Galveston County, Texas – A Virginian couple, Larry Wilbur Hacker and wife Leslie Hacker, have filed a lawsuit in Galveston County, Texas, claiming that Larry Hacker developed mesothelioma as a result of asbestos exposure that occurred at work..

Larry Hacker was diagnosed with mesothelioma on January 17, 2008, and believes that the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (3M), and other companies, are responsible for the development of the cancer. Mesothelioma is a particularly devastating and aggressive type of cancer, caused only by exposure to asbestos.

In addition to the 3M Company, the lawsuit names the Union Carbide Corporation and the Phillips Electronics North America Corporation as defendants.

The lawsuit, filed April 16, claims that the defendants subjected Larry Hacker to exposure to asbestos as a result of his working with or around products manufactured and sold by the companies. Hacker claims that the exposure occurred during the course of his employment as a general maintenance worker and a boiler technician.

Machinery such as boilers and furnaces are in fact particularly vulnerable locations. Asbestos is virtually fireproof, and does not burn or conduct heat. For these reasons it was often used around boilers and furnaces, particularly in industrial locations. In older industrial plants the likelihood is very high that asbestos is present in these types of areas.

The suit filed by Larry and Leslie Hacker claims that “Larry Wilbur Hacker had been exposed, on numerous occasions, to asbestos-containing products and possibly machinery requiring or calling for the use of asbestos, thus he had inhaled great quantities of asbestos fibers.”

In addition, the suit alleges “Larry Wilbur Hacker was unaware of the hazards and defects in the asbestos-containing products of the Defendants, which made them unsafe for purposes of manipulation and installation…Similarly, Larry Wilbur Hacker was unaware of the hazards and defects in the machinery requiring or calling for the use of asbestos or asbestos-containing materials.”

The suit also claims that the defendants may have violated federal or state regulations relating to asbestos exposure. The lawsuit includes charges of gross negligence and conspiracy, as well as aiding and abetting. In short, that Larry Hacker was exposed to asbestos without being aware of or being told of the dangers, or being protected from the dangers by his employers.

The Hackers’ lawsuit claims reimbursement of medical expenses and lost income. In addition the Hackers are claiming punitive and exemplary damages.

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 1st, 2008 at 4:48 pm and is filed under Asbestos Exposure, Asbestos Litigation, Texas. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.