An asbestos cancer lawsuit filed on behalf of two former Crane Co. electricians who allegedly died from a disease related to asbestos exposure on the job resulted in a $25 million award from a New York jury.

The asbestos cancer lawsuit was filed by the families of Ivan Sweburg, 72, and Selwyn Hackshaw, 74, who had been electricians employed by Crane Co. The asbestos lung cancer lawsuit claims that Sweburg and Hackshaw were unknowingly exposed to asbestos found in Crane’s valves and gaskets.

The plaintiffs’ families and legal counsel allege that the resulting mesothelioma cancer was a direct result of the asbestos exposure on the job. Allegedly, Crane Co. was aware that their electricians were exposed to asbestos on a daily basis, but did nothing to warn their workers or give them proper protection to reduce their exposure to asbestos fibers.

Other electricians and their families were also a part of the original mesothelioma lawsuits involving other electric companies, including Garlock Sealing Technologies, General Electric, and Bell & Gossett Co. These companies decided to settle with the plaintiffs outside of court instead of proceeding to trial.

What is Mesothelioma?

The rare lung cancer, mesothelioma, is a type of cancer that develops almost exclusively from prolonged exposure to asbestos particles. When asbestos fibers are ingested, usually through inhalation, the carcinogenic fibers become trapped in an individual’s lung lining. Over time, the accumulated fibers are likely to cause inflammation, scarring, tumors, and eventually lead to the development of mesothelioma asbestos cancer. Mesothelioma is responsible for 4,800 deaths every year in the United States.

Many individuals have been unknowingly exposed to asbestos materials on the job, and in some cases, in certain older homes and residences. Because mesothelioma has a long latency period, most mesothelioma victims will not notice symptoms of asbestos related lung cancer until 15-35 years after the initial exposure.

From the late 1800s until around 1990, asbestos (a naturally occurring mineral) was used as a cheap and readily available building material in many businesses and homes. According to the Mesothelioma Center, medical researchers in 1935 found a probable causal relationship between asbestos lung cancer and exposure to asbestos materials. In light of these and other findings and reports, the United States and other world governments have limited the use of asbestos and have classified it as a harmful human carcinogen.

Occupational Exposure to Asbestos

Certain occupations are at a higher risk of asbestos cancer than others. Most are trade professions in which materials used on a daily basis contained asbestos particles. These occupations include:

• Auto mechanics
• Shipyard workers
• Paper mill workers
• Construction workers
• Textile workers
• Insulation installers
• Sheet metal workers
• Roofers
• Toll collectors
• Tilers
• Linotype technicians
• Plumbers

Many workers in these professions are likely to have had prolonged exposure to asbestos in enclosed spaces with little to no protective gear.