An Iowa man and his two children have filed an asbestos lawsuit alleging that their wife and mother, respectively, was exposed to asbestos at work, causing her diagnosis with mesothelioma and eventually her untimely death.

The family alleges that the decedent, Barbara R., was exposed to asbestos at work for a period of several years, between 1972 and 1976. She worked for a for a plastic molding department of a manufacturing plant, in which capacity she was allegedly surrounded by asbestos-containing products, causing her to breathe in these dangerous fibers on a daily basis. The family says Barbara worked eight hours a day or even longer, and worked an average of five days a week for approximately four and a half years.

During her time at this manufacturing plant, the family claims, Barbara was required to place freshly molded asbestos-containing plastics into a sandblasting machine, which would remove rough edges, blowing asbestos dust into the air that she breathed. The asbestos lawsuit even notes that it was “not uncommon for the sandblasting machine to become clogged at which time it would expel large amounts of dust.” In short, Barbara was constantly exposed to asbestos at work in extremely large quantities.

Decades later, on May 6, 2016, Barbara was diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer, and died in August 2017. According to the family she left behind, Barbara’s mesothelioma diagnosis was a direct result of being exposed to asbestos at work in the ’70s. Mesothelioma from asbestos has a decades-long latency period.

The mesothelioma lawsuit was filed by Barbara’s husband, Marion, and her two adult children. According to the complaint, Barbara was neither properly warned of nor protected against the dangerous of being exposed to asbestos at work, including the risk of developing mesothelioma. The lawsuit was filed on Aug. 20, 2018, in the U.S. District Court for the District of North Carolina, raising counts of negligence, strict liability, and wrongful death.

Background of Asbestos

Asbestos is a naturally-occurring mineral that used to be popular for commercial purposes such as electrical or building insulation, as well as countless others. However, the material is now known to be hazardous, and regulations regarding the use of asbestos have been in place for decades. Asbestos exposure can cause several serious health problems, including mesothelioma cancer.

In many cases, malignant mesothelioma can take decades for symptoms to appear, so it is often diagnosed when it has reached its later and more dangerous stage of development. Even though the use of asbestos has been heavily regulated in the last few decades, this delay means that those exposed to asbestos decades ago are only now being diagnosed with life-threatening cancer.

Filing an Asbestos Lawsuit

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with or died from an asbestos-related disease like mesothelioma cancer after being exposed to asbestos at work, you may be able to file an asbestos lawsuit. Spouses and families of those affected may also be able to file over loss of consortium.

While filing an asbestos lawsuit over malignant mesothelioma diagnosis cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by the disease, or bring a loved one back to life, it can help to alleviate the financial burden incurred by medical bills and lost wages.

The Asbestos Mesothelioma Lawsuit is Case No. 1:18-cv-00720-UA-JLW, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina.