Florida Widow Awarded Nearly $1 Million for Husband’s Mesothelioma

The wife of a Florida worker who died of mesothelioma, the devastating form of lung cancer linked to exposure to toxic asbestos, has been awarded $995,600 in damages from the companies where her husband worked.

Woodrow McBride worked for Foster Wheeler Corp., General Electric, and other Florida industrial firms from 1968 until 1996. In 1995, McBride was diagnosed with mesothelioma. He died in 2006 at age 67.

His widow, Betty McBride of Lynn Haven, Fla., sued the companies alleging their failure to maintain a safe workplace environment caused her husband’s deadly cancer. While jurors rejected McBride’s claims of negligence by the companies, they did find that both Gulf Power and Foster Wheeler made products which caused her husband’s mesothelioma.

Work in Plants Blamed for Mesothelioma

McBride worked at Smith Power Plant in Southport from 1968 to 1969 and again from 1975 to 1996, according to his lawsuit. He also worked at Crist Power Plant in Pensacola from 1969 to 1975. While working, McBride was exposed to asbestos while working on to install and maintain Foster Wheeler boilers, which used the material as insulation.

Jurors Award Damages

Jurors awarded Mrs. McBride, who is the executor of her husband’s estate, $245,600 for her husband’s medical bills. She also was awarded $225,000 for past pain and suffering and $525,000 for future pain and suffering.

The cost of the damages award will be shared among the defendants named in McBride’s suit, depending on the individual liability of each defendant. Jurors held that Gulf Power was 60 percent liable for McBride’s death and that Foster Wheeler was 25 percent liable. Jurors also found each of the following firms were one percent liable for McBride’s death: Allis-Chalmers, Babcock and Wilcox Corp., Combustion Engineering, Eagle Picher Industries, Fibrebrand Corp., Garlock Gasket Co., General Electric, Ingersoll Rand, Johns Manville, Owens-Corning Corp., Pacific Pump Corp., Riley Stoker, Shook and Fletcher, Westinghouse and Yarway Valve.

Gulf Power Challenges Jury Award

Gulf Power officials said they plan to challenge their share of the damages award, $597,360, because the company was never included in McBride’s suit. In Florida, jurors are allowed to include as “Fabre defendants” parties who are not named in lawsuits, but such defendants are not responsible for financial damages awarded to plaintiffs, company officials said.

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