Former Mechanic Wins Lawsuit Against Automakers

The Providence Journal

Roland Leo Grenier Sr.’s specialty was brakes and clutches.

The 79-year-old retired mechanic repaired thousands of cars during his 38-year career, first at an Oldsmobile dealership, and then at a repair shop, both in Pawtucket.

What Grenier didn’t know was that with every clutch disc and brake pad he handled, he was exposing himself to invisible particles of asbestos, a known carcinogen.

After a 10-year stint as a school custodian in Cumberland, Grenier moved from his home in Pawtucket to retire in Florida in the late 1990s.

Two years ago, he was diagnosed with mesothelioma, an incurable form of cancer of the lungs that’s almost always caused by asbestos exposure.

Earlier this month, a jury in Delaware’s New Castle County Superior Court awarded Grenier $2 million in compensatory damages, after it found that General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. were liable for his illness.

His attorneys contended that his years of work with brake pads and clutch parts, both of which contained asbestos, were responsible for his cancer. The jury found that GM was 70-percent liable and Ford was 16-percent liable. The rest of the liability rested with seven other companies that Grenier sued.

“Mr. Grenier had no idea that the products he used while providing for his wife and children would later threaten his life,” said Rick Nemeroff, an attorney with Nemeroff Law Firm, based in Dallas, who represented Grenier.

“It’s gratifying to see that the jury agreed that these companies should be held responsible for the pain and suffering caused by their products.”

“We’re disappointed in the jury’s verdict,” said Geri Lama, a spokeswoman for GM. She added that the auto manufacturer hasn’t yet decided what its next step will be.

“Our sympathies go out to Mr. Grenier and his family,” said Kristen Kinley, a spokeswoman for Ford. “However, expert studies have shown that automobile mechanics are not at an increased risk of developing asbestos-related disease as compared to the general population,” she said.

“Additionally, we believe that Mr. Grenier’s exposure to asbestos in his previous work as a school custodian, where he had contact with floor tile, steam pipes and boilers, caused his illness. We are disappointed in the jury’s ruling and we are currently evaluating our options.”

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