Settlements

The Galiher firm has recovered in excess of $100 million for asbestos victims over the past 20 years, and tens of millions of dollars in non-asbestos personal injury or wrongful death suits.

Futhermore, the attorneys in this firm have been appointed as special deputy attorneys general for the State of Hawaii and filed suits on behalf of the State of Hawaii against the Tobacco Industry and Gasoline Industry.

A brief summary of some of our most publicized settlements are:

1982: $12 million aggregate settlement on behalf of 140 asbestos plaintiffs including Johns-Manville. Johns-Manville bonded its settlement so all clients received their settlements even after Johns-Manville declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

1993: $2.2 million settlement for family of woman accidentally killed at an amusement park by a falling branch.

1997: $7,817,500 aggregate settlement for a husband and wife (ages 78 and 74 respectively), who were both diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma within four months of each other.

1998: $1.38 billion on behalf of the State of Hawaii with the Tobacco Industry for Medicaid reimbursement.

1999: $15 million on behalf of the State of Hawaii with BHP and Tesoro to settle antitrust claims regarding price-fixing of retail gasoline.


Mesothelioma Verdicts


  1. 1982 Nobriga vs. Raybestos-Manhattan
    2.
    • $552,081 total verdict, mesothelioma
    • reported at 67 Haw. 157, 683 P.2d 389 (1984)
  2. 1988 Sawyer vs. Raymark
    • $1,750,000, mesothelioma
    • reported at 980 F.2d 806 (9th Cir. 1992)
  3. 1988 Gamurot vs. Raymark
    • $538,990, mesothelioma
    • reported at 980 F.2d 806 (9th Cir. 1992)
  4. 1990 Cain vs. Owens-Corning
    • $5,370,400, mesothelioma
    • reported at 1992 WL 78092 (9th Cir.)
  5. 1991 Leone vs. Owens-Illinois
    • $674,901, mesothelioma
    • not reported
  6. 1991 Wood vs. Owens-Illinois
    • $628,820, mesothelioma
    • not reported
  7. 1991 Keiki vs. Owens-Illinois
    • $616,529, mesothelioma
    • not reported
  8. 1992 Taylor vs. Owens-Corning
    • $550,000, mesothelioma
    • not reported
  9. 1992 Walden vs. Owens-Corning
    • $450,000, mesothelioma
    • not reported
  10. 1993 Miyashiro vs. Owens-Corning
    • $9,787,966, mesothelioma
    • not reported

Other Asbestos-Disease Verdicts


  1. 1983 Chun vs. Owens-Illinois
    • $150,000, asbestosis
    • reported at 847 F.2d 523 (9th Cir. 1988)
  2. 1983 Chang vs. Owens-Illinois
    • $100,000, asbestosis
    • reported at 847 F.2d 523 (9th Cir. 1988)
  3. 1984 Carvalho vs. Raybestos-Manhattan
    • $713,046, lung cancer
    • reported at 871 F.2d 891(9th Cir. 1989)
  4. 1985 Kaowili vs. Raybestos-Manhattan
    • $8,291,180, lung cancer
    • reported at 727 P.2d 67 (Haw. 1986)
  5. 1986 Kaneshiro vs. Fibreboard
    • $260,000, asbestosis
    • not appealed
  6. 1988 Monderen vs. Raymark
    • $95,000, asbestosis
    • reported at 980 F.2d 806 (9th Cir. 1992)
  7. 1988 Kaiu vs. Raymark
    • $150,000, asbestosis
    • reported at 980 F.2d 806 (9th Cir. 1992)

No Recovery, No Fee

For all clients whom we represent for damage claims for personal injury or wrongful death, there is no fee if there is no recovery for the client. While we may charge by the hour for commercial litigation or other legal services such as drafting wills or trusts, in personal injury damage suits, if there is no recovery, there is no fee.