A Polk County, Florida woman filed a Federal Employers' Liability Act (FELA) suit against Illinois Central Railroad (ICR) in St. Clair County Circuit Court claiming her husband was exposed to asbestos fibers, free silica, diesel fumes, solvent fumes, gasoline fumes, fibrogenic and carcinogenic materials during his career with the railroad.
Cynthia Bridges claims her late husband Luke Bridges died on Dec. 31, 2004, after battling occupational lung diseases including, lung cancer, cardio pulmonary disease, asbestosis and other serious and severe pulmonary and respiratory diseases.
Bridges maintains that Luke's untimely death was caused by his exposure to the deleterious substances he was exposed to while working for ICR.
According to Bridges, ICR failed to:
She claims ICR failed to exercise reasonable care to adequately warn her husband of the risks.
She also claims ICR was negligent by failing to promulgate, issue, circulate, and enforce safety rules regarding avoiding asbestos exposure.
Prior to his death, Bridges claims her husband suffered from great physical pain and suffering and inconvenience, nervous and emotional tension and anxiety including fear of imminent death, was limited in his normal activities, suffered financial losses and was required to spend large amounts of money on medical care and treatment.
"Luke Bridges' surviving family is entitled to be compensated for the present value of financial contribution which he would reasonably be expected to have given his family, the pecuniary value of services which his spouse might reasonably have expected to receive from him in the future and the loss to his children and all other reasonable damages," the complaint states.
Bridges is seeking damages in excess of $50,000.
She is represented by Daniel Francis of St. Louis.
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