One of these suits was brought by the family of a Texas man who died at age 41 of mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer caused by asbestos. The suit was brought against Georgia-Pacific, which made a joint compound, used in construction projects, that contained asbestos. The man had been exposed to the compound as a child, when he helped his father with construction jobs on the weekends.

Although the evidence showed that the Texan had been exposed to asbestos in other ways, the jury found Georgia-Pacific 75% liable for his injuries. It was likely influenced by evidence showing that, while all exposure to asbestos is bad, exposure to asbestos as a child is worse because children are more vulnerable to cancer-causing agents than are adults.

The jurors were also likely influenced by evidence showing that Georgia-Pacific had tried to hide the dangers of asbestos from consumers, had only half-heartedly complied with federal warning requirements, and had continued to sell the joint compound right up to the moment it was banned--internal documents noted that Georgia-Pacific's competitors were losing money by pulling their asbestos-containing products before they were required to.

Disturbed by Georgia-Pacific's lack of concern for those who used its defective products and its excessive concern for the bottom line, the jury returned a verdict of more than $13 million for the family.

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