A jury awarded $6 million to a 51-year-old man diagnosed with mesothelioma through secondary exposure of asbestos as a child, and primary exposure as an adult.

Plaintiff Michael G. filed asbestos cancer lawsuits against several companies that manufactured or sold asbestos products, alleging that exposure to the material was the direct cause of his lung cancer diagnosis.

Several named defendants settled out of court, a few were dismissed, but the Oklahoma jury found that Murco Wall Products and Welco Manufacturing Co. were both liable in part for Michael’s asbestos mesothelioma cancer.

According to the mesothelioma lawsuit, Michael’s first asbestos exposure came through his father. As a home builder and remodeler, Michael claims his father would come home from work with the invisible, toxic fibers clinging to his hair, clothes and tools which inadvertently exposed his son to asbestos. As an adult, Michael alleges he worked with asbestos directly as an auto mechanic, contractor and rental property laborer.

Asbestos Mesothelioma Cancer Risks

Once considered a rare form of lung cancer, studies now show asbestos exposure is responsible for the deaths of 12,000 to 15,000 individuals in the United States each year. The material was used in vehicle parts and construction material and is linked almost exclusively to mesothelioma cancer.

Asbestos risks vary from working with the material directly or through secondary exposure from a family member who worked with asbestos. The most common asbestos mesothelioma diagnosis occurs when a person was exposed to the material on a continuous basis.

Asbestos cancer develops when the fibers, which are 700 times smaller than a human fiber, are inhaled and stored in the lungs. Over time, the tiny, jagged fibers build up and can lead to cancerous development in the cells. Asbestos mesothelioma can take decades to develop but can spread throughout the lungs and heart in just a few short months.

It is almost always in an advanced stage when diagnosed. Symptoms of asbestos lung cancer include shortness of breath, abdominal swelling, fatigue, chest pain, retaining fluids, and coughing.

Professionals who are at a higher risk of asbestos exposure include:

• Construction workers
• Paper mill workers
• Shipyard workers
• Auto mechanics
• Textile workers
• Insulation installers
• Roofers
• Sheet metal workers
• Tilers

Asbestos Cancer Lawsuits

Asbestos cancer lawsuits are one of the largest mass litigations in U.S. history with more than 600,000 plaintiffs. While the majority of cases are brought by plaintiffs who develop asbestos cancer from working with the material directly, there are a growing number of lawsuits that claim secondary exposure is also to blame.

In general, asbestos cancer lawsuits claim that employers did not warn that asbestos exposure could lead to mesothelioma. Some lawsuits allege that companies did not provide a safe working environment by providing proper ventilation or masks to reduce the risk of exposure.

Despite the recent health studies that have linked asbestos to the deadly form of lung cancer, asbestos has yet to be fully banned in the United States. The Environmental Working Group Action Fund has reported that at least eight million pounds of raw asbestos and asbestos-containing material has been imported to the United States since 2006.

Contact an attorney to find out if you can join an asbestos cancer class action lawsuit.