Ford Motor Company has repeatedly been accused of exposing workers to the asbestos that led to their malignant mesothelioma diagnosis. This week a Missouri jury is hearing testimony in a case filed by a former mechanic. He blames the asbestos in the company’s brakes for his fatal illness.
Asbestos in Ford Brake Drums Blamed for Mesothelioma
The mesothelioma lawsuit was filed by 76-year-old William Trokey, a part-time mechanic who remembers doing brake installations, tune-ups, and clutch work on Ford vehicles at his father’s repair station during the 1960s.
Asked by his attorney to tell the jury how his mesothelioma diagnosis has affected his life, Trokey said, “It’s not good. I take one day at a time. I go in for treatment every three weeks and the treatment messes the system up…. I can’t get around like I did. You don’t feel good most of the time. If I can make it a year, I can make it a few more months.”
Ford Denies Role in Victim’s Mesothelioma
Ford’s attorneys have expressed sympathy for the mesothelioma victim but denied the company’s role in his illness, arguing that Trokey was only a part-time mechanic and the asbestos in their brakes could not be blamed. In response, Mr. Trokey’s attorney introduced evidence from an occupational medicine specialist who explained how asbestos causes mesothelioma and how much asbestos Mr. Trokey would have been exposed to when he did automotive work.
When asked about how much more asbestos than urban ambient air Mr. Trokey would have breathed, Dr. Richard Cohen said, “A amount 100,000 to a million times greater. The brake drums give a huge level of exposure and Mr. Trokey would sweep up the floor. You can’t see this dust with your eyes.”
As the trial continues this week, mesothelioma victims around the country are reminded that help is available to them. Call the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net at 1-800-692-8608 to learn more.
