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Personal Injury (Non-Vehicular)
Product Liability
Asbestos

George Sleevy v. Owens Corning

Published: Mar. 1, 1997 | Result Date: Feb. 4, 1997 | Filing Date: Jan. 1, 1900 |

Case number: 974879 –  $0

Judge

Lillian K. Sing

Court

San Francisco Superior


Attorneys

Plaintiff

George Beckwith

Philip A. Harley


Defendant

John R. Brydon
(Demler, Armstrong & Rowland LLP)


Experts

Plaintiff

Jacques Chahin
(medical)

John Hadley
(medical)

Samuel P. Hammar
(medical)

William Meseroll
(medical)

Carolyn S. Ray
(medical)

Defendant

Gerald C. Meyers
(medical)

Facts

Plaintiff George Sleevy, an 80-year-old man, claimed he had developed pleural disease and asbestosis as a result of occupational exposure to asbestos as a steamfitter. The plaintiff claimed that for nearly 40 years he worked with and around asbestos-containing products associated with his boiler work, including products manufactured and distributed by defendant Owens Corning. The plaintiff brought this action against the defendant based on product liability and negligence theories of recovery.

Settlement Discussions

The plaintiff made a C.C.P. º998 settlement demand for $30,000. The defendant made a settlement offer of $5,000.

Specials in Evidence

in excess of $100,000

Injuries

The plaintiff claimed pleural disease and asbestosis, with cardiac complications.

Other Information

The verdict was reached approximately one year and one month after the case was filed. This was a bifurcated trial in which the first phase was limited to whether defendant Owens Corning's product was defective (using the consumer expectation prong of Barker v. Lull) reserving issues of the defendant's conduct and punitive damages to a second phase, if liability were found.

Deliberation

4 hours

Poll

10-2 (causation)

Length

3 weeks


#79290

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