Taylor
Taylor v. John Crane, Inc.
Opinion
Opinion
Rivera, J.
Defendant John Crane Inc., appeals a jury verdict in favor ofplaintiffs David Taylor (Taylor) and his wife Susan Taylor, based on Taylor’s exposure to asbestos-containing products manufactured by defendant. Plaintiffs cross-appeal, contending the jury should not have allocated fault to the United States Navy in calculating defendant’s proportionate share of fault. Finding no error, we affirm the judgment.
I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY
Taylor served in the Navy as a machinist mate from 1962 to 1971 and again from 1973 to 1976. He worked for the Union Pacific Railroad for approximately six months in the period between his Navy enlistments. He was in the naval reserve from 1976 through 1986. He stopped working in February 2001 because of ill health. He was diagnosed with mesothelioma and the same month was told his life expectancy was a matter of weeks or months.
A. Taylor’s Work in the Navy
Taylor testified at trial that, among his other duties as a machinist mate on Navy submarines and surface ships, he performed maintenance on valves (which regulate the flow of steam and fluids through pipes) and flanges (the joints between pipe sections). His work on valves…