Sarah Markley  |  August 22, 2017

Category: Consumer News

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power plant employeeA South Carolina couple has filed a lawsuit claiming the spouse’s power plant asbestos exposure caused his terminal mesothelioma.

Plaintiff couple Dale J. and Brenda J. claim that Dale’s mesothelioma that was diagnosed in January 2016 developed as a direct result of asbestos-laden valves in the power plants where he was employed for many years.

They believe that the makers of those valves should be held responsible. Age seventy-three now, Dale alleges that he experienced power plant asbestos exposure for thirty years while he worked for Duke Energy at their various power plant sites.

He claims that Duke Energy was careful with employee safety and ensured that workers would not suffer power plant asbestos exposure via insulation containing asbestos.

But he isn’t holding Duke Energy at fault. This power plant asbestos exposure lawsuit is holding the makers of certain components responsible for his mesothelioma. Fisher Controls International and Crosby Controls International manufactured the valves that Dale was employed to inspect on a daily basis. Unfortunately, these valves were primarily made of asbestos.

An attorney for the plaintiff couple told Law360, “So where did the asbestos come from? It came from within, if you will, the literally hundreds if not thousands of valves that Crosby made, designed, sold to Duke at these various plants.”

Dale was near both the valves and the gaskets as they were being worked on, and because of this, he suffered exposure to asbestos in the power plant for many years.

This power plant asbestos exposure lawsuit was filed last year in April 2016 and named many organizations responsible, including General Electric Co., Union Carbide Corp., Pfizer Inc. and dozens more. This lawsuit contends that Dale was exposed to asbestos as far back as 1979 when he worked as pipefitter and as recently as 2003 when he worked as an ultrasonic quality control inspector.

Two of the defendants, Fisher Controls and Crosby Controls, told the jury recently that they neither sold nor manufactured the type of valve or gasket that Dale alleges caused his power plant asbestos exposure.

This Power Plant Asbestos Exposure Lawsuit is Case No. 2016-CP-42-01592 in the Court of Common Pleas for the Seventh Judicial Circuit of South Carolina.

Asbestos and Mesothelioma

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that is found in the earth; it has been used for hundreds of years for its flame retardant and insulation properties. For much of the last century, asbestos was widely used in private and commercial construction, most commonly found in use in the shipping industry and the military.

Asbestos is not dangerous when it is not disturbed. However, when asbestos is disturbed, tiny fibers are released into the air. These fibers are easily inhaled into the lungs and cannot be expelled. Essentially, asbestos fibers stay in someone’s lungs for the rest of their life.

Asbestos fibers, over time, can cause inflammation and may cause tumors to form. Cancer from asbestos exposure takes decades to develop. Mesothelioma is cancer of the lining of the lungs, almost always caused by asbestos exposure.

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 asbestos lawsuit or asbestos class action lawsuit is best for you. [In general, asbestos mesothelioma lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.] Hurry — statutes of limitations may apply.

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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.

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