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PAGE 4i WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, 'EBRUARY l 1989 Whitby lawyer wins 2 more heart valve settlements By Debbie Luchuk Whitby lawyer Brian Evans has once again successfully won settlements for two further Bjork Shiley heart valve claims. The controversy surroundin Shiley Inc.'s heart valves and Evans' role in winning compen- sation for the heart valve reci- ients will soon be national nowledge, as Evans was to be interviewed by CBC's "fifth estate"news journal. The two eaims are the fourth and fifth such settlements with Shiley Inc., manufacturer of the heart valves. Settlements were negotiated on behalf of a 70-year-old Toronto man who survived the fracture of his Bjork Shiley heart valve in July of 1988; and the estate of Joyous Debock, who died as a result of her heart valve fracture in June of 1987. The exact amounts of the set- tlements are confidential, but Evans said he and the parties involved were satisfied with the settlements. The Globe and Mail reported that the settlements could be up to $1 million (U.S.) in each case of the two cases. The heart valves were removed from the market by Shiley in 1986. Welded struts in the valves had been coming apart after im- plantation in patient's chests. Evans says more than 120 deaths worldwide have been attributed to the malfunction of the Shiley valves. More than 7,900 potentially defective valves have been implanted in Cana- dians and more than 75,000 worldwide. Shiley Inc., the manufacturer of the valves, has been tying to have all foreign cases, inclumg Canadian cases, sent back to the country of origin, so as to avoid the application of California's generous tort law. However, they were not successful. Evans attributes the success of the settlements to this un- successful bid to have cases dealt with in country of origin and increasing pressure on the com- PH feels that his cases have g9ne further than any others in digng up information on the manufacture and distribution of the valves. Another lawsuit against Toronto General Hospital, for ownership and possession of the For Debock heart valve, has also been settled. Evans is continuing to battle Shiley on the behalf of other Bjork Shiley heart valve reci- pients who still have the heart valve implanted in them, and is currently involved in an action against Shiley Inc. for negligent iiifliction of emotional distress. The client is distressed at the prospect of sudden death. Accordin to Evans, if the case is successfui, it will open the door for the other recipients worldwide. "I have one other case pending, a woman who has a valve in her and who can't have it taken out, for her mental distress. There are over a dozen (cases) like that, and I'm trying to see if I can open the door or this ( compen- sation for mental distress). "There are 82,000 with these valves all over the world, and 9,000 in Canada," Evans said. Boat company gets Quebec museum contract FROM PAGE 1 will be making the iron fittings, nails and other iron pieces. The ship is to be delivered by May 1, and Walker said the project is keepin eight people very busy for th e next four months. Walker Boat Building came to Whitby from Kingston in 1986, when the company lost its space in Kingston and Walker's wife transferred to a job in Toronto. The company makes custom- ordered and designed wooden boats and some steel boats for customers across North America. Among the boats that have been produced there are Tornado catamarans, an Olympic class boat. Customers have come from all over North America, such as Texas, Kitchener or the Mari- times, for custom made boats. Locally Walker's biggest cus- tomer is te Whitby Yacht Club. "I grew up around boats since I was about five. I have done lots of sailing and worked for other boat builâers as well as taking a year at a wooden boat building school in the States," Walker said of his experience with boats. However, boats are not all that the six to 10 employees of the company are working on. Recently Walker Boat Building branchec out into architectural woodworking, using' boat-build- Pqç>ple S' 0 >Go You've been on the go since early this morning. So tonight, slow down, relax and let us make dinner! We Offer Take Out: • Chicken Fingers • Croissant & Caesar • Pork Tenderloin • Fish & Chips • Chili • Waffles Or Our Complete Eat-In Menu Either way, Golden Griddle is the calm at the end of a hectic day. 1801 Dundas St. E. Whitby Phone: 723-4538 ...in Kendalwood Park Plaza (Kmart) on Dundas Street E. / Highway 2... ing technology to , create such home additions as solariums. Boat building is a precarious business, Walker said, and although satisfying for the boat builder, is not lucrative. For this reason, Walker said the com any ma soon phase out the boat- buiding operation in favor of the architectural work. "Sales (last year) were okay, but we were bit quite' hard the stock market crash. We can t charge the same rates (for boats) as thyare worth," Walker said. Walkr Boat Building is loca- ted on Harbour St., Whitby. Enima Davis FROM PAGE 3 S. in Oshawa and later moving to Whitby. Davis and her husband raised six children: Minnie Bertha and Dorothy ( predeceased), Thomas of British Columbia, Ken of Aps- ley, Ont., Edward of Oshawa and Irene Town of Whitby. John Davis passed away on Oct 15 1967. She Las 10 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchi dren and one great-great-grandchiid. A bright and alert cente- narian, Davis is active in vari- ous activities such as the exerc- ise group, ceramics and Bible fellowship. She enjoys reading and visiting with her many friends and relatives. Her secret to longevity? "Love, and kindness, a ood family and lots of hard work. JACK GRANT, BROKER JACK GRANT REALTY CORPORATION 668-4000 ENJOYING MY 12TH YEAR LISTING AND SELLING PROPERTIES IN YOUR AREA!! 4% EXCLUSIVE 5% MLS * , , 1 ý « 1 1 lm - t, 't 4, »,'* * it ýl&.&'*ý14-4'.