A couple from Wisconsin has filed an asbestos lawsuit against a number of businesses involved in the manufacturing and deployment of asbestos. Their joint asbestos cancer lawsuit alleges that these companies’ negligence led to the husband of the pair developing asbestos-related illnesses.

Plaintiff Milton Boyer and his wife Kathy Boyer filed the asbestos lawsuit over Milton Boyer developing mesothelioma. Boyer worked in several jobs that potentially exposed him to asbestos.

Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the chest cavity. It is a particularly deadly form of cancer, with less than a quarter of people surviving more than two years after the initial diagnosis. Scientific studies have made a strong connection between asbestos and mesothelioma for nearly a century. However, the material was still widely used in the United States until the 1970s. Since it can take decades for mesothelioma to develop after asbestos exposure, many people who worked with asbestos in their youth are now developing mesothelioma.

Ever since the Industrial Revolution asbestos has been a widely-used building material due to its many useful properties. The material occurs naturally in the earth, and is mined for manufacturing purposes. It is made of tiny glass-like fibers, which give it a number of useful properties, and health risks. The fibers fit together almost like felt, but on a much smaller scale. This makes it a superb insulator. Additionally, the glass-like nature of the material gives it an extremely high melting point, making it functionally heatproof and fireproof. Unfortunately, the microscopic fibers resist the body’s processes that normally break down foreign objects. And the tiny fibers may damage DNA, resulting in changes that can lead to cancers like mesothelioma.

According to the mesothelioma lawsuit, Boyer worked for Weyerhaeuser Company, which manufactured asbestos-bearing fireproofing materials. This included creating fireproof cores for pre-made doors out of asbestos. His asbestos exposure lawsuit alleges that virtually the entire facility, including the break room and management office were contaminated with asbestos. The asbestos mesothelioma lawsuit also contends that Boyer was not aware of the potential health risks associated with asbestos exposure.

The asbestos lawsuit seeks the cost of Boyer’s medical care, as well as lost wages and lost income potential to compensate Boyer and his spouse for the loss of his income due to losses from his medical problems. The mesothelioma lawsuit seeks more than $75,0000 in damages from Weyehaeuser, as well as related companies, including some that allegedly made insufficient protective gear.

The Asbestos Mesothelioma Lawsuit is Milton Boyer, et al., v. Weyerhaeuser Company, a Corporation, et al., Case No. 3:14-cv-00286-wmc, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, Madison division.