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FRANCIS E. MARSHALL GERALD A. OENNEHEY
JOHN R. WARNER ROBERT J. COLEMAN ROBERT ST. LEGER GOGCIN JOHN P. RENDERS JOHN J. COFFEY EDWARD R. MURPHY* JOSIPH M. WALKER JOHN W. WALTER PAUL A. BECHTEL, JR. CHARLES W. CRAVEN ROBERT 0. HANNA, JR. THOMAS C DLORENZO DANIEL J. SHERRY JOHN S. TUCCI, JR. EOWARO R. TAYLOR PETER S. MILUR ANTHONY P. TINARI DANIEL J. RYAN, JR. FRANCIS E. MARSHALL, JR. ANNE M. KENNEY WILLIAM W. FEEIHOFER*
RALPH A. MICHETTI WILLIAM S. WEINER PAUL R. BRADY III CHRISTOPHER K WRIGHT MICHAEL P.OEEDON
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Ranter, Gloltnran mtLr (Soaqin
COUNSELLORS AT LAW -- PROCTORS IN ADMIRALTY
1515 LOCUST STREET PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA 19102
2I5-B93-3800 CABLE AOORESS MARSHALL
RECEIVED
527 SWEDE STREET NORRISTOWN, PA. 19401
215*279-5433
22 W. SECOND STREET MEDIA, PA. 19043 215-LO-4-U48
May 13, 1980
MAY 10 1980
30 WASHINGTON AVBJUt
ENTRY HADOONPIRLD, NJ. 0(033
409-944-1450
legal department
ALSO MEMBER NEW JERSEY 8AI
James K. Green, Esquire Johns-Manville Corporation
Ken-Caryl Ranch Denver, Colorado 80217
Re: VanArsdale vs. Johns-Manville
Corp., et al.
Feb. Term, 1978, No. 516 (109)
Case No. 21
___________ ,,
Dear Mr. Green:
Please be advised that we finished up the second half of the deposition of Thomas VanArsdale. He is {59 years old, married
and is the father of 4 children. He has 2 sons who live at home.
One works 'Si a pipefitter at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and the other is a paraplegic, who apparently gets no financial assistance from any source other than Mr. VanArsdale. Mr. VanArsdale made a fair impression as a witness and seemed honest throughout his testimony. The only area that Mr. VanArsdale exaggerated was the amount of time that he sustained heavy exposure.
Most of the time between 1946 and 1960, Mr. VanArsdale was employed as a mechanic at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. He stated that he spent 80 to 90% of his time in the shop. During the later part of that period, he was promoted to a shop planner. From 1963 to 1973, Mr. VanArsdale was a general foreman machinist.
His product identification was basically weak. He stated the he worked with and around gaskets, blankets, sections, blocks and cement. He identified Johns-Manville. Owens-Coming. Pittsburgh Corning, Garlock and Eaglff-FIcher. He said that he might have seen a GAF product while working in the yard. Most of his information
concerning product identification came from Joseph Gaus, a co-worker
and a plaintiff in the Albert group of cases. We have scheduled his deposition for May 22, 1980 for the purpose of obtaining more product identification information.
CRMC-M&S-002542
James K. Green, Esquire Page Two May 13, 1980
Mr. VanArsdale's medical history is an interesting one. In 1968, he received 2 badly broken ankles when he was assaulted in Long Beach, California while on a business trip for the navy. According to Mr. VanArsdale's testimony, a burglar jumped from a canopy on top of him while he was entering his hotel. His ankles continue to swell up to the present time and these injuries were listed as the major reason for his disability retirement in 1973
>m the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. Mr. VanArsdale's own doctor, Iula and the navy yard doctors agreed that Mr. VanArsdale was
mamentlsL^-i gab]ed from employment at the shipyard due to the .lowing reasons:
1. Bilateral fractures of the ankles; 2. (Pulmonary emphysema; and 3. Bronchitis. The plaintiff insistScthat he stopped smoking in the early sixties after having started in 1950 at the rate of 1 1/2 packs a day. Plaintiff's other medical problems are listed and explained more thoroughly in the enclosed medical reports of Dr. Rodman and Dr. Heiman. Unfortunately, we were unable to elicit any testimony which would give us any reason to believe that a statute of limitations issue was ripe. If you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
DJR/ar Enclosure cc: Kathleen Friedmann (w/enc.)
CRMC-M&S-002543