Former union president dies of mesothelioma, widow seeks damages

NEW ORLEANS – A widow is suing multiple businesses over the alleged wrongful death of her husband due to asbestos poisoning.

Audrey Gaudet filed suit against Trinity Industries Inc., Meadwestvaco Corp., Bechtel Corp., Chevron U.S.A. Inc., Texaco Inc., American Sugar Refining Inc., Wyeth Holdings Corp., Mosaic Global Holdings Inc., Foster Wheeler Energy Corp., Union Carbide Corp., Entergy Louisiana LLC, Occidental Chemical Corp., Pharmacia Corp., Tin Inc., Arcelormittal LaPlace LLC, McDermott Inc., EECI Inc., Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, Eagle Inc., McCarty Corp., Reilly-Benton Company Inc., Taylor-Seidenbach Inc., Asbestos Corporation, Ltd., J.A. Jones, Inc., Uniroyal Inc., Anco Insulations Inc. and The Cajun Company.

Before his death on June 30, 2013, Stanley Gaudet was a sheet metal worker from 1948 to 1979. A member of the Sheet Metal Worker’s Union #11, he worked at various sites for a range of employers in Louisiana and Mississippi, the suit says.  He remained a union member through 1988. Additionally, Gaudet held the position of union president and/or representative for many years. The duties of those positions required his presence at many job sites.

The plaintiff asserts that Gaudet was exposed to dangerous levels of asbestos while fulfilling his role in the union for numerous employers at corresponding facilities, including the Domino Sugar Refinery, American Cyanamid Refinery, Texaco Refinery, Monsanto and Hooker Chemical.

The defendants are accused of neglecting the Gaudet’s safety during his time spent in their work environments and with their manufactured products, failing to provide Gaudet with warnings concerning hazardous conditions at their sites and/or their use of hazardous materials, failing to provide Gaudet with safe premises in order to protect his health and welfare, failing to comply with applicable state and federal regulation regulating exposure to asbestos, including but not limited to those regulations in effect due to the Walsh/Healy Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Act, failing to proactively investigate up-to-date protection and prevention of injury with regards to hazardous materials and working environments, failing to truthfully or adequately report the results of product testing and medical studies associated with foreseeable hazards of products containing asbestos and failing to warn against the risk of lung cancer caused by asbestos exposure to persons with pre-existing smoking habits.

The plaintiff is seeking an unknown amount in damages for physical pain, suffering, impairment, and disability sustained by Gaudet.

Audrey Gaudet is also seeking reparations for mental anguish, medical expenses, funeral and burial expenses, all past, present, and future lost earnings and loss of love, affection, services, society, support and quality of life.

Audrey Gaudet is represented by David R. Cannella of Cannella Law Firm LLC.

The case has been assigned to Division M Judge Paulette R. Irons.

Case no. 2014-02686.