Mesothelioma Litigation

An 84-year-old Vashon Island, Washington man suffering from malignant mesothelioma was recently awarded $1.45 million in asbestos compensation after a jury ruling that his former employers were responsible for exposing him to the carcinogenic material.

According to KOMO News, Roger Hammett worked as a messman on board the SS Seattle 45 years ago. During his stint on the ship, Hammett claimed he breathed asbestos fibers from pipe insulation, which ultimately led to his development of mesothelioma, a rare cancer that attacks the tissues surrounding a majority of the body's internal organs.

Hammett told the news source he initially thought he was suffering from asthma when the symptoms first appeared three years ago, but he later collapsed while working in his garden and received the devastating diagnosis.

The compensation, Hammett noted, was a small victory in the grand scheme of things.

"I will say it's a psychological disaster to know that you have something that can't be operated on, there's no cure and you are going to die someday," Hammett told the news source.

The National Cancer Institute estimates 2,500 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma in the U.S. each year. In addition to mesothelioma, asbestos exposure can lead to the development of lung cancer and asbestosis.