A couple has filed an asbestos mesothelioma lawsuit against a number of named defendants, Aerco International Inc., Arconic Inc., and Peerless Industries Inc., alleging the development of mesothelioma, a deadly cancer.

Plaintiffs Ellis and Rosemary P. file the asbestos mesothelioma lawsuit in the federal court of Tennessee. The lawsuit was filed on Jan. 29, 2018.

According to the asbestos mesothelioma lawsuit, Ellis, a resident of Arizona, says that he served in the U.S. Navy between 1951 and 1955 and from 1956 to 1975 aboard several different U.S. ships.

It was between 1979 and 1994 that the worked as a Boiler and Machinery Inspector from Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company/AIG at the company’s TN location between 1995 and 2001 and at various other locations between 2001 and 2006, the asbestos mesothelioma lawsuit states.

However, Ellis says that because he worked with Aerco’s and Peerless’ asbestos-containing products that were manufactured and supplied by them, he became diagnosed with mesothelioma on Jan. 30, 2017.

The asbestos mesothelioma lawsuit is filed on multiple counts including strict liability, breach of warranty, negligence, fraud, fraudulent misrepresentation, battery, and loss of consortium.

Ellis demands a trial by jury.

Overview: Asbestos Mesothelioma

According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), asbestos is the name allotted to six naturally occurring minerals that develop as bundles of fiber. Because of asbestos’ natural ability to be resistant to heat, fire, chemicals, and can be spread apart into thin but long-lasting threads, it has had a variety of uses in both industrial and commercial applications.

Asbestos has been used in North America since the late 1800s. It has been used in roofing, fireproofing, sound absorption, and insulation within the construction and building industries. Asbestos has also been used in clutch pads and vehicle brake shoes within the automotive industry and within a variety of applications such as in paints, coatings, plastics, and adhesives.

However, there are severe adverse effects associated with the exposure to asbestos. As a result, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned new uses of asbestos in 1989. Many different federal agencies, including the EPA, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), have all classified asbestos as a human carcinogen (a substance able to cause cancer in living tissue). Associated with asbestos exposure is a form of cancer known as mesothelioma.

According to the Mayo Clinic, mesothelioma is an “aggressive and deadly form of cancer.” Although treatments are available, a cure has not yet been found. The cancer develops in the mesothelium of the body, a thin tissue layer covering major organs. The most common kind of mesothelioma is pleural mesothelioma, which is the cancer that affects the tissue of the lungs.

According to the Mayo Clinic, signs and symptoms of pleural mesothelioma may include the following:

• Painful coughing
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain below the rib cage
• Unexplained weight loss
• Lumps of tissue under the skin on your chest

The Asbestos Mesothelioma Lawsuit is Case No. 3:18-cv-00096-PLR-DCP, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee.