MESOTHELIOMA NEWS
Brake parts mechanic who last month died from asbestos-related mesothelioma may now be buried, judge rules

March 13, 2009 – A former New Jersey brake parts mechanic, who died from asbestos-related mesothelioma last month, missed his own funeral thanks to legal interference from lawsuit adversaries that forced his burial to be delayed.

Automobile parts manufacturers interrupted the man’s funeral on March 4 with a court order seeking an autopsy to recover lung tissue from the deceased, whose family filed a New Jersey asbestos lawsuit against auto manufacturers. The trial had been scheduled to begin March 9.

But a Superior Court judge in New Brunswick yesterday ruled against the corporations’ request for an autopsy.

Mesothelioma is a disease of the lining of the lungs, known as the “pleura.” The defendants had received pleura tissue from the man in December. Therefore, according to the judge, there was “no compelling public necessity” to allow the autopsy, a requirement under state law. “Our Western culture limits autopsies to special and unique circumstances,” he concluded.

The truth about asbestos

Medical authorities estimate that in the next decade more than 35,000 people nationwide will be diagnosed with the deadliest form of asbestos-related cancer, mesothelioma. This disease is most often the result of industrial workplace exposure to asbestos – and usually contracted through employers’ blatant disregard for the health and safety of their workers. That’s why people diagnosed with mesothelioma and their family members have strong cases in court.

Time to seek justice

Weitz & Luxenberg has protected the legal rights of workers for 25 years – longer than most law firms in the nation. And in that time the firm's mesothelioma lawyers have won several billion dollars in verdicts and settlements for clients.

If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, and seek FREE legal guidance and answers to your concerns, please notify us through the communication form below. We will pursue your claim with vigilance to help you pay for medical bills, future and past lost wages, and damages. There is no cost to you until we win a settlement or a verdict.