Norman was 56 years old when he passed away with the rare mesothelioma cancer. He worked as a construction worker at ABC Corporation in Ohio Valley. In February 1995, during his shift on a joint compound at a construction site, Norman collapsed with shortness of breath, chest pains, and persistent cough. He was rushed to a local hospital where he was diagnosed with metastatic mesothelioma. He had no clue that the asbestos-filled air that he breathed in daily as part of his job was in fact, the cause of this fatal mesothelioma cancer. But for him, the battle with cancer had just begun.
Stunned by the shocking diagnosis of this mesothelioma disease, Norman and his family went to a local cancer center to find an alternative treatment and get more knowledge. They researched different therapies and cures for this cancer and learned about various conventional, integrated and alternative treatments. But much to their disappointment, the costs for the complete course of treatments were high and the possibility of full recovery was negligible.
To make matters worse, Norman had a family of 5 – including 3 daughters and 1 son – to look after and was told he needed complete bed rest. He often complained to doctors about not feeling sick to which he received the tragic responses, “You soon will”. And then there were the tears among the family members to deal with, who felt vulnerable and full of despair.
A few weeks later, Norman saw a ray of hope. In an article his wife read on the internet while investigating the disease, Norman came to know that his company where he had worked for 14 years, was to be taken to the Court. In the following month, Norman hired legal expertise of law firm and filed a case against ABC Corporation.
The case went to trial on 15th April, 1995 and resulted in a significant verdict in favor of Norman, his wife and children. He received $3,980,655.00 from ABC Corporation after attorney’s fees and expenses. With that money, Norman went to have a surgery followed by chemotherapy that increased his chances of survival. But sadly, after a heroic three-year fight, he lost his battle with mesothelioma in July 1998.
Note: Names have been changed to retain the anonymity of the entities. |
