A former mechanic is suing over claims his wife died after being exposed to asbestos products during her time as an assembly worker and her exposure to his clothes.
Richard A. Oakley, as independent executor of the Estate of Carolyn J. Oakley, filed a lawsuit Sept. 9 in Cook County Circuit Court against ITT Industries Inc., General Electric Co., Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. and dozens of others.
According to the suit, Carolyn was exposed to asbestos through products designed, manufactured, distributed, sold or marketed by the defendant companies during her employment as an assembly worker from 1956 to 1985.
Oakley claims his wife was also exposed to asbestos fibers through his clothes as he was exposed to asbestos-containing products during him employment as a mechanic from 1956 to 2005.
According to the suit, Carolyn died from mesothelioma Jan. 14, 2014.
The defendants are accused of failing to exercise ordinary care and caution in marketing products containing asbestos without warning to the public. Metropolitan Life Insurance is accused of conspiring with other companies to assert the safety of asbestos-containing products to the public while having full knowledge of the dangers and related deaths.
Oakley is represented by attorney Charles A. Porretta of Cooney & Conway in Chicago.
Cook County Circuit Court case 2014L009366.
This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed in 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.