03/03/2008 - National Legal News

The family of a New Jersey man who died from a rare form of lung cancer was awarded $30.3 million on Tuesday by a jury in Bergen County, New Jersey.

The verdict is thought to be the largest ever in New Jersey in a case involving mesothelioma, an aggressive form of cancer linked to asbestos exposure.

The family of 50-year-old Mark Buttitta, of Glen Ridge, filed the lawsuit against Asbestos Corp. Ltd. of Canada and BorgWarner Inc. of Michigan. In the lawsuit, the Buttitta family says that as a young adult, Buttitta spent summers working at various GM plants, where he handled auto parts containing asbestos. Buttitta’s father and his brother also worked at GM factories and would bring asbestos fibers home in their clothes, further exposing Buttitta to asbestos, the family’s suit says.

In 2001, Buttitta was diagnosed with mesothelioma. He died a year later from the disease.

Following several weeks of testimony, the jury deliberated for four hours before delivering its verdict in favor of Buttitta’s family, said Moshe Maimon, the family’s attorney. Asbestos Corp., which supplied GM with material for its brakes, and BorgWarner, which manufactured vehicle clutches, will likely appeal the verdict, Maimon said.

Prior to his death, Buttitta worked as an advertising executive and had a clientele that included beverage maker Coca-Cola Co. and Northwest Airlines. If the jury’s verdict is upheld, the money will go to Buttitta’s wife and his three daughters.