A St. Clair County woman is suing several companies that she says are responsible for her mesothelioma. Diagnosed in 2016, the woman, along with her husband, filed the complaint in the St. Clair County Circuit Court alleging that, between 1978 and 1993, she was exposed to asbestos while working with or around products that she says were manufactured by several defendants including pump, milling, technology, and equipment companies that have denied the accusations.
The plaintiff also claimed that she was exposed to asbestos, secondarily, through contact with her father and uncles, who were exposed to asbestos while working as laborers at the milling company.
In the suit, The Madison County Record reports that the plaintiffs allege that the defendants were negligent in causing the victims mesothelioma, because they “failed to provide any or adequate warnings, to persons working with or around the products, of the dangers of inhaling, ingesting or otherwise absorbing the asbestos fibers contained in them.” The plaintiffs also claimed negligence based on the companies’ use of asbestos in products when adequate substitutes were readily available.
On November 30, 2016, the plaintiff learned that she had developed mesothelioma. As of January 23, 2018, she was seeking a sum of more than $50,000, which The Record says, “will fairly and reasonably compensate for the injuries.”
If you have been exposed to asbestos, whether it occurred in the workplace, at home or other environment, see your doctor right away. Even brief exposures could lead to disease. In fact, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that there is no "safe" level of exposure for any type of asbestos fiber, stating that asbestos exposures as short in duration as a few days have caused mesothelioma. And when it comes to the workplace, the OSHA says every occupational exposure to asbestos can cause disease.
Symptoms of mesothelioma include chest pain, cough, shortness of breath, and weight loss. However, even if you do not have symptoms, see your doctor right away. Because of the long latency period between exposure and illness, it could take decades for symptoms to develop.
Although there is no cure for mesothelioma, early detection offers the best treatment options, and outcomes.
Sources
"Asbestos and Cancer Risk." American Cancer Society. American Cancer Society, Inc., 2018. Web. 25 Jan. 2018.
Fernandez, Noddy A. “Sparta Woman Alleges Asbestos Exposure Caused Mesothelioma Diagnosis.” MadisonRecord.com, The Madison County Record, 23 Jan. 2018. Web 25 Jan. 2018.
