April 26th, 2008

The family of a Pennsylvania man was awarded more than $225 thousand this week after a company he worked for was found responsible for his exposure to asbestos. Three other companies settled outside of court with the family.

The family of a man that died as a result of asbestos exposure was awarded $226 thousand this week after the company he formerly worked for was found to have exposed him to the deadly material. The man worked for the same company for more than 30 years, and was exposed to airborne asbestos while on the job. Three other companies involved in the lawsuit settled outside of court with the family in the 2005 death of the worker.

The companies were accused of exposing the man to airborne asbestos, resulting in mesothelioma. A type of aggressive lung cancer, mesothelioma results from breathing in airborne asbestos fibers. The fibers become trapped in the lungs and keep the tissue there from being able to absorb oxygen. Often times, the cancer will not manifest for decades, making it nearly untreatable once diagnosed. Companies that exposed their employees to asbestos in the past are now being held responsible for the sickness and deaths of those people affected by airborne asbestos. Companies affiliated with asbestos lawsuits estimate there are still more than 200,000 pending lawsuits from the multitude of those filed.