Martin v. Survivair Respirators, Inc.

KENNETH M. ROMINES, Judge.

Introduction

This is a products liability wrongful death case. Derek Martin, a firefighter, died trying to rescue a fellow firefighter who was lost inside a burning building. Martin’s family sued the manufacturers of the firefighters’ equipment, Survivair Respirators, Inc. (“Survivair”) because of alleged malfunctioning of equipment that contributed to Martin’s death. The jury returned a verdict in favor of Martin’s family (“the family”) for $12 million in compensatory damages and $15 million in aggravating circumstances damages. Sur-vivair appeals. Martin’s family…