A judge in a special Manhattan court deeply slashed a jury's damages verdict in multi-plaintiff asbestos litigation, awarding almost $30 million after jurors said the plaintiffs were entitled to $190 million.

Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Joan Madden (See Profile), sitting in the New York York City Asbestos Litigation part, refused to disturb the liability verdict against the two boiler companies, but reduced the damages award in the consolidated action by more than 80 percent on Feb. 5.

When jurors reached the verdict after an 11-week trial, the plaintiffs' attorneys at Weitz & Luxenberg called it the largest-ever asbestos verdict in New York (NYLJ, July 25, 2013).