The family of a Pittsburgh-area mill worker who passed away from an asbestos-related illness has been awarded $2 million. An Allegheny County jury awarded the family of Barry Baumener monetary compensation last week. Originally, the jury returned a $50 million verdict against the 25 companies named as defendants; however, all of the companies except one settled out of court.

The one company that did not elect to settle was Oglebay Norton Co. of Ohio and its division, Ferro Engineering. Ferro will pay out $2 million, a figure that was arrived at when the the jury ordered each of the 25 defendants to pay 4 percent of the total. The remaining 24 companies who settled out of court did not have to adhere to the jury’s verdict.

Baumener’s cause of death was mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lungs. The disease is almost exclusively attributed to asbestos exposure, and is known as an aggressive cancer that often kills within months of being diagnosed. Mr. Baumener was diagnosed in April and died in October of last year. He was 62 at the time of his death.

Baumener was employed by Carpenter Technology, a steel mill in Reading, Pennsylvania. The suit was filed against the companies, as they were allegedly to blame for the deceased’s asbestos exposure. "I think the jury understood the severity of the injury and the devastation on the entire family," Baumener’s attorney said. The attorney did not reveal the total compensation payout, but explained that it was under $50 million.

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