Wisconsin man claims mesothelioma in suit

A Wisconsin man recently diagnosed with mesothelioma has filed an asbestos suit against 39 defendant corporations, claiming the disease was wrongfully caused.

Donald A. Doberstein claims he was diagnosed with the disease in July, according to a lawsuit filed Oct. 30 in Madison County Circuit Court.

Doberstein says he worked in 1952 as a laborer at American Can Plant, in 1953 as an operator at Cutler Hammer Plant and from 1954 until 1974 as an operator at Allen Bradley Plant, according to the lawsuit.

Doberstein 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.

Doberstein 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.

Doberstein 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 Doberstein from pursuing his normal course of employment, according to the suit.

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

In the nine-count lawsuit, Doberstein seeks sums in excess of $100,000, punitive and exemplary damages in excess of $100,000, economic damages in excess of $150,000 and compensatory damages in excess of $100,000.

He also seeks punitive damages in an amount sufficient to punish Sprinkmann Sons Corporation, Sprinkmann Sons Corp. of Illinois and Young Insulation Group of St. Louis for their misconduct and to deter similarly situated parties from committing like acts of misconduct in the future.

He is represented by Elizabeth V. Heller and Robert Rowland of Goldenberg, Heller, Antognoli and Rowland in Edwardsville.

Madison County Circuit Court case number: 08-L-1023.