On March 26, 2025, Wayne E. Villines and his wife, Christine, filed a mesothelioma lawsuit against multiple defendants, accusing them of negligence and fraud in failing to warn of the dangers of their asbestos-containing products. The Navy veteran cited his shipboard activity as well as various occupational settings over the last several decades as sources of his exposure.
Decades of Asbestos Exposure Cited in Mesothelioma Claim
Mr. Villines’s lawsuit details decades of asbestos exposure that he blames for his mesothelioma diagnosis. His initial exposure occurred during the three years from September 1963 through September of 1966 that he served as an Electrician’s Mate in the U.S. Navy, when he performed maintenance and repair work on shipboard equipment and worked in the presence of others both onboard and when the ship was undergoing repair and overhaul work at shipyards.
Through later years, Mr. Villines’ risk of mesothelioma continued as he worked as an electrician at residential and commercial construction jobsites: that exposure came from both the electrical equipment and materials that he worked with and from working in close proximity to other tradesmen while they performed their work with asbestos-containing materials. He also worked as an electrician and maintenance supervisor for Exeter Memorial Hospital, performing maintenance and repair work on asbestos-containing electrical equipment and HVAC equipment and installing asbestos-containing fire doors, as well as being exposed to asbestos from the work of others in his vicinity.
Mesothelioma Victim Blames Occupational Exposure
Pointing to his own work and his proximity to others for his mesothelioma diagnosis, Mr. Villines’s lawsuit explains that his occupational exposure continued into the 1970s, when he repaired, serviced and replaced oil field equipment for oil field service contractors, and later work performing brake jobs as an auto mechanic and demonstrating brake grinders during his years demonstrating and selling auto equipment. He was also exposed to asbestos while performing personal home remodeling and repair work, and working on his personal and friends’ vehicles.
The couple is seeking compensation for the many effects of his mesothelioma diagnosis, ranging from his medical expenses, loss of income, pain and suffering, and her loss of consortium. If you or someone you love has been similarly exposed and affected, the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net can help. Contact us today at 1-800-692-8608 to learn more.
