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

This week a Los Angelels, Calif., county jury ruled in favor of former U.S. Navy machinist Charles H. Cundiff, saying his mesothelioma is a result of the asbestos he handled during his service from 1962-1966. The jury awarded Cundiff and his family $12.1 million in damages from two firms, John Crane, Inc. and Lone Star Industries.

According to a report by AHN Media Corp., it was determined that Cundiff, now 66, handled Insulag cement, manufactured by John Crane Inc. and distributed by Lone Star Industries, when he worked for nine months on a project to overhaul the USS Kitty Hawk during his Navy career as a machinist. The insulating cement was laced with asbestos.

Mesothelioma is attributed exclusively to asbestos exposure. It is a rare cancer that most often affects the lining of the lungs, but which can also attack the lining of the stomach and/or the heart. There is no known cure for mesothelioma at this time.