An Illinois widow recently filed a lawsuit against a slew of companies, seeking more than $50,000 after her husband died from an asbestos-related cancer.

The lawsuit alleges that these companies, construction and manufacturing companies, failed to warn her late husband about the risk of developing asbestos-related cancer after working with products that contain the dangerous substance.

The plaintiff, Rebecca M., filed the lawsuit on March 19, 2018 in an Illinois state court on behalf of her late husband as well as herself. Defendants named in the complaint include ABB Inc., Crane Co., and Vanderbilt Minerals LLC, among others.

According to the lawsuit, Rebecca’s husband, Irie M., was exposed to dangerous asbestos fibers from some of the products manufactured by the named defendants. Unfortunately, he ended up being diagnosed with an asbestos-related cancer, which the asbestos lawsuit claims was a direct result of this exposure. He died of this asbestos-related cancer on March 21, 2016.

Rebecca’s asbestos lawsuit claims that the companies were responsible for Irie’s diagnosis with asbestos-related cancer and subsequent death, as they used asbestos in the manufacture of their products but failed to warn or instruct about the dangers of the material.

According to the lawsuit, these companies failed to exercise “reasonable care and caution” for the safety of those exposed to their products, and Rebecca seeks damages of more than $50,000 in response.

Asbestos-Related Cancer

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral used for commercial purposes such as electrical or building insulation, as well as countless other uses. Unfortunately, asbestos has long been linked with a serious risk of lung cancer.

The microscopic fibers of asbestos can accumulate in the lungs, but then quickly spread to distant organs. Asbestos exposure can cause several critical health problems, including lung cancer.

Lung cancer from asbestos is a serious risk for many who are surrounded by the dangerous substance. Indeed, back in 1986, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA) announced that lung cancer from asbestos was, in fact, the greatest risk associated with the chemical. The potential for lung cancer from asbestos has been documented since at least the 1930s.

It can take decades for asbestos-related cancer to develop, but then it can spread rapidly to organs all across the body. This rapid rate of development often means that asbestos-related cancer isn’t diagnosed until it has reached a later and more dangerous stage of development. This is further exacerbated by the disconnect between asbestos exposure decades previously and cancer symptoms in the present. If the patient had ever had knowledge of lung cancer from asbestos, the connection could easily be lost through the decades without such symptoms.

Filing a Lawsuit Over Asbestos-Related Cancer

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with or died from asbestos-related cancer, you may be able to file an asbestos lung cancer lawsuit or seek an asbestos fine. Filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by asbestos-related cancer, but it can help to alleviate the financial burden caused by medical expenses and lost wages.