Gordon Bankhead was allegedly exposed to asbestos in brake linings, including those made by Pneumo Abex's predecessor company, during 30 years of employment at car repair facilities.
Another jury had previously hit Pneumo Abex with $750,000 in noneconomic damages and $9 million in punitive damages in a personal injury lawsuit brought by Bankhead and his wife, Emily. The company ultimately did not have to pay any economic damages because the award was offset by settlements with other defendants.
After Bankhead died in October 2011, Emily and their two adult daughters filed a wrongful death suit against Pneumo Abex. The parties were not allowed to relitigate the issues decided in the personal injury suit, including causation.
"The only issue was how much the damages were in this new case. That's all we went to trial on," said Steven Kazan of Kazan McClain Satterley & Greenwood, the firm representing the Bankheads. "It's one we couldn't lose."
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