Oil Companies Sued For Asbestos-Related Death -- MesoLink.org -- 08-03-04

Several major international and US oil companies are facing legal action as a family has decided to sue for wrongful death.

The family of Edward Wood, who died last year from lung cancer and asbestosis, stated that Mr Wood had installed insulation in a number of refineries throughout his career, and as such the owners of these refineries should be made to pay for his suffering and death.

The man’s family went on to state that no warning were ever issues to workers about the deadly diseases and health problems that could be contracted from working with asbestos, allowing the workers simply to go in and work with insulation on a regular basis and with no proper protection.

Although Mr Wood was actually a subcontractor with a building firm, the family’s lawyer stated that major organisations such as these oil companies generally had more knowledge than the builders about the dangers of asbestos, and that they therefore should have ensured the safety of workers, including subcontractors.

The major oil companies that are being sued by Mr Wood’s family are Shell Oil Co., Texaco Inc, Chevron USA Inc, and Standard Oil Company of California.

None of these organisations have commented as yet with regards to the lawsuit that is being filed against them.

Mr Wood had already successfully filed and settled lawsuits with the manufacturers of the insulation prior to his death in 2003.