Arizona plaintiff claims mesothelioma in Madison County suit

An Arizona man recently diagnosed with mesothelioma has filed an asbestos suit against 63 defendant corporations, claiming the disease was wrongfully caused.

Irving Wiltse claims he was diagnosed with the disease June 13, according to a lawsuit filed Aug. 27 in Madison County Circuit Court.

Wiltse says he worked from 1951 until 1979 as an executive/commanding officer at various locations throughout Illinois, California, Massachusetts and Florida, according to the lawsuit.

Wiltse states his exposure was foreseeable and should have been anticipated by the defendants, according to the lawsuit.

He claims his disease was caused after he was exposed to and inhaled, ingested or otherwise absorbed asbestos fibers.

Wiltse alleges the asbestos-related disease has disabled and disfigured him and has and will continue to compel him to expend and become liable for large sums of money for hospital, medical, and other health and services necessary for the treatment of the disease.

Wiltse also has and will continue to experience great physical pain and mental anguish as a result of the disease, he claims in the lawsuit.

Mesothelioma hindered and prevented Wiltse from pursuing his normal course of employment, according to the suit.

As a result, he lost large sums of money, he claims.

In the five-count lawsuit, Bauman seeks sums in excess of $50,000; punitive and exemplary damage in excess of $100,000; compensatory damages in excess of $100,000, and any other relief the Court deems just and equitable.

He also seeks punitive damages in an amount sufficient to punish the defendants for their misconduct and to deter similarly situated parties from committing like acts of misconduct in the future.

He is represented by Stephanie A. Lyons of Simmonscooper LLC in East Alton.