BELLEVILLE — A widow is suing several companies, alleging negligence involving the death of her husband.
Adelina Loretto, individually and as special representative of the estate of Ezequiel Loretto, deceased, filed a complaint Oct. 17 in the St. Clair County Circuit Court against Beazer East Inc., General Electric Co., Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. and others, alleging they breached their duties to exercise reasonable care for the safety of others.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that during Ezequiel Loretto's work from 1974 to 2004 he was exposed to and inhaled or ingested asbestos fibers emanating from certain products manufactured, sold, distributed or installed by defendants. On May 18, the decedent became aware that he had developed lung cancer allegedly caused by asbestos exposure and that the disease was wrongfully caused. He died on May 23. The plaintiff holds the defendants responsible because they 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 requests a trial by jury and seeks economic and compensatory damages of more than $50,000. She is represented by Randy L. Gori of Gori, Julian & Associates PC in Edwardsville.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 17-L-609