Yesterday I wrote about the order Kazan Law obtained punishing Union Oil for not producing its corporate witness to testify about its past wrong-doing toward asbestos victims. On the same day as Judge Jo-Lynne Q. Lee of the Alameda County Superior Court issued that order, she also punished Union Oil’s parent company, Chevron, for similar misconduct in an asbestos exposure case. Judge Lee granted Kazan Law partner Justin Bosl’s request to sanction Chevron $1,060 in the asbestos exposure case of Patricia and Billy Joe Sendle.
Billy Joe Sendle was a longtime welder for PG&E in Richmond, Merced, and Fairfield, California. During his work he encountered an asbestos pipe-coating called Somastic, which was developed and licensed by Chevron. He brought the asbestos dust home on his clothing and person. His wife, Patricia, was exposed to that dust, especially when doing his laundry. She now has mesothelioma. Chevron delayed producing its corporate witness for months, resulting in Judge Lee’s order sanctioning it. We hope Chevron will produce a witness soon for this asbestos exposure case to answer for its actions in developing and selling a deadly product.
Related post: Judge Orders Monetary Sanctions Against Union Oil