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Asbestos Victim’s Family Wins $2 M |
Mon 5/4/2009
BLOOMINGTON – A McLean County jury has awarded the family of a deceased Bloomington woman $2 million in an asbestos case. The ruling came Thursday after three days of deliberation.
Juanita Rodarmel developed mesothelioma, an incurable cancer, after being exposed to asbestos when she washed the clothes of her first husband Leslie Corry, according to the lawsuit filed on behalf of relatives Juanita. Corry was a worker at the former Union Asbestos & Rubber Company (UNARCO).
In the 1950s, Corry worked at Bloomington plant UNARCO Industries Inc.
Plaintiffs’ attorneys argued that two companies Pneumo Abex, LLC and Pneumo Abex, LLC conspired with other firms, including UNARCO, Johns-Manville, Raybestos-Manhattan, Owens-Illinois, Owens Corning and Metropolitan Life Insurance Company to hide information about the dangers of asbestos.
The plaintiffs were also awarded $100,000 in punitive damages against Pneumo Abex, LLC and $400,000 against Honeywell International, Inc. According to the attorneys, the companies admitted that they failed to warn employees regarding the hazards of asbestos.