As a manufacturer of asbestos-contaminated brakes, Ford Motor Company is frequently named as a defendant in mesothelioma claims. In most cases, those lawsuits are filed by professional mechanics and hobbyists exposed to the dust while doing repair work on Ford vehicles. But this week the family of a deceased Ford employee successfully sued the company, claiming that years of on-the-job exposure at the Ford manufacturing plant was the cause of Linda Behling’s death. They were awarded $6 million.
Missouri Woman Died of Mesothelioma Following Years of Asbestos Exposure
The $6 million mesothelioma verdict came after two weeks of testimony in a St. Louis, Missouri courthouse. Jurors heard details of Linda Behling’s diagnosis with the rare, asbestos-related disease, and of her death in July 2019 at just 70 years old. The claim was filed against the auto giant and several other companies by her husband, son, and daughter.
According to evidence presented at trial, Mrs. Behling’s diagnosis with malignant mesothelioma came after years of both she and her husband having worked at multiple manufacturing companies in the Springfield, Missouri area. Other defendants named at trial included Certain Teed Corporation, Crown Cork and Seal, Crane Co., and General Electric.
Companies Accused of Failure to Warn of Mesothelioma Risk
Though Ford argued that Mrs. Behling’s exposure to asbestos in their brakes was limited and that the family had failed to provide proof linking her exposure to asbestos in their brakes to her mesothelioma, the jury did not agree. They awarded the family $6 million in damages over the company’s failure to warn of the dangers of its products. Ford offered their sympathies to the family but indicated that they plan to appeal the verdict in the future.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, your first step in seeking justice is to find advocates with experience and knowledge who can help. To learn about the resources we can provide, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net today at 1-800-692-8608.
