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Request A Call HereWhile serving his country for nearly 20 years by working in the Navy, one veteran never imagined that the real danger he would face would be mesothelioma - caused by asbestos he was exposed to while working as a mechanic. Now he has taken on a new battle - fighting for compensation against Goodyear.
See our previous article for more information regarding mesothelioma: https://banvillelaw.com/mesothelioma/talc/
After joining the Navy in 1953, the plaintiff worked are a boiler tender and fireman, which meant that he regularly worked in the maintenance and engine rooms of the ships he worked on. During this time he regularly came into contact with Durabla and Cranite gaskets, made by Goodyear. What he didn’t know was that those gaskets released asbestos.
In 2017, the plaintiff went to his doctor complaining of shortness of breath and a cough. When a chest x-ray was performed, the scan showed a mass in his right lung. He was then diagnosed with mesothelioma.
He decided to pursue a lawsuit against Goodyear to recover compensation for his condition. The parties were unable to come to a settlement agreement and the case went to trial. After three weeks of hearing arguments, it took the jury only two hours to decide that the plaintiff should be awarded $40.1 million.
The military has long used asbestos for a variety of purposes - to insulate pipes, coat boilers, and as parts on valves which has resulted in veterans being diagnosed with more than 30% of all new mesothelioma cases.
According to the Virginian-Pilot, the Navy continued to use asbestos even after overwhelming evidence showed the risk to the crew, a decision that violated its own safety standards. The Navy never told any of these workers to use a mask or a respirator and it never informed them of the risk of exposure.
Today, that means thousands of veterans are suffering because of the lack of care for their safety.
When someone discusses a latency period it means the period of time that it takes a disease to develop once exposure to a toxic substance occurs. For those who have been exposed to asbestos, the time it takes to develop mesothelioma can take anywhere from 10 years to 50 years.
The reason it takes so long for the disease to develop has to do with how asbestos interacts with the body. When asbestos is inhaled, it embeds in the lining of the lungs where it then causes irritation and scar tissue. Years of irritation is what ultimately results in the growth of a tumor.
Since the 1970s, more than 10,000 companies have been named as the defendants in lawsuits involved asbestos exposure and mesothelioma, all filed by workers and the loved ones of those who died due to mesothelioma.
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma and are wondering if you are able to pursue legal action, contact the experienced attorneys at Banville Law. We offer free consultations during which we will review your case and then provide you with all legal avenues open in your case.
You might feel like taking legal action is an extreme step, however, a lawsuit may be the only way you can recover much needed compensation.
Through a settlement or award, you may be able to obtain full compensation for:
obtained which will cover your past and future earnings.Each plaintiff will obtain different amounts since no two plaintiffs suffer the exact same losses.
At Banville Law, our attorneys work on a contingency fee because we know that our clients are already struggling to pay their bills. This means that any fee we collect is taken directly out of the compensation that we obtain for you. If we don't win, our lawyers don't get paid. It's that simple.
Woul you like to learn more about cases related to asbestos? Visit our next article: https://banvillelaw.com/company-failed-to-warn-about-asbestos/
