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Trial
On Monday, August 17, 2009, Valerie Lewis, widow of David Lewis, both lifelong residents of the Alton, IL. area, had her day in court in front of a Madison County jury to explain to us how asbestos killed her husband. Much to her satisfaction the case settled before the jury process began and she did not have to relive the suffering that her husband endured for years. Defendants remaining in the case at the time of trial were, Sprinkmann and Sons Corporation of Illinois, General Electric, Westinghouse, Garlock and Yarway.
Mr. Lewis worked at a power plant, Illinois Power in Wood River,IL, from 1964 to 1993. LIke most employees at electric utility companies Mr. Lewis began as a janitor and plant cleaner before working his way up to mechanic in a maintenance crew. Among his job duties as mechanic were those typically done by pipefitters, plumbers, insulators and every job type of maintenance repair except what was done by an electrician.
As a maintenance mechanic Mr. Lewis woked day in and day out with materials that contained asbestos. These materials would include pipe insulation, valve and pump packing, gaskets, firebrick, cements, muds and mastics to name a few. These products were an integral part of all equipment contained in a typical power plant such as turbines, boilers, induction fans, feed pumps, heat exchangers, evaporators and condensers.
It has been widely know for years by companies and manufacturers that asbestos would kill. Yet asbestos is still used in the United States today and is found in many products still in place in most power plants, chemical plants, steel mills, refineries, factories and industrial settings, as well as shipyards, railroads and the construction industry.
David Lewis died on Friday, February 2, 2007 at the age of 61 of asbestosis, a debilitating disease that destroys the lungs. He was forced to use oxygen 24 hours a day and was tethered to his oxygen supply at home. Because of this, he was forced to limit or give up most of his activities including his volunteer work in the City of Alton and his fundraising and charitable work with his local Catholic Church and school. He leaves behind his wife, Valerie, 7 children, 23 grandchildren and numerous friends and relatives.
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