Mesothelioma Case Involving Navy Veteran Results in $1.2 Million for Family

Family members of a retired Navy man recently received $1.2 million from John Crane, Inc. due to the passing of Gerald Gray from mesothelioma. Gray was previously Command Master Chief for the Atlantic Fleet, the second-highest ranking position in the Navy.

The jury’s decision involved five asbestos manufacturers for a total of $4 million. However, prior to the verdict, four of the five defendant companies made settlements outside of court, relieving them of the jury’s decision.

John Crane, the only remaining company in the trial, was apportioned 30 percent of the blame for Gray’s mesothelioma diagnosis, resulting in a verdict of $1.2 million.

Gray initially joined the Navy in 1951 and worked on several ships throughout his Navy career. During this time, Gray was exposed to asbestos, considered the primary cause of mesothelioma. As a manufacturer of asbestos-containing gaskets and other materials for ships, John Crane was held responsible for a portion of Gray’s asbestos exposure.

Asbestos-containing materials that were commonly used on ships include insulation, gaskets, seals and pumps. Many of these materials were heavily used in boiler rooms as a fireproofing mechanism. Among other locations aboard naval vessels, asbestos was often used as insulation around pipes and within walls.

Any disturbance to these materials could result in microscopic asbestos fibers becoming airborne where they could be inhaled by nearby crew members. Once inhaled, these fibers typically attach to the lining of the lungs and can result in the development of mesothelioma.

After fighting the disease for 16 months, Gray passed away at the age of 75 in April 2009, five weeks before his court case was set to begin. During the trial, Gray spoke to the jury in a videotape that was made before his death.

Gray became a school teacher after retiring from the Navy in 1971. Thirty-seven years later, he was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a cancer that usually has a latency period ranging between 20 and 50 years.

Additional information about mesothelioma and asbestos exposure may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.

This entry was posted on Monday, July 20th, 2009 at 9:08 am and is filed under Asbestos Exposure, Jobsite Exposure, Mesothelioma. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS feed. Responses are currently closed, but you trackback from your own site.