Son sues over father's asbestos exposure, mesothelioma

NEW ORLEANS – A man has filed suit against a number of defendants after the death of his father who allegedly contracted malignant mesothelioma from repeated environmental and occupational asbestos exposure.

Lance Vincent Ford filed suit against the Asbestos Corporation Limited, Taylor-Seidenbach Inc., Eagle Inc., Union Carbide Corporation, Burmaster Land and Development Co LLC, Zurich American Insurance Company, Owens Illinois Inc., Uniroyal Inc., The United States Rubber Company Inc. and Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in the Orleans Parish Civil District Court.

The suit states that the plaintiff’s father, Carl Ford, was exposed to injurious levels of asbestos, both through environmental exposure while living on the West Bank since birth, near residences and areas contaminated with asbestos-containing scrap medal, as well as occupational exposure while working for National Gypsum at its Westwego facility.

The plaintiff was born in 1938.

Before and during the plaintiff’s exposure period, each of the defendants designed, tested, evaluated, manufactured, packaged, furnished, stored, handled, transported, installed, supplied and sold asbestos-containing products.

The defendants are accused of the mining, manufacture, sale, supply, distribution and use of products that are unreasonably dangerous and that have high potential for causing serious injury such as respiratory disease, cancer and other health problems. The defendants are additionally accused of failing to warn, failing to provide safety instructions, failing to adequately test the products for defects, failing to truthfully report or adequately report the results of product testing, failing to recall the products and being otherwise negligent. The International Hygiene Foundation and its members are also accused of fraud and conspiracy.

The plaintiff requests a trial by jury, and seeks an unspecified amount in damages for the conscious physical pain and suffering sustained by the plaintiff and his now deceased father, the physical impairment and disfigurement suffered by the plaintiff’s father, reasonable and necessary medical expenses, funeral and burial expenses, lost earnings, loss of quality of life, and loss of consortium, love, affection, services and society and other damages.

The plaintiff is represented by Landry, Swarr & Cannella LLC of New Orleans.

The case has been assigned to Division D Judge Lloyd J. Medley.

Case no. 2013-10213.