BELLEVILLE — A former laborer alleges companies included asbestos fibers in their products.
Theodore Chmielnicki filed a complaint April 30 in the St. Clair County Circuit Court against The Budd Co., Gould Pumps LLC, Trane US Inc. and others alleging they failed to exercise reasonable care and caution for the safety of others.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that at various times during his career from 1954 to 1995, he was exposed to and inhaled or ingested asbestos fibers emanating from certain products manufactured, sold, distributed or installed by defendants. On Feb. 21, he became aware that he developed lung cancer. He claims that his cancer is an asbestos-induced disease and that it was wrongfully caused. 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 seeks compensatory, economic and punitive 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 18-L-296