Union Carbide and other manufacturers are facing a new asbestos lawsuit, which alleges the claimant experienced regular asbestos exposure on the job. The plaintiffs are a couple from Oregon who allege the asbestos exposure ultimately contributed to the husband developing severe lung cancer.

The claimant reportedly worked with parts manufactured by Union Carbide and the other defendant companies on a daily basis, which resulted in him suffering asbestos exposure on the job. Plaintiff couple James R. and Barbara R. jointly filed this asbestos lawsuit against the companies, alleging the defendants did not provide proper warnings or disclosures on their products’ labels.

According to the asbestos lawsuit, Union Carbide had allegedly known about the risk of asbestos exposure their products carried as early as the 1940s. Even with this information, the company allegedly failed to provide their employees and clients proper safety equipment or give disclosures at any point during James’ employment.

As a result, James allegedly sustained regular asbestos exposure on the job while being unaware of the potential health hazards he faced. The couple says James was eventually diagnosed with severe asbestos lung cancer, and has been contending with the disease ever since.

Overview of Asbestos Lung Cancer

Asbestos is a fibrous material that was widely used before the 1980s for a variety of manufacturing and construction purposes. Before federal regulators began restricting its use, it was used in almost every industrial application.

One of the most famous uses for asbestos was during World War II, when it was used in many United States Navy ships and shipyards for insulation purposes. Asbestos is fire and chemical resistant in nature and was cheap to use, so it was a popular choice for many companies.

However, this also means that asbestos exposure on the job was a regular occurrence for many workers, causing many of them to develop life-threatening respiratory disease years later.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) did not regulate asbestos use in work environments until 1971, when it began severely limiting the use of the fibrous material. Some of the highest risk jobs associated with asbestos exposure include power plant workers, firefighters, industrial workers, and similar occupations.

When asbestos fibers are inhaled or swallowed, they can become lodged in the lungs and cause serious scarring. After decades of dormancy, cells can suddenly manifest uncontrollably and cause the development of asbestos lung cancer.

It is important to note that asbestos lung cancer can take up to 35 years to develop to the point of exhibiting symptoms, which often results in delayed diagnoses and limited treatment options.

Due to the severity of these potential health problems, it is important for companies to disclose potential asbestos exposure on the job when working with their products. James states he was denied this disclosure, which ultimately contributed to him sustained regular asbestos exposure on the job.

James and Barbara are raising several claims in their asbestos lawsuit, including counts of negligence and failure to warn.

This Asbestos Lawsuit is Case No. N18C-12-067 ASB, in the Superior Court of the State of Delaware.