FamilyDecades ago, Honeywell supplied asbestos waste to be used as filler in bowling balls. In a recent lawsuit against the company, the family of a bowling alley owner won compensation for their loved one’s mesothelioma diagnosis and untimely death.
Honeywell International Inc. is in the news once again for producing asbestos-containing products that cause harm to innocent victims. A recent Honeywell asbestos lawsuit alleged the company is responsible for the death of bowling alley owner, Donald Vanni. Fortunately, a Los Angeles County jury ruled in favor of Vanni and awarded his family $4.4 million in compensation.
This is not the first Honeywell asbestos lawsuit nor will it be the last. Honeywell has been supplying, manufacturing and selling asbestos products for decades, putting their workers and end-users at risk of exposure.
Bowling Alley Owner Drilled Customer Holes in Bowling Balls
Donald Vanni operated an LA bowling alley, Arcata Bowl, with his brother from 1957 to 1986. The bowling alley sold blowing balls which Donald would custom-fit to customers by drilling finger holes into them. What Vanni didn’t know was that these bowling balls contained asbestos.
Drilling into the bowling balls released asbestos fibers into the air. When inhaled, asbestos fibers can become lodged in the walls of the lungs where they remain permanently. Decades after exposure, asbestos fibers can cause a deadly form of cancer called mesothelioma. This is what happened to Donald Vanni.
Mesothelioma develops 10-50 years after initial asbestos exposure.
Vanni was diagnosed with pericardial mesothelioma in 2012 and died from the disease in 2013. Until then, he was a healthy and active retiree.
Honeywell supplied the asbestos that was used as a commercial filler in the bowling balls that Vanni sold. This asbestos came in the form of brake lining dust, a waste product from Honeywell’s brake manufacturing plant. Instead of disposing of this asbestos dust, Honeywell sold it to be used in products, such as the Ebonite bowling balls that ended up at Vanni’s business.
Vanni did not use protective gear while he routinely drilled into the bowling balls because no one warned him that the balls contained asbestos. Honeywell’s negligence and failure to warn of the risks associated with the bowling balls resulted in Vanni’s illness and death.
Honeywell disputed allegations that their asbestos products caused Vanni’s illness. Despite this, Donald Vanni’s family won the trial, and Honeywell was assigned 40% of the blame for his death.
Honeywell Facing Multiple Suits
Honeywell has a long track record of negligence in exposing workers and consumers to asbestos. Earlier this year, a jury in Little Rock ruled against Honeywell for contributing to the death of Ronald Thomas who worked with asbestos-containing brakes.
The Honeywell asbestos lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount before the jury returned the verdict. If the suit hadn’t been settled, Thomas’ family would have been awarded $18.5 million for his pain and suffering, loss of life and medical expenses. The jury awarded a portion of this money for punitive damages and the family’s anguish.
In the Honeywell asbestos lawsuit, the jury decided that the company knew their product would result in injury and turned a blind eye to the danger they were creating.
In 2012, Honeywell was one of the numerous defendants named in an asbestos lawsuit responsible for causing James L. Phillips to develop mesothelioma. James worked with a variety of asbestos products from 1967 onwards—including brakes manufactured by Bendix, a company that Honeywell acquired. Phillips’ family was awarded $5.8 million in 2017.
During the trial, substantial evidence surfaced revealing that Bendix knew their products were hazardous.
Seeking Compensation From Negligent Asbestos Companies
These cases illustrate that asbestos companies often act negligently, putting their workers and the general public in harm’s way. However, they’re also good examples of families who have demanded justice and won financial compensation in return. No one deserves to develop mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos. These people are victims of corporate greed.
If you or a loved one received a mesothelioma diagnosis after being exposed to asbestos by Honeywell or any other company, take legal action. You may be eligible for compensation through asbestos trust funds or a lawsuit. When you’re ready to seek justice, contact Mesothelioma Hope for a free legal case review.
