Mesothelioma claims the life of oil refinery operator

Mesothelioma is a devastating and fatal disease. Too many people develop this form of cancer after being exposed to toxic levels of asbestos. Any person can come into contact with the deadly substance, but it disproportionately affects those who spent years working with or around asbestos without knowing the dangers associated with the mineral.

Victims of mesothelioma develop the illness after breathing in airborne asbestos, which can scar and irreparably damage a person’s lungs. The cancer can then spread into other tissues in a person’s body. It can be an extremely aggressive form of cancer, as it can move very quickly. This, combined with the fact that mesothelioma symptoms often do not show up for decades after exposure, means that many victims die within a matter of months after a diagnosis.

For these reasons, it may be appropriate for family members to file lawsuits against companies responsible for the exposure on behalf of their loved one.

Recently, the children of an oil refinery operator filed one such lawsuit against 12 different companies that they claim were responsible for the wrongful death of their father. For about 40 years, the man worked in jobs where he was repeatedly and negligently exposed to asbestos. He used products and machinery that contained asbestos without being warned of the dangers associated with breathing in the toxic dust and fibers. Sadly, he developed mesothelioma and passed away.

As is common in tragic cases like this one, the man passed away before he could take legal action against the companies himself. But his family has chosen to file their lawsuit in order to hold the companies accountable for their loss and to pursue the compensation they may be eligible to receive.

Source: The Southeast Texas Record, “Suit alleges 12 companies responsible for man’s death from mesothelioma,” John Suayan, Nov. 6, 2013