Widow of Man Killed By Asbestos-Related Cancer Awarded $2.6 Million

The wife of a former Navy firefighter who died from mesothelioma, a rare but deadly form of cancer linked to exposure to toxic asbestos, has been awarded about $2.6 million by a Connecticut jury.

Gail Fortier of Port Orange, Florida was married to David Fortier, who served in the U.S. Navy from 1969 to 1972 as a fireman on board the USS Forrestal aircraft carrier. Fortier worked on pumps and other heavy equipment that were insulated with asbestos.

The machinery was manufactured by Allis-Chalmers, which at the time was one of the largest makers of heavy duty farming and manufacturing equipment.

David Fortier was diagnosed with mesothelioma in October 2006 and died in 2008. His wife filed suit against Allis-Chalmers in December 2006.

First Asbestos Trial in Decades

The widow’s lawsuit was the first asbestos-related case to go to trial in Connecticut in decades, her attorney said. The trial lasted for two months and jurors deliberated for less than two days before ordering Allis-Chalmers to pay Fortier $2,595,000.

Company attorneys said they intend to appeal the jury award.

Asbestos Exposure Linked to Mesothelioma

Exposure to asbestos, a toxic material that used for decades in thousands of commercial and industrial products, is known to cause mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer of the linings of the heart, lungs, abdomen, and other internal organs.

Approximately 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each year. About 80% of people who contract mesothelioma have worked for many years with or around asbestos.

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