Jury Finds Honda Failed to Warn About Asbestos Risks in Auto Parts
A New York Supreme Court jury awarded $600,000 to Michael Wagner, a career mechanic who developed mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos in Honda automotive parts. The verdict, delivered on October 1, 2024, found North American Honda Motor Co. responsible for failing to warn mechanics about asbestos risks while rejecting claims of reckless disregard. The case highlighted Honda’s delayed transition to asbestos-free components, which wasn’t completed until 1994, decades after initial federal regulations on asbestos were established.
5 Key Points
- The jury awarded $300,000 for past pain and suffering and $300,000 for future suffering.
- Honda failed to warn non-dealership mechanics about asbestos risks in auto parts.
- The verdict found exposure from 21 additional companies but determined they exercised reasonable care.
- Medical experts project 8.4 years of future pain and suffering for the plaintiff.
- Honda didn’t produce its first asbestos-free vehicle until 1992.
Honda’s Two-Tier Warning System Draws Legal Fire
The six-week trial in the New York County Supreme Court exposed Honda’s bifurcated approach to safety communications, which became the cornerstone of Wagner’s case. His legal team, led by Weitz & Luxenberg attorneys Jamie Mattera, Ilya Kharkover, and Pierre Ratzki, presented evidence showing Honda provided asbestos warnings exclusively to its dealership network while withholding critical safety information from independent mechanics. This selective notification policy persisted even as Honda continued manufacturing vehicles with asbestos-containing components until 1994. The attorneys demonstrated that Honda never tested these components despite mounting concerns in the automotive industry about asbestos exposure risks. On September 24, Honda attempted to dismiss Wagner’s punitive damages claim, arguing that contemporary understanding didn’t indicate elevated disease risks for mechanics. The court ultimately allowed the reckless disregard claim to proceed to jury deliberation.
Medical Testimony Charts Course of Mechanic’s Illness
The trial’s medical testimony phase brought together prominent experts from multiple disciplines to assess Wagner’s condition and future prognosis. Columbia University’s Dr. David Rosner provided historical context about industry knowledge of asbestos dangers, while certified industrial hygienist Kenneth Garza detailed exposure patterns typical in automotive repair work. Speaking from his cardiovascular and thoracic surgery expertise, Dr. Mark Ginsburg outlined the progressive nature of Wagner’s mesothelioma. Honda’s defense team countered with epidemiologist Dr. Dominik Alexander, who analyzed population-level exposure data, and pulmonologist Dr. Allan Feingold, who discussed alternative causation theories. The medical discourse culminated in the jury’s determination that Wagner faces 8.4 years of future pain and suffering, directly informing the verdict’s $300,000 future damages portion.
Verdict Distinguishes Honda’s Liability Among Industry Players
The jury’s deliberations tackled the complex task of assigning responsibility across multiple decades of Wagner’s mechanical work. While the evidence showed exposure to asbestos-containing products from 21 manufacturers, the jury determined that Honda alone failed to meet industry standards for warning workers about asbestos risks. This singular finding of liability stems from Honda’s documented practice of internal dealership warnings that never reached independent mechanics like Wagner. The jury stopped short of finding reckless disregard, suggesting Honda’s actions reflected negligence rather than willful endangerment. These deliberations spanned September 27 through October 1, with the jury weighing testimony about Honda’s 1992 introduction of asbestos-free vehicles against industry-wide knowledge of asbestos dangers dating back decades.
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