mesothelioma

LOS ANGELES -- A California jury has awarded $15.25 million to the surviving family members of a construction worker, finding that the decedent's exposure for 30 years to chrysotile asbestos was a contributing factor in his mesothelioma development. Silvestro v. Bondex International, et al., No. BC253974 (Calif. Super. Ct., Los Angeles Cty.).

After two days of deliberations, the Los Angeles County jury determined on Sept. 6 that defendants Kelly-More Paint Co. and Kaiser Gypsum Co., Inc., acted with malice in failing to notify and warn consumers about the risks of using their asbestos-containing products, but were not permitted to deliberate …