A shipyard worker that worked on oil rigs at various ports in the Virginia area was recently awarded more than $25 after being diagnosed with Mesothelioma. The plaintiff, Rupert Minton was employed for 11 years at Newport News Shipbuilding between the 1950s and the 1970s. It is not known when he learned that he had Mesothelioma, however, nearly 20 years of exposure to asbestos had a severe negative impact on his health.
The landmark lawsuit against Exxon Mobile is the latest in a long line of Mesothelioma lawsuits lodged by former employees that were exposed to the dangerous material. Doctors have alerted Minton to the fact that he only has a few years left to live, which is a factor that the jury took into consideration before making their judgment. Hundreds of thousands of asbestos compensation claims have been filed and won by workers that were negligently exposed to asbestos between the 1960 and the 1970s.
When the Virginia jury that awarded Mr. Minton a $25 million settlement handed down their verdict Exxon Mobile immediately decided to appeal. Because it was proven that Minton was exposed to high levels of asbestos at his workplace, it is possible that Exxon Mobile will attempt to prove that Newport News Shipbuilding is somehow responsible for his illness. The trial itself only lasted a few weeks but the sum of money awarded to Mr. Minton is one of the largest victories for Mesothelioma victims in the history of the United States. If Exxon Mobile successfully appeals the verdict then it is very possible that Minton will not be alive when the final decision is made. Other former employees that worked in close proximity to Exxon Mobile oil tankers have already filed Mesothelioma lawsuits against the oil giant, but most of their cases are still being deliberated at the present.

