It's Surprising Where Asbestos and Mesothelioma Lurk…

July 28, 2011

Miami, FLAsbestos has served as the catalyst for many Asbestos Lawsuits, as victims come to terms with just what may have fostered exposure to the deadly carcinogen. However, as more and more people are diagnosed with asbestos disease from exposure that may have likely occurred as far back as thirty years ago or more, it remains surprising to note some of the circumstances that led to such exposure.



Take the case of Linda Daly, an asbestos mesothelioma plaintiff who worked for a year each at Ford dealerships in 1978 and again in 1987. In both cases, Daly worked as a warranty clerk—and as such, her desk was located in the service bay areas of the respective dealerships, where work on Ford vehicles was routinely done close to the plaintiff's work station.



Including brake jobs. Asbestos, to this day, is routinely used in the manufacture of brake shoes. Daly argued that she was exposed both at her place of employ and at home, where her husband routinely did brake work on various vehicles, using brake shoes and other parts from a particular manufacturer.



In both cases, Daly claims she was not made aware of the dangers of asbestos by either the manufacturer of the brake components or by Ford. In 2008, thirty years after Daly was first allegedly exposed in 1978, a south Florida jury awarded the plaintiff $3.6 million. The 57-year-old woman had been diagnosed with asbestos cancer.



In another scenario, an Italian chef diagnosed with terminal mesothelioma claimed in a lawsuit that he had been exposed to asbestos in a storeroom at the restaurant where he worked. It was learned that there was asbestos in the ceiling of the storeroom. Asbestos at one time was often used in ceiling tile and wallboard, and in insulation wrap for pipes.



However, Luigi Pes also claimed that he was exposed to asbestos from the insulated seals on the pizza ovens he used.



He was diagnosed with asbestos mesothelioma in 2008. He launched a lawsuit seeking asbestos compensation and settled for a six-figure sum out of court.



Mesothelioma is often diagnosed decades following exposure, due to the advanced latency inherent with asbestos exposure. Victims can remain healthy for 30 years or longer before symptoms can emerge, and by then it's too late. Many asbestos injury victims fail to live longer than six months following diagnosis, although it has been noted that thanks to advances in medication and treatment, asbestos cancer victims can survive as long as two years following a diagnosis.



That said, asbestos mesothelioma is considered terminal. Asbestos claims in the courts, therefore, are sought as a means to seek justice, as well as funding in an effort to offset the cost of medical bills during a victim's final days.