BELLEVILLE – A husband and wife are suing over his exposure to asbestos during the course of his work life.
Michael Yoch and Karen Yoch filed the suit on Jan. 6 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Dow Chemical Company, Georgia-Pacific LLC, Union Carbide Corporation and numerous other defendants. Metropolitan Life Insurance is also listed as a defendant.
The plaintiff was allegedly exposed to asbestos from 1965 to 2012, his working years, and also experienced second-hand exposure through his father, who worked as a farmer and teamster.
The plaintiff allegedly inhaled, ingested or otherwise absorbed large amounts of asbestos fibers emanating from certain products he was working with and which were manufactured, sold, distributed or installed by the defendants, the lawsuit states. That exposure is not specific to any one job or any one defendant, but rather occurred at different times and at different locations.
On Jan. 27, 2014, the plaintiff learned that he had developed lung cancer, which can be caused by asbestos exposure.
Among the allegations against the defendants: willful and wanton conduct, fraudulent misrepresentation, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and spoilation of evidence.
Metropolitan Life is included in the suit for conspiracy because it allegedly withheld information about the dangers of asbestos fibers.
Michael Yoch seeks at least $50,000 from each defendant listed under specific counts, compensatory damages from some defendants, and punitive damages from some in an amount the court deems sufficient to punish specific defendants. Karen Yoch seeks judgment against the defendants for loss of consortium of at least $50,000. They also seek court costs.
They are represented by Randy L. Gori and Barry Julian of Gori, Julian & Associates PC in Edwardsville.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 16-L-9