December 2, 2021

In Webb v. General Cable, Horvitz & Levy secured its third 2021 reversal of a judgment after a jury verdict in an asbestos case. Our client General Cable was the only defendant remaining by the end of trial, and the jury found it 39% at fault for manufacturing products that allegedly caused Mr. Webb’s mesothelioma, resulting in a $28 million judgment.  Horvitz & Levy convinced the Court of Appeal to reverse the judgment on the ground that plaintiffs failed to present substantial evidence that Mr. Webb was exposed to any products manufactured by General Cable that contained asbestos.

Horvitz & Levy’s success in Webb v. General Cable follows close on the heels of another appeal in which Horvitz & Levy secured the reversal of an asbestos judgment.  In Swanson v. Marley-Wylain, we persuaded the Court of Appeal that Michigan law should govern the issue of causation, and that the trial court’s jury instructions on causation were incorrect under Michigan law.  The Court of Appeal agreed and reversed a $5.5 million judgment in a published opinion.

Earlier in the year, in Putt v. Ford Motor Co., Horvitz & Levy obtained a reversal of a $36 million judgment, paving the way for a new trial in which the firm’s client faces vastly reduced liability exposure.

For more information, or to find out more about our Products Liability & Toxic Torts practice, contact Emily V. Cuatto, Curt Cutting, Jason Litt, Lisa Perrochet, or Robert Wright.