Amanda Antell  |  April 22, 2014

Category: Consumer News

Top Class Actions’s website and social media posts use affiliate links. If you make a purchase using such links, we may receive a commission, but it will not result in any additional charges to you. Please review our Affiliate Link Disclosure for more information.

Asbestos LawsuitNorth Carolina plaintiffs Vernon and Dea Aune are suing multiple manufacturing companies for the injuries the primary plaintiff, Vernon Aune, suffered after being exposed to their asbestos products. The Aunes allege that in direct result of being exposed to the asbestos products, he developed the deadly cancer, mesothelioma.

Mr. Aune was first exposed to the asbestos products in the 1950s when he worked as an apprentice and journeyman carpenter for JD Harold. His work included projects working with electrical wire, plastering materials, metal cutting, and sheet rock installation. Mr. Aune was exposed again in the 1960s and 1970s when he used building materials containing asbestos, for personal home-improvement projects. The materials he worked with at the time included DAP Caulk and Sherwin Williams Paint.

Mr. Aune was officially diagnosed with mesothelioma on Feb. 26, after years of asbestos exposure. The Aunes are filing the asbestos lawsuit based on the fact that it was in direct result of working with the hazardous materials that he developed mesothelioma.  Mrs. Aune is filing additional charges against the manufacturing companies for loss of consortium, as her marriage has been permanently alter by her husband’s condition, and may be at risk for developing mesothelioma as well.

According to the asbestos lawsuit, there were no warnings or precautionary instructions on the labels of the products, nor had any of the companies taken any effort to warn him, after the asbestos warnings were released in the 1990s.  There is currently no cure for mesothelioma, and will impair Mr. Aune for the remainder of his life.

So for being directly responsible for manufacturing, selling, distributing, and marketing a dangerous product, the Aunes are suing Certainteed Corporation and other listed defendants in the asbestos lawsuit.  The charges include negligence, false advertising, concealing information, and misrepresenting a product.

This asbestos lawsuit is Vernone Aune and Dea Aune vs. Certainteed Corporation, Case 1:14-cv-00298-TDS-LPA, in the U.S. District Court of Middle North Carolina, the Greensboro Division.

Overview of Asbestos Complications

The asbestos litigation movement is the longest-running mass tort in the history of the United States, with more than 600,000 asbestos lawsuits filed, against over 6,000 defendants.  Up until 1973, asbestos was used primarily in gaskets, brakes, walls, building construction, cement, boilers, pipes, ships, dry wall, engines, steamers, and a variety of other construction products.  It popular because it was cheap and had fire and chemical resistance.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous mineral, which can be up to 700 times smaller than a human hair. Despite its initial popularity, there have been a variety of health complications linked to the material.  When undisturbed, the materials containing asbestos do not pose a health risk to people working or living in the asbestos environment. However, if the fibers are released, they become embedded in the mucous membranes of the victim’s nose and throat, which leads to conditions such as mesothelioma. Three major health concerns have been identified from asbestos exposure:

  • Asbestosis —  serious, chronic, non-cancerous respiratory disease caused when the inhaled asbestos fibers scar the lung tissue.
  • Lung cancer — largest number of deaths related to asbestos exposure.  The most common symptoms are coughing and a breathing-rate change.
  • Mesothelioma — a rare form of cancer that most often occurs in the membrane lining of the lungs, chest, abdomen, and (rarely) heart.  This sickness is found to be specifically linked to asbestos exposure.

In general, asbestos mesothelioma lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.

Do YOU have a legal claim? Fill out the form on this page now for a free, immediate, and confidential case evaluation. The attorneys who work with Top Class Actions will contact you if you qualify to let you know if an individual lawsuit or class action lawsuit is best for you. Hurry — statutes of limitations may apply.

Learn More

We tell you about cash you can claim EVERY WEEK! Sign up for our free newsletter.


Get Help – It’s Free

Join a Free Mesothelioma Asbestos Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you or a loved one were exposed to asbestos and developed mesothelioma, lung cancer, or cancer in the lining of the lungs, abdomen or chest cavity, you may be able to take legal action against the companies responsible. Don’t delay – in most states the statute of limitations is two years to file an asbestos lawsuit after you’re diagnosed. Obtain a free and confidential case evaluation be filling out the form below.

An attorney will contact you if you qualify to discuss the details of your potential case at no charge to you.

  • The law firm responsible for the content of this page is: Sokolove Law
  • Please note that if your diagnosis was more than 4 years ago, you do not qualify for compensation.
  • We tell you about cash you can claim every week! Subscribe to our free newsletter today.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Please note: Top Class Actions is not a settlement administrator or law firm. Top Class Actions is a legal news source that reports on class action lawsuits, class action settlements, drug injury lawsuits and product liability lawsuits. Top Class Actions does not process claims and we cannot advise you on the status of any class action settlement claim. You must contact the settlement administrator or your attorney for any updates regarding your claim status, claim form or questions about when payments are expected to be mailed out.