July 25th, 2007

According to recent reports a former teacher at Bloomington High School received a settlement of nearly four million dollars after being exposed to asbestos and contracting the asbestos related cancer, known as mesothelioma.

The teacher, Daniel Malcolm, actually died in March of this year. He and his wife agreed to take the settlement from a number of defendants including an asbestos manufacturer, Pneumo Abex Corp. He worked as a teacher at the high school between the late 1960s and 1994.

The lawsuit was filed by Malcolm in 1996, and a portion of the funding will go to his widow, who will now have to deal with his medical expenses. From June until August 1964 Malcolm worked at a foundry in East Peoria.

According to the lawsuit Mr. Malcolm was exposed to asbestos while on assignments at the school and foundry. Asbestos is a known carcinogenic, and can cause a range of health problems including cancer, lung scarring, and respiratory problems.