June 2, 2008 – Two New Asbestos Mesothelioma Suits Claim Companies Knew of Danger
June 2, 2008 – Two new asbestos-related lawsuits have been filed, both claiming that the defendant companies knew of the dangers of the dangers of asbestos and asbestos mesothelioma and should have warned workers and consumers. The first suit was filed in late May by the family of a pipe-fitter who died of an asbestos-related disease shortly after receiving a settlement from a first lawsuit concerning on-the-job exposure to the deadly carcinogen.
The late Ernest L. Edwards’ family is suing with regard to “a different malignant asbestos-related injury” that the family claims contributed to Edwards’ premature death.
Those companies identified as Defendants in the Edwards lawsuit – a total of 35 – are alleged to have knowingly manufactured and distributed products that contained asbestos, and to have required Edwards to carry out various tasks which caused him to suffer from industrial dust diseases caused by breathing the asbestos-containing products.
The second lawsuit, also filed in late May, claims that Plaintiff James Regal’s exposure and inhalation, ingestion or absorption of asbestos fibers was completely foreseeable and could have been or should have been anticipated by the Defendants.
Regal, a machinist from Washington who was diagnosed with asbestos mesothelioma, worked for the U.S. Army throughout Illinois from 1962 through 2003, and served as a maintenance operative in a variety of areas across the United States. He alleges that he was exposed to deadly asbestos fibers through the course of his work, and when performing home and automotive repairs.
A total of 68 Defendants have been named in Regal’s lawsuit. Among them: Ford MotorCompany, General Electric, General Motors, Goodyear, Bondex International, CBS, Chrysler, Federal-Mogul Asbestos Personal Trust, Honeywell International, Ingersoll-Rand, and International Paper.
Meanwhile, an asbestos mesothelioma lawsuit heard before Common Pleas Judge Michael A. Della Vecchia at Allegheny County Court in Pennsylvania, has resultedin a $7 million award to the family of Alphonse Tripoli, a 68-year-old Ross, Pennsylvania man who died six months after a diagnosis of asbestos mesothelioma. Tripoli worked on and off as a union contractor in the Koppers building in downtown Pittsburgh beginning in 1968, as well as jobs at Dravo and Fisher Scientific. While all three job sites were found to have contained asbestos, it was argued that Koppers knew of the dangers but failed to warn and to protect Tripoli.
Koppers failed to warn him or anybody about what they knew, according to Tripoli’s attorney. “The dirty little secret Koppers was trying to keep finally came out,” he said. “They knew, and I guess they just didn’t care.”
