Missouri woman exposed to carcinogen awarded $20.6M

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- A southwest Missouri woman has been awarded $20.6 million in damages after federal jurors found a company exposed her to a toxic chemical that left her with permanent disabilities.

A jury hearing Jodelle Kirk's case announced $13 million in punitive damages Monday and $7.6 million in actual damages Friday. At issue is the conduct of FAG Bearings, a subsidiary of Schaeffler Group North America.

Kirk's attorney told jurors the company dumped trichlorethylene, also known as TCE, on its property, and the known carcinogen seeped into the ground, nearby creeks and private wells.

The Silver Creek woman was diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis in 2002 when she was 14. FAG previously has blamed two other companies for the contamination.