For decades asbestos has been responsible for taking the lives of innocent people. Mesothelioma, a rare cancer caused by asbestos, has become the center of many lawsuits and brought about a whole new need for mesothelioma attorneys who specialize in cases surrounding asbestos and the risks, and deaths, associated with this toxic substance.
One such woman who was affected by asbestos exposure when she received a mesothelioma diagnosis is Terre Haute. 76, from Indiana. Haute was reportedly exposed to asbestos more than three decades ago while working at Glas-Col Apparatus Co. In the asbestos lawsuit she filed in hopes to be compensated by her former employer, Haute state that she was never told about the dangers of handling asbestos or informed about the risks associated with the substance. The catch? Haute is ineligible to carry through her lawsuit since she was exposed to, and worked with, asbestos more than 10 years ago (even though she was diagnosed with mesothelioma this past April).
State Law Doesn’t Favor Asbestos Victims
According to reports, Indiana state statute gives its residents only 10 years to file a lawsuit after in relation to being in contact with harmful materials like asbestos. There are reportedly “no exceptions” even if you’ve been diagnosed with a deadly cancer as the result of being exposed. Therefore, Haute is unable to be compensated in any way in the state in which she lives for this wrongdoing since she can’t get workers compensation.
Despite the many government officials and residents in Indiana who have fought to change this law, the writing seems to be set in stone for now. In the case of those exposed to asbestos this is particularly unfair considering mesothelioma and other asbestos related illnesses can take as much as 20 years to develop and be diagnosed
Indiana is currently the only state in the country that doesn’t have a law permitting exceptions for these rare cases involving latent diseases.
