Defense Verdict in Washington Mesothelioma Trial

March 15, 2018 (Seattle, WA) – Claire Weglarz of Hawkins Parnell & Young, and Dan Griffin of O'Connell, Tivin, Griffin & Burns, LLC, secured a defense verdict in a wrongful death mesothelioma case pending in the Superior Court of Washington in King County. Their client, a sealing product manufacturer, was the only remaining defendant at trial.

Plaintiff, the decedent's wife, alleged that James Clevenger’s mesothelioma was caused by his work with defendant’s packing products during his military service aboard Navy ships from 1974 to 1978, and his civilian work as a pipefitter at various industrial complexes from 1981 to 2005. The jury found that Mr. Clevenger’s work with defendant’s asbestos-containing packing products did not contribute to his mesothelioma.

Plaintiff was represented by Jennifer Alesio and Meredith Good of Brayton Purcell LLP. 

Experts that testified at trial for the plaintiff include Arnold Brody, Ph.D. (cell biology); Richard Cohen, M.D. (occupational medicine); Alan Smith, M.D., Ph.D. (epidemiology); Christopher DePasquale, CIH (industrial hygiene); Steven Compton, Ph.D. (material science), Joseph Ye, M.D. (oncology); and James Mills (economic loss).

Testifying on behalf of the defendant was James Crapo, M.D. (pulmonology); John Henshaw, CIH (industrial hygiene); Capt. Margaret McCloskey (Navy); David Godwin, M.D. (radiology); and Alberto Marchevsky, M.D. (pathology).

Era Clevenger v. Bartells Asbestos Settlement Trust, et al., Case No. 16-2-07573-SEA (Wash. Super. Ct., King Cty).