Former plant worker sues over mesothelioma; alleges secondary exposure from husband

A former plant worker is suing over claims she developed mesothelioma as a result of her and her plant worker husband's exposure to asbestos-containing products.

Vivian K. Mounts filed a lawsuit Oct. 23 in Cook County Circuit Court against Surface Combustion Inc., Lucent Technologies Inc., Borg Warner Corp., International Truck and Engine Corp., Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. and dozens of other companies.

According to the suit, Mounts was exposed to asbestos in products designed, manufactured, distributed, sold and marketed by the defendant companies between 1955 and 1973, during which time she worked as a plant worker at Borg Warner Corp. and Lucent Technologies.

She also claims secondary exposure from her husband, who worked at International Truck and Engine Corp., formerly known as International Harvester Co. The complaint states Mounts was diagnosed with mesothelioma on July 30.

The defendants are accused of failing to replace asbestos with safe alternatives or warning users of the dangers of asbestos and allowing their employees to work around friable asbestos containing products. Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. and some of the other defendant companies are also accused of having knowledge of the dangers of asbestos and conspiring to conceal the information from the public.

Mounts is represented by attorney Michael T. Egan of Cooney & Conway in Chicago.

Cook County Circuit Court case number: 2014L011000.

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.