BELLEVILLE – A man formerly employed by BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad alleges asbestos exposure caused him to develop cancer.
William Freis Jr. and Sonja Freis filed a complaint on Oct. 27 in the St. Clair County Circuit Court against BNSF Railway Co., The Budd Co., CBS Corp., et al. citing negligence and other counts.
According to the complaint, the plaintiffs allege that during plaintiff William Freis Jr.'s employment from 1970 to 2012, 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 May 19, he first became aware that he developed lung cancer, an asbestos-induced disease, and that the disease was wrongfully caused.
The plaintiffs holds BNSF Railway Co., The Budd Co., CBS Corp., et al. responsible because the defendants allegedly intentionally 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 plaintiffs seek compensatory damages of more than $50,000. They are represented by Randi L. Gori of Gori, Julian & Associates PC in Edwardsville.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 17-L-636