Charleston, W.V. — A West Virginia jury on Thursday found Union Carbide guilty of exposing workers to asbestos poisoning over a 35-year period, the company faces millions of dollars in potential damages. The verdict makes it possible for about a thousand plaintiffs to pursue cases against Union Carbide for injuries suffered or health problems due to asbestos exposure like Mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer, at company facilities. Nationwide, there are 200,000 pending asbestos claims.

The second part of the trial is set to begin in December, a jury will be asked to determine if the plaintiffs were injured because of exposure to asbestos.

(via Reuters)