A Connecticut jury awarded $15 million to the estate of a former Pittsfield GE engineer who died from cancer caused by asbestos exposure at the plant.
Greg Sukiennik reports for The Berkshire Eagle.
In short:
- Nicholas Barone, who worked at GE in Pittsfield in the 1960s, claimed asbestos exposure at the plant caused his fatal cancer.
- Barone’s estate sued Vanderbilt Minerals LLC, alleging the talc used in GE's phenolic resin was contaminated with asbestos.
- The jury awarded $15 million in compensatory damages and ruled Vanderbilt Minerals liable for punitive damages.
Key quote:
"It came in bulk in boxcars. It was manually unloaded. Guys used to screw around having snowball fights with it."
— Nicholas Barone, former GE employee
Why this matters:
Asbestos, widely used for its fire-resistant properties, has been recognized as a potent carcinogen, responsible for causing mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other severe respiratory diseases. This substantial award serves as a stark reminder of the legacy of industrial pollution and its human toll.
