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- Mesothelioma Sufferer, Wife Bring Lawsuit Against Nearly 70 Companies
Mesothelioma Sufferer, Wife Bring Lawsuit Against Nearly 70 Companies
Charleston, WV—A couple is bringing suit against 66 companies, seeking damages in a
mesothelioma case.
Richard H. Pullen, along with his wife Rebecca, claim that the companies failed to exercise reasonable care to warn him of the hazardous nature of the
asbestos with which he worked.
All of the companies named in the
lawsuit either manufactured, supplied or sold asbestos-containing materials.
Pullen has been
diagnosed with two asbestos-related diseases,
asbestosis and mesothelioma. Asbestosis is a chronic respiratory
disease in which asbestos fibers cause scar tissue to form inside one or both lungs, leading to breathing difficulties. Mesothelioma is a rare form of
cancer which is almost always caused by
asbestos exposure. It affects fewer than 3,000 new patients in the United
States each year, but is a fatal cancer that does not typically respond well to
treatment.
Pullen is suing for damages related to medical treatment, great pain of the body and mind, embarrassment and inconvenience, loss of earning capacity, loss of enjoyment of life, and a shortened life expectancy.
Mesothelioma occurs when the asbestos fibers cause tumors to form on the
mesothelium, which is a thin sheath surrounding and protecting the lungs. The mesothelium also produces a special fluid that helps the lungs, stomach and heart to move naturally and without friction. One of the
symptoms of both asbestosis and mesothelioma is excess pleural fluid.
Although asbestos has been phased out of use, and is now only found in very small amounts in certain, highly regulated applications, the material can still be found in older buildings and commercial products. Additionally, the diseases that are associated with it may take up to 40 or even 50 years to fully develop within the body and become symptomatic, which means that many people could be living with these diseases without being aware of it. By the time mesothelioma and other asbestos diseases are diagnosed, it's usually too late for curative
surgery or other
treatments to be effective, although palliative and pain-reducing measures can be undertaken.