Halter Marine Inc., Avondale Industries, and other manufacturing companies are facing a new asbestos disease lawsuit, from a group of siblings alleging their father died of mesothelioma cancer.

The claimants allege their father’s mesothelioma cancer was directly caused by the regular asbestos exposure he was subjected to, which stemmed from the materials and equipment used at his job.

This asbestos disease lawsuit was filed by a group of siblings from Louisiana, who decided to file legal action soon after their father succumbed to mesothelioma cancer.

Plaintiffs Kathleen U., Denise U., and Phillip U. are filing on behalf of their deceased father Atney U., who had allegedly developed mesothelioma due to his work environment at Halter Marine Inc.

Avondale Industries is also named in this claim, along with other manufacturers that allegedly supplied and installed asbestos-laden equipment without any notices or disclosures regarding asbestos exposure risk. This asbestos equipment was regularly used by Atney and other employees, all who allegedly worked without any protective equipment.

During the course of his employment, Atney had allegedly never been given any disclosures regarding potential health problems associated, with asbestos exposure with Halter Marine allegedly failing to take any precautions that would have helped protect employees.

Asbestos Cancers

Mesothelioma cancer is a specific type of cancer that manifests in the lining around the lungs. It’s almost always caused by asbestos exposure. When asbestos fibers are either inhaled or swallowed, they can become lodged in the lungs and fester after years of dormancy.

It is important to note that mesothelioma cancer can take up to 50 years to progress to the point where patients exhibit physical symptoms like coughing, which often results in latent diagnosis and limited treatment options.

There is currently no cure for mesothlioma cancer, which means that patients can expect a shortened life expectancy.

This was allegedly the case with Atney, who eventually died from mesothelioma cancer. His children filed legal action soon after, stating their father had no way of protecting himself from asbestos exposure.

Overview of Asbestos Health Problems

Asbestos is a fibrous material that was popularly used before the 1980s for a variety of manufacturing and construction purposes, as well as used in numerous household appliances. Along with being cheap to use, asbestos is fire and chemical resistant; these factors make it the ideal option for manufacturers.

By the 1980s, however, government regulators were heavily regulating the use of asbestos and warning the public of the material’s carcinogenic nature. The federal government severely limited the use of asbestos and required landlords and manufacturers to provide warnings to tenants, clients, or other people who may be impacted by their asbestos products.

Manufacturing plants and similar sites were required to give protective equipment to employees, along with disclosures of potential asbestos exposure risks. In addition, there are strict protocol procedures in place in cases of asbestos removal.

Even though asbestos exposure poses serious health threats, the plaintiffs claim Marine Halter and the other manufacturers in the claim allegedly failed to warn Atney. Kathleen, Denise, and Phillip allege their father’s mesothelioma cancer could have been prevented or made less likely if the manufacturers had provided proper disclosures and proper safety equipment.

This Asbestos Disease Lawsuit is Case No. 2:18-cv-06856-JTM-JVM, in the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, in Louisiana.