Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

Two colleagues in the legal community who fight for justice for the victims of asbestos exposure were killed this week, when their plane crashed in Mayfield Village, Ohio, on Tuesday, April 28. Michael Doran, 51, of Doran & Murphy law firm in Buffalo, New York, and 26-year-old firm associate Matthew Schnirel were killed when the plane piloted by Mr. Doran crashed shortly after takeoff from Cuyahoga County Airport in Cleveland, Ohio.

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A New Jersey jury awarded a Linden woman $7.5 million verdict against ExxonMobile Corp., saying she contracted peritoneal mesothelioma as a result of handling her husband’s clothing. John Anderson was employed at a refinery that was owned by ExxonMobile at the time, and his wife Bonnie had secondary exposure to his “take home” asbestos fibers for years, according to a report in NJBIZ magazine.

ExxonMobile was found responsible for the mesothelioma cancer last year. The trial to determine damages began approximately two weeks ago, resulting in the $7.5 million verdict in favor of Mrs. Anderson. According to the report, ExxonMobile plans to appeal the verdict.

A six-member jury in Superior Court in Bergen County, New Jersey, ruled on Feb. 26 to award the family of Mark Buttitta a settlement of $30.3 million. The judgment is one of the largest ever in asbestos litigation in the state. Buttitta died of mesothelioma just before Christmas 2002, at age 50, after being diagnosed in 2001. Mesothelioma is lung cancer attributed to asbestos exposure. Mark Buttitta is survived by his wife and three daughters.

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A Superior Court in Los Angeles awarded former Navy sailor John R. “Jack” Davis $35.1 million in compensatory damages for his diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer linked to asbestos. Davis was diagnosed in January 2007.

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