San Francisco, CA — July 17, 2008 — On the day before closing arguments were scheduled to commence, defendant Plant Insulation Company elected to pay the plaintiffs’ settlement demand and resolve the asbestos case, Kathleen Schiebold, et al. v. Plant Insulation Company, et al. The defendant more than quadrupled their pre-trial offer to resolve the case. The total case settlements, for personal injury and wrongful death, from Plant Insulation Company and other responsible companies exceeded $10,000,000.
In the San Francisco Superior Court case, plaintiffs argued that Plant Insulation Company distributed asbestos-containing products, when they knew asbestos exposure could cause injury and even death. Evidence presented at trial showed that despite the fact that Plant Insulation Company was distributing asbestos-free products in the 1970s, the defendant continued to sell off their asbestos-containing inventory in boxes of insulation marked “asbestos free.” This evidence was presented at trial by plaintiffs’ attorneys and was part of the basis for their products liability and negligence cause of action.
More than one former insulator testified to Plant Insulation Company having engaged in this practice throughout the mid to late 1970s. This testimony was part of the plaintiffs’ claim for punitive damages against Plant Insulation Company. Evidence presented at trial showed that the company continued to supply these products well into the 1970s despite it being known in science and medicine that exposure to asbestos caused asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. Asbestos exposure can lead to a scarring of the lungs and can cause mesothelioma, an invariably fatal cancer of the lining of the lungs.
Mr. Schiebold, born and raised in San Francisco, was diagnosed with asbestos-related lung cancer in 2002 after a long career as an insulator. Working in that trade, Mr. Schiebold was exposed to asbestos contained in the various insulation products made by Plant Insulation Company. Plant Insulation Company was the exclusive distributor of the PABCO insulation products that Mr. Schiebold worked with at refineries, schools, power plants, commercial office buildings, hotels and other buildings. Sadly, Mr. Schiebold died from lung cancer in 2004 at age 52.
“We are pleased with the result for these deserving people”, said Gilbert Purcell of Brayton Purcell, attorneys for plaintiffs.
Plant Insulation Company was represented at trial by Bart Becker of Lewis, Brisbois, Bisgaard & Smith LLP, One Sansome Street, Suite 1400, San Francisco, CA 94104.
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