Miami, Florida – In what is the largest jury verdict involving a single defendant in a Florida asbestos case, a doctor has been awarded a total of $24.2 million by a Miami-Dade Circuit Court jury.

The man is Dr. Stephen E. Guilder, who alleged that he developed mesothelioma as a result of exposure to asbestos from Honeywell asbestos-containing brakes in the 1970s and early 1980s.

Guilder, 50, was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma in September 2007. Peritoneal mesothelioma is a relatively rare type of asbestos-related cancer. Around 20-25% of all cases of mesothelioma originate in the lining of the abdominal cavity, called the peritoneum.

Guilder, whose practice involved treating disorders of the head and neck, had to close his medical office in November.

Rob Ferris, a spokesperson for Honeywell, said that the company is disappointed by the jury’s verdict, and said an appeal would be imminent. Ferris said that there was no supportable evidence that Stephen Guilder’s mesothelioma cancer was caused by exposure to Honeywell brake products.

Stephen Guilder’s attorney, David A. Jagolinzer, said he was very pleased that Honeywell had been held accountable for the harm that it had caused to Stephen Guilder and his family. Guilder’s family includes his wife Sheila of more than twenty years, and three children aged 18, 16, and 14.

During the trial, which lasted for two weeks, the plaintiffs argued that Stephen Guilder had been exposed to asbestos from Honeywell’s brake products, and that this exposure caused Guilder to subsequently develop peritoneal mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma cancers tend to have long latency periods. Even though Guilder was allegedly exposed in the late 1970s and early 1980s, it is normal that the cancer did not develop and show noticeable symptoms until more than twenty years later.

These cancers are particularly devastating because they are difficult to diagnose early, and because mesothelioma tumors are often resistant to treatment.

The award of $24.2 million is the largest amount ever awarded in a Florida case involving a single defendant.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 7th, 2008 at 4:43 pm and is filed under Asbestos Litigation, Florida. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.