BELLEVILLE – The next-of-kin of a man who died after shortly after receiving a cancer diagnosis alleges his disease was wrongfully caused.
Randall Cooley, individually and as special representative of the estate of Clinton Cooley, deceased filed a complaint on Sept. 28 in the St. Clair County Circuit Court against ABB Inc., Akebono Brake Corp., Arvinmeritor Inc. alleging negligence.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that at various times during plaintiff's decedent Clinton Cooley's employment between 1963 and 2016, he was exposed to and inhaled or ingested asbestos fibers emanating from certain products manufactured, sold, distributed or installed by defendants. The suit states that on or about Nov. 21, 2016, he first became aware that he developed lung cancer, an asbestos-induced disease, and that the disease was wrongfully caused. He died on Dec. 15, 2016, the suit states.
The plaintiff holds ABB Inc., Akebono Brake Corp., Arvinmeritor Inc. and others responsible because the defendants allegedly negligently included asbestos fibers in their products when adequate substitutes were available and failed to provide adequate warnings and instructions concerning the dangers of working with or around products containing asbestos fibers.
The plaintiff seeks damages of more than $50,000. He is represented by Randy L. Gori of Gori, Julian & Associates PC in Edwardsville.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 17-L-564