Jury Finds CertainTeed and LA Dept. of Water and Power Liable in Asbestos Product Liability Case

Online, May 3, 2010 (Newswire.com) - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Chuck Brown / Jen Klein
Blattel Communications
415.397.4811
[email protected] / [email protected]

Larry Gornick / William Levin
Levin Simes Kaiser & Gornick LLP
877.575.4529
[email protected] / [email protected]

LOS ANGELES JURY FINDS CERTAINTEED AND LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF
WATER AND POWER LIABLE IN ASBESTOS PRODUCT LIABILITY CASE

LOS ANGELES, April 29, 2010 - A Central District Los Angeles County Superior Court jury awarded more than $8.8 million in damages and $200 million in punitive damages to Rhoda and Bobby Evans. In the case, Evans v. CertainTeed Corporation and Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (Case # BC418867), the jury found that Rhoda Evans' mesothelioma was caused by washing her husband's work clothes which were contaminated by asbestos dust from CertainTeed asbestos cement water pipe. While employed at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, it was a regular part of Bobby Evans' job to cut CertainTeed pipe with an abrasive power saw.

"CertainTeed was fully aware that its products contained cancer causing asbestos, but chose not to warn about the risk for decades. It is our hope that the damages awarded will relieve some of Rhoda's suffering, as well as the burden of her medical expenses so that her life will be prolonged and she can continue to care and provide for her young granddaughter, who was orphaned only a few short years ago when Rhoda's daughter died of complications from juvenile onset diabetes," said William Levin, an attorney with Levin Simes Kaiser & Gornick LLP, who represented the Evans family'. "We also hope that the punitive damage award will serve to make the community safer by making product manufacturers think twice before concealing dangerous characteristics of their products."

Bobby Evans was employed by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power from 1974 to 1998. As part of his job he was routinely exposed to asbestos while working with pipes manufactured by CertainTeed. The jury found that CertainTeed had knowledge that asbestos caused cancer in the early 1960's; however, the company continued to manufacture the asbestos pipes and did not place a cancer warning on them until 1985. CertainTeed was found liable for punitive damages, for pain and suffering, and for loss of future earnings and medical expenses.

Levin Simes Kaiser & Gornick LLP represents individuals injured by defective products and fraudulent practices.

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