Quincy demolition crew fears asbestos exposure will cause cancer
Four men claim they fear they will develop cancer after they helped demolish a building containing asbestos that they had been told contained none.
Jaime Chier, Mark Uzzetta, John Schilly and Myrna Bomkamp filed a lawsuit Aug. 13 in Madison County Circuit Court against Alter Trading Corp., Environmental Consultants, Midwest Asbestos Abatement Corporation doing business as Midwest Service Group, Envirotech and Talbert Industrial Commercial Services.
The plaintiffs claim they worked for Premier Demolition and began dismantling a structure at 901 South Front St. in Quincy on Aug. 13, 2008. Before the plaintiffs’ work began, the defendants inspected the premises and promised it had been cleared of asbestos-containing materials, according to the complaint.
If asbestos remains on the premises when demolition begins, it can cause workers to become exposed to significant amounts of the fibers, the suit states.
“When asbestos fibers from disturbed asbestos-containing materials become airborne, such as during renovations or demolitions, they can be inhaled; the fibers then become lodged in the lung tissues,” the complaint says. “Once in the lung tissues, asbestos has been known to cause cancer, mesothelioma, asbestosis, pleural plaques, and other very serious health conditions in humans.”
The plaintiffs claim they now fear such diseases because they became exposed to asbestos fibers when they demolished the Quincy building.
The defendants’ representations that the building was asbestos-free were wrong, the plaintiffs say, and as a result, the plaintiffs have been damaged beyond repair, have suffered severe emotional distress, fear, anxiety, aggravation, inconvenience and mental anguish, according to the complaint.
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