Couple awarded $7.5 million in asbestos suit

A Trenton, New Jersey couple has been awarded a $7.5 million settlement in their asbestos-related case. The settlement was awarded to a woman who contracted mesothelioma from secondhand asbestos exposure.

Bonnie Anderson was exposed to the hazardous material while washing her husband’s work clothes. Mr. Anderson worked with Exxon from 1969 to 2003. Mrs. Anderson may have also been exposed to the material during her own 12-year employment with Exxon, where she worked at a refinery.

The settlement was upheld by a New Jersey appellate court. The settlement amount was a result of an earlier decision in the case, reports Lawyers and Settlements.

Asbestos is a highly hazardous material, once desired for its fire retardant properties. Although now banned, the material can still be found in drywall, tile flooring, roofing and other construction materials.

When disturbed, the material can pose a serious health risk to those exposed. Extended exposure to the material has been known to cause several diseases, including malignant mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is the rarest and most aggressive asbestos-related disease, known to form from the mesothelium.

Unfortunately, there is no cure for the disease. Mesothelioma treatment, such as chemotherapy and radiation, are often undergone in order to improve patients’ condition.

Mr. and Mrs. Anderson brought the product liability suit against several defendants. After claims against the manufacturers named in the suit were dismissed, the trial went against Exxon Mobil Corp.