Jurors Award Sandblaster $375,000 in Case Against Parmelee

BEAUMONT, Texas - Jurors in Texas have awarded $375,000 to a sandblaster who claimed he developed silicosis while wearing an airfed hood manufactured by Parmelee Industries, Inc., HarrisMartin Publishing is reporting. Welcome v. Pulmosan Safety Equipment Corp., et al., No. A-0169,309-A (Texas 58th Dist. Ct., Jefferson Cty.).

According to sources, the Jefferson County 58th District Court jury returned the verdict on Jan. 25, following a one-week trial before Judge James Mehaffy. Jurors deliberated about six hours before finding by a vote of 10 to 2 that a marketing defect in Parmelee's Model 687 hood was a proximate cause of plaintiff …