A man has filed a mesothelioma cancer lawsuit against his former employers.

Plaintiff William F. claims he was exposed to asbestos, including raw asbestos fiber, grinding wheels, phenolic molding compound, pumps, gaskets and electrical equipment from approximately 1977 to 2018.

The former employers purportedly include:

• Cement Asbestos Products Company, where he worked as a machine operator from 1977 to 1981;
• Baldor Electric, where he worked as a machine operator from 1981 to 1988;
• Welsco, where worked as a sales representative from 1988 to 1991;
• Everette Hogan Construction Co., where he worked as a laborer from 1993 to 2002, and again from 2005 to 2011;
• Ernest Coleman Construction, where he worked as a laborer from 2002 to 2005;
• Pepper Source, where he worked as a machine operator from 2012 to 2018.

William says he “was exposed to asbestos as a result of the installation, use, maintenance, servicing, and/or removal” of products used at all of the businesses. He says his exposure to asbestos and asbestos fibers resulted in him inhaling and ingesting asbestos that resulted in his mesothelioma cancer diagnosis in July 2018.

According to William’s complaint, the companies should have known that asbestos fibers were toxic, poisonous and dangerous to any person who inhaled or ingested them.

The businesses are accused of failing to warn the people working with and around asbestos of the substance’s threat to health. No adequate instructions allegedly were provided to employees regarding the potential safety precautions to take when working in and near asbestos.

Mesothelioma Cancer Caused by Asbestos Exposure

Mesothelioma cancer is a cancer of the linings of organs. Certain cells known as mesothelial cells line the inside of the chest, abdomen, heart and most internal organs. Together, mesothelial cells make up the mesothelium, which is the lining that keeps the area between organs lubricated and allows them to move against each other more easily.

Mesothelioma cancer is a cancer of this lining, which has different names depending on the part of the body affected.

Pleural mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the lungs; peritoneal mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the inside of the abdomen and the abdominal organs; pericardial mesothelioma is a cancer of the heart’s lining; another type of mesothelioma cancer can affect the lining of the testicles, known as tunica vaginalis.

Exposure to asbestos is the main risk factor for mesothelioma cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.

“In fact, most cases of pleural mesothelioma have been linked to asbestos exposure, usually from high levels of exposure in the workplace,” says the American Cancer Society.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral found in rocks and soil throughout the world. Some types of asbestos are more friable than others, which means they disintegrate into tiny fibers more easily. These fibers can become airborne where they are inhaled or swallowed.

Mesothelioma cancer can appear anywhere between 10 and 50 years after initial asbestos exposure because the fibers spend years irritating areas inside the body before cancer takes root.

The Mesothelioma Cancer Lawsuit is Case No. N18C-11-213 ASB in the Superior Court of the State of Delaware.