Lung cancer blamed on asbestos, Tennessee plaintiff says

A Tennessee man recently diagnosed with lung cancer has filed an asbestos suit against 13 defendant corporations, claiming the disease was wrongfully caused.

Gordon Cornett claims he was diagnosed with the disease Jan. 10, 2006, according to a lawsuit filed Aug. 27 in Madison County Circuit Court.

Cornett says he worked from 1952 until 2005 as a laborer, machinist, draftsman, quality assurance manager, plant manager and plant engineer, according to the lawsuit.

Cornett 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.

Cornett 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.

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

Lung cancer hindered and prevented Cornett from pursuing his normal course of employment, according to the suit.

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

In the two-count lawsuit, Bauman seeks sums in excess of $50,000 and compensatory damages in excess of $50,000.

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 Robert Phillips, Nicholas J. Angelides, John A. Barnerd and Perry J. Browder of Simmonscooper LLC in East Alton.