MESOTHELIOMA IN THE NEWS
Diagnosed with mesothelioma, former football sportscaster Merlin Olsen sues NBC alleging job-related asbestos exposure

According to his mesothelioma lawsuit, former NFL player and TV actor Merlin Olsen was exposed to asbestos as an NBC employee.

Merlin Olsen honored by Utah State.

January 5, 2010 – Former All-American L.A. Rams defensive tackle Merlin Olsen, who went on to become a sportscaster for NBC and an actor on such TV shows as Little House on the Prairie and Father Murphy, is suing NBC Studios, NBC Universal and 20th Century Fox for exposing him to asbestos.

Olsen, 69, was diagnosed with asbestos-related mesothelioma last year and is undergoing chemotherapy.

The NFL great is also suing Sherwin-Williams and Lennox Industries. According to court papers, Merlin was also exposed to asbestos on a job site when he was around 11 years old, and again when he was an adult working with drywall.

What is Mesothelioma?

Usually linked to asbestos exposure, mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer which occurs in the lining of the lung or stomach. Mesothelioma is incurable, although treatment can help extend a patient's life by months.

Some 3,000 mesothelioma patients die in the United States and 90,000 die worldwide every year, according to the World Health Organization. Mesothelioma carries a grim prognosis, with only 10 percent of patients surviving two years or longer past diagnosis.

Merlin Olsen fights back

Merlin Jay Olsen, 69, played his entire 15-year career with the Los Angeles Rams and was elected to the Pro Bowl in 14 of those seasons. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame.

Time to seek justice

Weitz & Luxenberg has protected the legal rights of asbestos-injured workers since 1986. And in that time the firm's mesothelioma lawyers have won several billion dollars in verdicts and settlements for clients injured by occupational asbestos exposure.

If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma and seek a free case review, please notify us through the communication form on this page. We will pursue your claim with vigilance to help you pay for medical bills, lost wages, and suffering.

Please know, the firm works on a contingency basis so there is no cost to you until we obtain a verdict or reach a settlement in your favor.