Billie Gowan v. John Crane Inc.
Published: Dec. 27, 2008 | Result Date: Sep. 2, 2008 | Filing Date: Jan. 1, 1900 |Case number: 450421 Verdict – Defense
Court
San Francisco Superior
Attorneys
Plaintiff
Stephen J. Healy
(Law Office of Stephen J Healy)
Defendant
Experts
Plaintiff
Barry Ben-Zion Ph.D.
(technical)
Richard J. Cohen
(medical)
Richard L. Hatfield
(technical)
Allan H. Smith
(medical)
Barry R. Horn M.D.
(medical)
Samuel P. Hammar
(medical)
Defendant
James Delaney
(technical)
Frederick Toca
(technical)
Facts
Billie Gowan sued John Crane Inc. and other asbestos companies for design defect, consumer expectation, strict liability for failure to warn, and negligence.
Contentions
PLAINTIFF'S CONTENTIONS:
Gowan asserted that her deceased husband suffered pleural mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure. In particular, she claimed that John Crane's valve packing subjected him to the exposure that caused his illness. The exposure occurred when Gowan's husband worked as a pipe fitter in the U.S. Navy during the 1950s and 1960s.
DEFENDANT'S CONTENTIONS:
John Crane asserted that its products were not defective and were safe; that possible low-dose exposure could not have caused pleural mesothelioma; and that he was exposed to thermal insulation containing amosite.
Result
The jury returned a verdict for the defense.
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