Mesothelioma Victim v. Marine Pump Manufacturer 2016

STCN appellate lawyer Jim Coon represented the family of a mesothelioma victim who had been exposed to asbestos fibers in his work with marine pumps on Navy ships during and after World War II. The pump manufacturer argued that it wasn’t the maker of the asbestos gaskets, packing and insulation on the pumps, so it could not be held responsible. The trial court agreed and threw the case out, but Jim got that result reversed in the Oregon Court of Appeals. He argued, and the Court of Appeals agreed, that the pumps were sold with asbestos parts, and it was foreseeable that those parts would be replaced with other asbestos parts, so the pump manufacturer was responsible for warning about the dangers of breathing asbestos when working on the pumps.