Following a two-week trial, a Chicago jury awarded former brick mason Alonzo J. Cain $7.4 million in compensation for the mesothelioma he currently suffers. The lawsuit cited asbestos exposure Mr. Cain suffered over years of working at Inland Steel. The verdict assigned 30% liability to a company that manufactured hot top boards used in the steel-making process and 70% liability to the company that was installing and removing asbestos pipes in proximity to where Mr. Cain had been working.
Asbestos Exposure in Man’s Workplace Blamed for Mesothelioma
According to evidence submitted to a Cook County Circuit Court judge and jury, Mr. Cain was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma in early 2023, at the age of 76. While being treated for the fatal disease at the University of Chicago, he explored his work history for potential asbestos exposure, recalling his work nearly six decades earlier at Inland Steel.
The mesothelioma victim had worked for the company in 1965 and returned to that work for the rest of his career following a brief period of Army service in Korea from 1966 to 1968. He recalled being exposed to asbestos by having worked around asbestos hot top boards used in the company’s steel-making process, as well as the dust raised by workers who were installing and removing asbestos pipe covering in his presence.
Companies Responsible for Asbestos Exposure Face $7.4 Mesothelioma Verdict
Though both Foseco, the hot top boards’ manufacturer, and the insulators’ employer, Paul J Krez, Inc., denied responsibility for Mr. Cain’s mesothelioma, the jury was convinced that both had been negligent in exposing him to asbestos. They returned a guilty verdict in just five hours, bringing justice for Mr. Cain and his family.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net can help. Contact us at 1-800-692-8608 to learn more.
