Jury Awards $208 Million to Los Angeles Couple in Asbestos Case

A Los Angeles jury has awarded more than $200 million to the wife of a retired Department of Water and Power worker who was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer apparently caused by washing her husband’s asbestos-contaminated work clothes.

The jury found that Rhoda Evans’ mesothelioma was caused by exposure to asbestos dust from CertainTeed asbestos cement water pipes. Her husband, Bobby Evans, was exposed to asbestos while working with pipes manufactured by CertainTeed at the DWP.

A lawyer for the couple says a jury awarded $8 million in compensatory damages against the DWP and CertainTeed Corp., and $200 million in punitive damages against CertainTeed.

Calls for comment to CertainTeed and the DWP were not immediately returned.