Former mechanic blames dozens of companies for lung cancer

A man is suing over claims he was diagnosed with lung cancer after unknowingly being exposed to asbestos.

Mark L. Olson filed a lawsuit Oct. 20 in Cook County Circuit Court against Anderson, Greenwood & Co., Grinnell, Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. and dozens of other companies.

According to the complaint, Olson was exposed to asbestos through products designed, manufactured, distributed, marketed and sold by the defendant companies through his employment as a parts specialist, mechanic and staff sergeant from 1972 to 1999 as well as through non-occupational activities.

Olson, who the suit states was diagnosed with lung cancer on March 12, accuses the defendants of negligently and wrongfully using asbestos in their products and failing to replace it with a safer alternative. He also alleges Metropolitan Life and several other defendant companies conspired to conceal their knowledge of the effects of asbestos.

Olson is seeking more than $30,000 in damages and is represented by attorney Matthew J. Adair of Cooney & Conway in Chicago.

Cook County Circuit Court case number: 2014L010855.

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 represents only one side of the story.