Michigan Man Awarded $250,000 for Asbestos Claims

January 5, 2011

Genesee County, MI The Genesee County, Michigan Community Action Recourse Department (GCCARD) has reportedly settled a lawsuit for $250,000 over a former worker's asbestos claims, the Flint Journal reports.



Ray Barker II, who worked for the GCCARD for six months in 2009, claimed that the lives of workers and homeowners were endangered by weatherization work conducted by the group in homes. Barker claimed he was fired after he warned his superiors that the equipment they were using could create asbestos dust clouds.



The lawsuit claimed that once the dust settled, the inhalation of the deadly mineral fibers could cause cancer, respiratory problems and death.



"I'm happy for what I got," said Barker, who lives in North Branch, Michigan.



Barker reportedly claimed that the weatherization work was conducted in up to 75 homes with asbestos during 2009, despite the fact that Michigan regulations prohibit the completion of such work.



According to the World Health Organization, approximately 107,000 people around the world die each year as a result of asbestos-related diseases, including asbestosis, lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer.