Daughter Files Lawsuit Alleging Familial Asbestos Exposure

Toledo, ILA woman has filed an asbestos lawsuit against more than 50 companies alleging she suffered familial asbestos exposure, causing her to develop serious health problems. Familial asbestos exposure is exposure experienced by people whose family members worked around asbestos and brought asbestos home on their clothing, exposing their family members to the fibers.

According to the Madison Record (1/11/16), Charity Johnson was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2013 and is likely to die a premature death as a result of asbestos exposure. Although Johnson did not work around asbestos, her father allegedly did during his time as a welder, auto mechanic and construction worker. Johnson’s lawsuit alleges her father frequently brought home asbestos dust on his clothing.

More than 50 companies are named in the lawsuit (case number 15-L-693, St. Clair County Circuit Court), which alleges the defendants were negligent and committed conspiracy and willful misconduct.

Meanwhile, Yellowstone County agreed to pay $650,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by a former janitor who alleged he developed mesothelioma as a result of his work. The Billings Gazette (12/21/15) reports that Lauren DuPuis was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2014 and filed the lawsuit in 2015. From 1987 to 1999, he worked as a janitor at a courthouse, where he believed he was exposed to asbestos-containing products. In 2000, the courthouse reportedly underwent asbestos abatement processes to remove most of the asbestos in the building.

Although DuPuis died in July 2015, his attorneys continued with mediation rather than going before a judge. Yellowstone County agreed to pay $650,000 to DuPuis’ estate.

Mesothelioma is a fatal condition linked to asbestos exposure. Patients can develop symptoms of mesothelioma decades after being exposed to asbestos fibers, although sometimes symptoms develop in 10 years or less. In 2015, NPR released a report on asbestos warning of a “third wave” of asbestos exposure, those people who are affected by asbestos that was dormant but has since been disturbed, such as asbestos in cement.

A study published in PLOS One (12/14/15) examined information from the SEER database - including more than 14,000 patients - from 1973 to 2009 to examine various mesothelioma treatments. Researchers found that although there have been developments in treatment techniques, mesothelioma patients have not experienced improved prognosis in four decades. But they did find that cancer-directed surgery was associated with better survival.

Researchers also found that being female, younger and receiving treatment at early stages were factors in longer survival.