Calif. Pipefitter Awarded $1.25 Million

SAN FRANCISCO -- A California jury has awarded $1.25 million to a former pipefitter suffering from asbestosis. Quarles v. Advocate Mines, et al., No. 409170 (Calif. Super. Ct., San Francisco Cty.).

In a unanimous verdict on Jan. 26, San Francisco Superior Court jurors also found that defendant Advocate Mines had acted with malice or oppression in exposing plaintiff Geronia Quarles to asbestos.

Sources indicated that the $1.25 million verdict was broken down into $600,000 total for economic costs, $500,000 for future medical and $100,000 for loss of household services; and $650,000 for non-economic costs, which included $50,000 for fear of …