$1 million verdict for family of insulator in conspiracy case

James Wylder and Lisa Corwin were the trial lawyers who obtained a $1,000,000 verdict against Honeywell International, Inc. on behalf of the family of Edward Hill, who died from lung cancer on August 24, 2003. Ed Hill was exposed to asbestos while working as an insulator from 1947-1981. The Plaintiffs presented evidence which showed that companies, including Bendix (now known as Honeywell), UNARCO, Johns-Manville, Raybestos-Manhattan, Owens-Illinois, Owens-Corning, Abex and Metropolitan Life Insurance Company knew of the dangers of exposure to asbestos as early as the 1930s, and conspired to conceal information about those hazard so they could continue to profit from the manufacture and sale of asbestos-containing products. Evidence at trial also included the conviction of Bendix, Johns-Manville, Abex, and Raybestos-Manhattan in 1948 of a decades-long price-fixing conspiracy brought by the U.S. Department of Justice. The jury returned a verdict for Plaintiffs after deliberating for just over 2 hours, finding Honeywell participated in the conspiracy not to warn employees and customers about what the conspirators knew – that inhaled asbestos caused lung disease which was irreversible and incurable.