Lockheed Workers Agree to Partial Settlement
The lead attorney representing 38 former and current Lockheed employees who were awarded a record $760 million in punitive damages in a toxic pollution verdict last August has agreed to accept half that amount to avoid a new trial.
Thomas V. Girardi notified Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Richard C. Hubbell in a paper that became available Thursday that he was agreeable to the reduced amount of $380 million.
Hubbell had said he would call a new trial in the case unless the reduced amount was accepted by today.
According to his office, Laurence F. Janssen, the defense attorney in the case, was in Texas on Thursday and was not available for comment on behalf of the five major oil and chemical companies, Exxon, Unocal, Shell, Ashland and Du Pont, that have appealed the verdict.
The companies were accused of failing to adequately warn workers of the dangers of chemicals they sold for use at Lockheed’s Burbank facilities.
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