Mesothelioma Law Firm

By Rachel Rasking-Zrihen / Times-Herald staff writer

Article Launched: 12/16/2008 02:03:55 AM PST

A Vallejo man diagnosed earlier this year with a deadly asbestos-related cancer has won a $7.5 million settlement of his case, his lawyers announced.

Robert “Bobby” Hilt of Vallejo, 64, was diagnosed with mesothelioma, which likely resulted from his work as a marine machinist and janitor in San Francisco and on Mare Island, said his San Francisco lawyer, Gilbert Purcell.

Mesothelioma is a fatal cancer of the lining of the chest cavity and lungs.

The settlement, which will exceed $7.5 million after all parties ante up, is among the richest in California history, particularly for someone Hilt’s age, Purcell said. There have been some higher awards, but those were for much younger patients, Purcell said.

Hilt and his wife of 43 years, Geraldine, were plaintiffs in a trial that began last month in San Francisco Superior Court with 11 defendants that made, supplied or distributed the asbestos-containing products Hilt worked around from the early 1960s through the early 1970s, Purcell said. Two weeks into the plaintiff’s case, the last of the defendants settled out of court, he added.

The Hilts declined to be interviewed.

A San Francisco native, Hilt worked as a janitor for Schlage Lock Co.’s Bayshore plant from 1963 to 1965. He then went to work at the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, where he was employed until 1972.

In the early 1970s, Hilt was “loaned out” to the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, where he worked as a machinist in the nuclear reactor compartments of Sturgeon Class submarines, Purcell said.

Hilt’s asbestos exposure came from all of those work environments, Purcell said.

In 1972, Hilt took a job with the U.S. Mint in San Francisco, where he stayed until his 2004 retirement.

The Hilts took a liking to Vallejo during his stint on Mare Island, and they moved here more than 20 years ago, Purcell said.

Hilt was diagnosed with mesothelioma by his doctors at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, Vallejo. That led to research into his work history to determine where he may have been exposed to asbestos.

Hilt is doing relatively well physically, Purcell said. “Typically, people with mesothelioma live 12 to 18 months from the time of clinical diagnosis,” he said. “Mr. Hilt is coming up on a year now. But his good physical condition and his good attitude have made it possible for him to continue functioning fairly normally.”

E-mail Rachel Raskin-Zrihen at RachelZ@thnewsnet.com or call 553-6824.

Source: http://www.timesheraldonline.com

December 17th, 2008 | Tags: mesothelioma lawyer | Category: California, News | Subscribe to comments | Comments are currently closed | Trackback URL