People may be exposed to asbestos without ever working in a job that directly exposes a person to asbestos. In some cases, a person can be exposed if a family member worked around the toxic material. It can be common that people who worked in certain dustries carried asbestos particles home with them. Inhaling these particles can cause the wrongful death of an employee or one of his or her family members.
In other cases, a person dies from direct exposure to asbestos after developing a fatal disease. It is then up to family members to deal with the tragedy and heartache of losing a loved one. For the families of the victims, there may be an opportunity to seek compensation from a company who negligently exposed workers to asbestos.
The wife of a man who passed away from asbestos-related lung cancer is claiming that the negligence of his former companies is responsible for his death. He reportedly worked at a number of companies that knowingly used equipment that contained asbestos and did not warn employees.
According to the lawsuit she has filed, there are 19 companies charged with negligence. The woman claims that her husband worked in construction, heating and mechanical repair positions. Workers in those industries are commonly exposed to asbestos. She is requesting a sum of $85 million in damages because she claims they were fully aware of the dangers of the job and did not disclose the information to employees.
Ingesting asbestos is highly toxic and can lead to the development of asbestosis, mesothelioma and other lung cancers. Regardless of whether the contact with asbestos is direct or indirect, seeking treatment immediately is important.
Source: Watertown Daily Times, “Malone widow seeks millions over husband’s death,” Josh Gore, Jan. 14, 2012