It is the largest asbestos settlement in Missouri history, according to the woman’s attorney. A Missouri engineering firm did not follow proper procedures while working with asbestos in a Kansas City courthouse. As a result, an employee contracted mesothelioma and died on October 2010 from cancer linked to asbestos exposure. Earlier this month, her family accepted a $10 million settlement from the engineering firm as the result of her death.
As reported at stltoday.com, the woman sued U.S. Engineering Company, accusing the firm of improperly handling asbestos at the courthouse where she worked for 27 years. Several other employees in the courthouse are also in the possible danger of future health problems from asbestos exposure. Those employees also sued the engineering firm, but that lawsuit is ongoing.
Left alone, asbestos fibers are harmless. Once disturbed, however, the microscopic fibers become airborne and deadly. Without professional gear, people unknowingly inhale the fibers into their lungs. The exposure presents a risk for mesothelioma, a mostly-fatal form of lung cancer with an unusually long latency period. It can take up to three decades for mesothelioma symptoms to manifest. Often times, doctors can misdiagnose the symptoms as a less serious illness.
Do you believe you have suffered exposure to asbestos in the past?
Colson Hicks Eidson – Florida class action lawyers
