James Grumley and his family have settled a mesothelioma lawsuit with former asbestos manufacturer Garlock Sealing Technologies in the amount of $12 million in damages.
Mr. Grumley worked for decades as a boiler mechanic at a Johnsonburg paper mill, where he was exposed to asbestos. His exposure included the paper mill’s boilers covered in asbestos cement, asbestos gaskets, and asbestos rope packing used on turbines.
Mr. Grumley was diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma in 2006. The pleura is the lining around the lungs and asbestos fibers lodged in the lungs change the single-cell layer pleura into a hard shell the consistency of the sole of a dress shoe. The process inhibits expansion of the lungs making it hard to breathe and causing the nerve endings to scrape against the hard lininig. The growing tumor can sometimes encase and fracture the spine and surround and strangle the heart — as it has done in Mr. Grumley’s case.
Prior to contracting mesothelioma, 84 year old Mr. Grumley played sports with his grandchildren and shared a life with his wife of 55 years. The man worked to support his family in a paper mill and is now enduring pain and suffering through what should have been retirement, but now undoubtedly means borrowed time.
Watch Tom Lamb report the story on Asbestos News Minute.
