Los Angeles Jury Awards $33.38 Million to Hollywood Cameraman With Mesothelioma From Studio Lighting Asbestos

George Stephenson spent most of his working life on Hollywood sets. Born in 1945, he served in the U.S. Army and then worked as a cameraman in California from 1968 into the 2000s, close to the lighting equipment that every shoot depends on. On December 5, 2024, he was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining around the lungs that is caused by asbestos and is generally terminal.

Stephenson sued the company formerly known as Mole-Richardson Co., Ltd., now PK&P Investment Co., which made and supplied studio and theatrical lights. His case was that the cables and other components in that equipment contained asbestos. He claimed the motion-picture cables were insulated with chrysotile asbestos, and that a cameraman could handle dozens of lights a day, dragging cables of 3 to 25 feet and sometimes repairing equipment on the spot.

The case was tried in Los Angeles County Superior Court, at the Spring Street Courthouse, before Judge J. Stephen Czuleger. Trial ran nine court days beginning February 9, 2026, with closing arguments on February 26. Stephenson, then 80, was represented by Weitz & Luxenberg attorneys Jamie Mattera, Sara Merrill and Tyler Stock, with Benno Ashrafi and Rett Bergmark also listed among plaintiff's counsel. Mole-Richardson was defended by Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani.

The jury returned a unanimous verdict the next morning, February 27, 2026, after about two and a half hours of deliberation. It found that Mole-Richardson was negligent, that its products had defects that created an unreasonable risk, and that it failed to give adequate warnings. It assigned 100 percent of the fault to Mole-Richardson and none to two other companies, Kaiser Gypsum and United States Gypsum, that had been placed on the verdict form.

The jury also found, by clear and convincing evidence, that Mole-Richardson acted with malice, oppression or fraud through its officers, directors or managing agents. That finding opened the door to punitive damages in a second phase of trial.

Stephenson waived economic damages and asked only for non-economic damages. The jury awarded $3,640,000 for his past pain, suffering and loss of enjoyment of life and $29,744,400 for the future, a total of $33,384,400. Judgment was entered on March 2, 2026.

The punitive phase never finished. A defense-side case tracker reported that the matter resolved before the second phase was completed, and no terms were published.