For three weeks, a Pennsylvania jury heard testimony accusing manufacturer Washington Penn Plastics of causing 64-year-old Daniel Rugg’s death from malignant mesothelioma, and every day of the trial his widow Sandra sat and held a photo of her late husband. Last week the jury ordered the company to pay $3.8 million in damages.
Mesothelioma Jury Finds Employer Guilty of Negligence
Most mesothelioma victims file claims against the manufacturers of asbestos-contaminated products, but in Mr. Rugg’s case the lawsuit named his employer as responsible for his illness and subsequent death. While employers are generally protected from liability by workers’ compensation laws, those laws cease to be applicable when a company fails in its responsibilities to its owners, as was the case with Washington Penn Plastics.
According to testimony provided in the course of the mesothelioma trial, Mr. Rugg’s work involved dumping 50-pound bags of industrial talc into giant storage hoppers. That talc was contaminated with asbestos fibers and Washington Penn knew it. Evidence was presented showing that the company also knew that asbestos was dangerous but failed to provide its employees with warnings or protective gear.
Details of Mesothelioma’s Progression Presented at Trial
In addition to hearing about the company’s failure to provide a reasonably safe workplace, the jury heard about the progression of the mesothelioma victim’s illness. They were told of his love of the outdoors and of his role in his grandchildren’s lives, and of how he began developing symptoms in 2018 that eventually lead to his death in 2021 at just 64 years old.
After the jury returned with a decision after just one day of deliberation, the victim’s widow said, “This lawsuit was never about the money. This is about the fact that a jury has held Wash Penn responsible for putting profits over its people. I hope no other family has to go through the loss and pain my family and I have experienced.”
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, there are resources available to help you with the many challenges you’ll face. For more information, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net today at 1-800-692-8608.
