Hackett

A jury awarded plaintiffs Mark Lewis and his wife, Shirley Hackett, $2.3 million in damages arising from Lewis’s shipyard exposure to asbestos products manufactured by John Crane, Inc. (Crane). Crane seeks reversal of the judgment, contending that it resulted from jury misconduct, prejudicial errors in the admission of evidence, and an improper special verdict form. In the alternative, Crane contends that the trial court miscalculated the amount of the offset it was entitled to for plaintiffs’ preverdict settlements and improperly awarded expert witness fees to Ms. Hackett. Plaintiffs cross-appeal, asserting that Crane’s settlement offset was overstated.

We modify the judgment to reduce Crane’s settlement credit against Lewis’s economic damages by $33,367 and affirm it in all other respects. We also affirm the order awarding expert witness fees.

I. Background

Lewis worked for the Navy at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard from 1971 until 1995. From 1971 to 1977 he was employed as a pipefitter working on nuclear submarines and surface craft. From 1977 until 1987 he worked as a quality assurance inspector in the nuclear inspection division. Between 1987 and 1995 he worked as…