Case Studies

A Delaware jury awarded a $2.86 million verdict — the largest mesothelioma verdict against a single defendant in the state of Delaware in over a decade — to the family of a worker at the Crane Plumbing Fixture Factory. Our client had used asbestos-contaminated talc powder to dust the molds for ceramic sinks, bathtubs, and more.

Our mesothelioma lawyers presented evidence during the trial that showed the asbestos fibers in our client’s lungs matched the makeup of fibers from a specific mine in New York that was owned and operated by RT Vanderbilt Company, Inc.

Companies facing mesothelioma lawsuits are increasingly attempting to argue that a patient’s cancer was caused by a BAP1 gene mutation, rather than asbestos exposure. Simmons Hanly Conroy has emerged as a national leader in defeating this defense.

In a landmark Louisiana case, our attorneys traced a client’s illness to childhood take-home exposure and secured an order excluding the defense’s genetics expert, resulting in one of the state’s largest asbestos settlements.

In a California case, our team challenged a similar genetics argument by uncovering a novel source of exposure and establishing a new legal path for holding manufacturers accountable, ultimately leading to a settlement.

Topamax

A Pennsylvania jury awarded a $3 million verdict to the family of a child born with bilateral cleft palate and lip. Simmons Hanly Conroy attorneys presented evidence during trial that showed Janssen Pharmaceuticals failed to warn consumers about the increased risk of birth defects of Topamax when the migraine medicine was taken during pregnancy.

Bridgeton Landfill

In 2010, the Bridgeton Sanitary Landfill became the site of a subterranean fire and the source of harmful air emissions, including benzene and hydrogen sulfide. Simmons Hanly Conroy attorneys filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of 600 residents affected by the noxious odors, prompting a $6.8 million dollar settlement with Republic Services, Inc, the owner of the landfill and one of the largest waste management companies in the country.

Simmons Hanly Conroy secured a settlement for a patient who suffered an improper blood transfusion at a St. Louis-area hospital.

Before filing the lawsuit, firm attorneys teamed with expert doctors to determine what went wrong and why.

The hospital implemented a plan to improve the safety of blood transfusions going forward.

Wrongful Death

A confidential settlement was reached just before trial in a wrongful death lawsuit concerning the death of 42-year-old Anthony “Todd” Burkey while being restrained by three security guards in a hospital emergency room. Two of the guards were indicted by a grand jury for involuntary manslaughter. While no amount of money can ever replace the loss of a loved one, Simmons Hanly Conroy helped the family secure justice in memory of their father and husband.