An Illinois man has filed a new lawsuit, alleging that he suffered lung cancer from asbestos exposure during his work as a laborer for nearly two decades.

The plaintiff, Robert H., worked as a laborer from 1968 to 1987. During this nearly two decades of work, he alleges that he was exposed to and subsequently inhaled or ingested dangerous asbestos fibers that eventually led to his diagnosis of lung cancer.

Robert was diagnosed with lung cancer on April 12, 2017, and he recognized the connection between his lung cancer and his exposure to asbestos during his work as a laborer decades previously.

According to the lawsuit, Robert was exposed to lung cancer from asbestos in products manufactured and sold by the defendants named in the lawsuit. Robert alleges that his lung cancer from asbestos was directly caused by the negligence of these companies, in failing to adequately warn about or protect against the risks of asbestos.

The lawsuit specifically names certain manufacturers of asbestos-containing products to which he was exposed during his work as a laborer. The defendants include Ameron International Corp., Borg-Warner Morse TEC LLC, and Formosa Plastics Corp. USA.

Robert filed his lung cancer from asbestos lawsuit on Jan. 17 in the St. Clair County Circuit Court.

Lung Cancer from Asbestos

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral used for commercial purposes such as electrical or building insulation, as well as countless other uses. Unfortunately, asbestos has long been linked with a serious risk of lung cancer.

The microscopic fibers of asbestos can accumulate in the lungs, but then quickly spread to distant organs. Asbestos exposure can cause several critical health problems, the worst of which is lung cancer. Lung cancer from asbestos generally takes decades to develop, as it did in Robert’s case.

Lung cancer from asbestos is a serious risk for many who are surrounded by the dangerous substance. Indeed, back in 1986, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA) announced that lung cancer from asbestos was, in fact, the greatest risk associated with the chemical. The potential for lung cancer from asbestos has been documented since the 1930s.

It can take decades for lung cancer from asbestos to develop, but then it can spread rapidly to organs all across the body. This rapid rate of development often means that lung cancer from asbestos isn’t diagnosed until it has reached a later and more dangerous stage of development. This is further exacerbated by the disconnect between asbestos exposure decades previously and cancer symptoms in the present: if the patient ever had knowledge of lung cancer from asbestos, the connection could easily be lost through the decades without such symptoms.

Filing a Lawsuit Over Lung Cancer from Asbestos

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with or died from lung cancer from asbestos, you may be able to file an asbestos lung cancer lawsuit.