Asbestos Case for 27 Defendants Settles

Asbestos has been used for decades by many individuals in select industries, including: construction workers, cement workers, plumbers, pipe fitters, insulators, furnace workers, roofers, power plant workers, oil refinery workers, miners, processing plant workers, manufacturing plant workers, railroad workers, shipyard and submarine veterans of war.  Workers were not aware that asbestos exposure put them and their families at risk for contracting mesothelioma, a deadly cancer, until the risk turned into a reality for thousands.

Mesothelioma is suspected to develop in 3,000 people annually after it is undetectable for up to 50 years after contact with asbestos and cancer. Initial symptoms may include: weight loss, fever, night sweats, cough, breathing difficulty, chest pain, and ultimately swelling of the abdomen, bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and a lowered red blood cell count. Mesothelioma can affect the abdominal, lung and/or heart linings. Many die within a year following diagnosis.

Recently, twenty six defendants settled a mesothelioma case for an undisclosed amount. However, a settlement offer by Union Carbide was rejected by the plaintiff. Instead, the plaintiff and associated family members went to trial against Union Carbide.

The primary plaintiff a man who was son of a construction and maintenance worker at Louisville Gas & Electric, located near powerhouses and associated with Union Carbide. His father also hung drywall containing asbestos fibers. The man claimed that he contracted cancer from his father by bringing asbestos dust home on his clothes. He also stated that he slept in the room where the laundry was held as a child, played in the dirty laundry piles and sometimes accompanied his father at work.  Consequently, the reason for his mesothelioma cancer.  The only known cause for mesothelioma is asbestos.

The results of the trial prevailed for Union Carbide since jurors unable to definitely conclude that Union Carbide should be responsible for plaintiff financial compensation based on legal premises. Typically, mesothelioma victims settle out of court to ensure that they receive compensation.

Mesothelioma Lawsuits

On a positive note, the law allows for mesothelioma cases to be fast tracked in court since the cancer is not usually detected until mid late stage when death is eminent. There are only a select number of personal injury attorneys who handle mesothelioma lawsuits.

If you or a loved one has cancer due to asbestos, contact Burton Padove for a free consultation at 219-836-2200.