A jury in Oregon delivered a $33 million verdict favoring a former shipyard worker who developed mesothelioma. The victim believes he was exposed to asbestos from his shipyard work, specifically working with asbestos-containing gaskets.
Richard L. sued multiple companies, including John Crane, after his diagnosis of mesothelioma in January 2023. He developed pleural mesothelioma, which is a type of cancer forming in the thin lining of the lungs. Tumors quickly spread to the lungs and give patients an average survival of 1-2 years after diagnosis.
This case is another example of shipyard workers developing mesothelioma and the risk of working with gaskets during the 20th century. It’s also another example of juries siding with victims when they file mesothelioma lawsuits against companies involved in asbestos manufacturing.
Specific Details of the Case
The plaintiff worked at the Dillingham ship repair yard on Swan Island, Ore., from 1972-1975. This 3-year period was at the height of asbestos’ popularity in shipbuilding, automobile manufacturing, construction work and more. Asbestos is a natural mineral that can resist heat. It’s also cancerous, and the only known cause of the cancer mesothelioma.
The jury ruled that the victim was exposed to a John Crane gasket product, which was in defective condition. The defect, the jury ruled, led to his asbestos exposure.
Asbestos is not dangerous when intact and held together. When the microscopic fibers that make up asbestos fracture or separate, they float in the air and can be inhaled. This is when asbestos becomes dangerous. Unfortunately for many workers during the 20th century, slight touch or disturbance of asbestos products can cause the fibers to break free.
The jury found John Crane negligent in the victim’s mesothelioma. In many cases, juries find companies negligent for not warning workers that asbestos is present in products and dangerous when disturbed.
John Crane’s website lists mechanical seals, compressor seals, seal support systems, and power transmission couplings as some categories of available products for purchase. The company has a product page for compressed non-asbestos sheets and gaskets. John Crane stopped selling asbestos gaskets and sheets during the 1980s, which is when most companies discontinued asbestos manufacturing and product sale.
Shipbuilders and Mesothelioma
Shipbuilding and shipyard work are two of the top jobs from the 20th century associated with asbestos exposure and mesothelioma. Military ships were built with asbestos products to prevent fires in hot rooms, such as boiler rooms. Shipbuilders were exposed to asbestos in several ways, including from installation, replacement, or repair of gaskets.
Shipbuilders with mesothelioma can contact Mesothelioma Guide for legal help. Email Carl Jewett, a Navy veteran, at cjewett@mesotheliomaguide.com with questions or case information.
Sources & Author
- Oregon Jury Awards $33 Million In Shipyard Laborer’s Asbestos Gaskets Case. Asbestos Case Tracker. Retrieved from: https://asbestoscasetracker.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Richard-D.-Long-v.-3M-Company-et-al_-2025-LexisNexis-Jury-Verdicts-_-Settlements-257.pdf. Accessed: 10/03/2025.
- Compressed Non-asbestos Sheets and Gaskets. John Crane. Retrieved from: https://www.johncrane.com/en/products/packing/compressed-non-asbestos-sheets-and-gaskets. Accessed: 10/03/2025.
