After Asbestos Death, Children Seeking Justice

The children of a man who died from an asbestos-related form of lung cancer in last year have filed a lawsuit against 21 corporations on behalf of their deceased father. The deceased father, Reginald Franklin, passed away in April 2009. Asbestos exposure is conclusively linked to the development of lung cancer, as well as mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer that can affect the lungs, abdomen, or even the membranous lining of the heart.

Mesothelioma affects less than 3,000 Americans each year, and while there are palliative treatment methods available, including chemo, there is no known cure. The disease typically lies dormant for up to fifty years before an individual begins to suffer from mesothelioma symptoms.

During the years between 1946 and 1980, Reginald Franklin worked at the DuPont facility in Orange, Texas. Franklin also served in the army, which may have contributed to his asbestos exposure. Franklin’s children say that DuPont should shoulder the blame for years of asbestos exposure, alleging that they, along with the other 20 companies named in the suit, worked together to mask the health risks associated with asbestos exposure.

“The negligence of defendant(s) … caused Franklin’s injurious exposure to asbestos fibers,” the suit states. The companies also allegedly failed to protect Franklin during his prolonged exposure to the material. Other companies named in the suit include ABCO Industries, Owens Illinois and the A.W. Chesteron Co. The suit alleges all of the defendants conspired to mine, manufacture, sell and place asbestos and asbestos-laden products to the American public.

Source: http://www.setexasrecord.com/news/223793-children-file-asbestos-suit-against-21-companies-on-late-fathers-behalf