Former machinist blames dozens of companies for lung disease

A Cook County man is suing over claims his lung disease was caused by exposure to asbestos during his time as a machinist and mechanic.

Joseph Catalano filed a lawsuit Aug. 11 in the Cook County Circuit Court against General Electric Co., FMC Corp., Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., Uniroyal Inc. and dozens of other companies.

According to the complaint, Catalano was exposed to asbestos in products designed, manufactured, distributed, marketed and sold by the defendant companies through his employment as a machinist and maintenance mechanic between 1964 and 1998, in addition to non-occupational projects.

Catalano contends he was diagnosed with asbestosis on June 13, 2013 and accuses the defendants of failing to provide proper warnings about the danger of asbestos inhalation, and, in some cases, conspiring to conceal the dangers from the public.

He is seeking damages, plus costs, and is being represented in the case by attorney Daniel T. Ryan of Cooney & Conway in Chicago.

Cook County Circuit Court Case No. 2014L008377.

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed in the Cook County Circuit Court. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note, a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt, and it only represents one side of the story.