$8.26 Million Awarded to a Louisiana Mechanic
Louisiana bus mechanic Steven “Joe” Aaron Sr. spent his life working hard to provide for his family. After decades in this role, Joe was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma, a cancer caused by asbestos exposure.
Joe and his family turned to Sokolove Law, a national mesothelioma law firm, for help. His legal team investigated the asbestos exposure that occurred during his years working as a mechanic and pursued a case against the company they believed was responsible for failing to warn him about the dangers of asbestos.
Joe's case went to trial, where the jury found Ford Motor Company liable and awarded him an $8.26 Million mesothelioma verdict. The trial lasted 3 weeks, and the jury returned a verdict after deliberating for only 1 hour.
While the verdict could not take away Joe's mesothelioma or restore the independence he had lost, it provided financial security for Joe and his family. It also marked an important moment for a man who had spent his life working to take care of the people he loved.
A Lifetime of Hard Work
Joe started working as a mechanic when he was young. In the 1960s and 1970s, he worked at a gas station and later as a school bus mechanic, where he regularly serviced vehicles and handled asbestos-containing brakes and clutches.
At the time, Joe had no reason to believe that the work he did every day could put his health at risk. Like many workers who were exposed to asbestos decades ago, he didn't know that breathing asbestos dust could eventually cause mesothelioma.
Work was important to Joe, but his family was always at the center of his life. Joe became a husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He especially loved being “Paw-Paw” to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
When he wasn't working, he enjoyed taking his family camping and fishing and helping with whatever needed to be done. He was used to being the person his family could count on.
A Mesothelioma Diagnosis Changes Everything
In 2020, Joe was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma. The diagnosis was a shock to Joe and his family.
After spending decades working and providing for the people he loved, Joe suddenly faced a serious illness that affected nearly every part of his life. His wife Karen struggled with the reality of what the diagnosis meant.
“When you know this could have been prevented, it makes things just that much harder to bear,” Karen said. “No one should have to endure the pain of a mesothelioma diagnosis.”
Joe's health also made it harder to do the things he had always done for his family.
I want to help them more,” Joe said about his grandchildren. “They're just starting out in life, and they need help, but I just got to where I couldn't do the things I wanted anymore.”
Turning to Sokolove Law for Experienced Legal Help
After his diagnosis, Joe and his family needed to understand how his asbestos exposure had happened and what legal options were available. They turned to mesothelioma lawyers at Sokolove Law for help.
Joe's case involved decades-old asbestos exposure from the automotive work he performed as a mechanic. Investigating those exposures and determining which companies could be held responsible required extensive legal work.
Ultimately, his legal team pursued a claim against Ford Motor Company, alleging that Ford had failed to adequately warn about the dangers associated with asbestos-containing products.
Joe's legal team prepared the case for trial after Ford declined to settle. Over 99% of mesothelioma claims result in settlements, but cases like this show our firm's resolve to fight for our clients.
Since 1979, Sokolove Law has secured more than $5.5 Billion for thousands of mesothelioma victims and their families.
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Taking Joe's Case to Trial
Joe's case went to trial and lasted 3 weeks. During the trial, the legal team presented evidence about Joe's work history, his asbestos exposure, his mesothelioma diagnosis, and the effect the disease had on his health and independence.
After approximately 1 hour of deliberation, the jury found Ford liable for negligence and for failing to warn Joe about the dangers of asbestos.
The jury awarded Joe over $8.26 Million in damages:
- $6 Million in general damages
- $2.26 Million in medical expenses and lost earning capacity
For Joe and Karen, the mesothelioma verdict was the best news they could have hoped for after everything they had been through. It couldn't undo Joe's diagnosis or give him back the independence he had before mesothelioma.
But it provided financial security for Joe and his family and held the company responsible for the harm they argued resulted from his asbestos exposure.
Helping Joe Protect His Family's Future
Joe had spent his life working to provide for his family. After his mesothelioma diagnosis, the $8.26 Million verdict gave him something especially valuable: the ability to focus on the time he had left with the people he loved instead of worrying about medical bills and his family's future.
Joe lived for nearly 5 years after his pleural mesothelioma diagnosis in 2020. During those years, he was able to spend time with his wife, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren — the family who had always been at the center of his life.
The compensation couldn't restore Joe's health or the independence mesothelioma had taken from him, but it offered financial security and the peace of mind that his family would continue to be provided for.
Sadly, Joe passed away from mesothelioma on March 23, 2025. He left behind a family who knew how deeply he loved them and a legacy built over a lifetime of working hard, taking care of others, and putting his family first.
A Family's Gratitude
Joe's story is a reminder that asbestos exposure can happen decades before mesothelioma develops. Someone who worked with asbestos-containing products in the 1960s or 1970s may not have known they were being exposed to a substance that could eventually cause cancer.
Sokolove Law helped Joe and his family understand their legal options and seek accountability. We've done the same for many clients, securing more than $5.5 Billion total for families nationwide.
Contact us now to see if our firm can fight for your family too. There are no upfront costs, and you pay nothing unless we recover compensation.
