ST. LOUIS — A surviving spouse is suing American Cynamid Co., FMC Corp., Kraft Heinz Foods Co., and other asbestos products manufacturers and users, alleging failure to warn and negligence.
Sheryll A. Johnson filed a complaint on March 2 in the St. Louis 22nd Judicial Circuit Court alleging the defendants breached their duties to exercise reasonable care and caution for the safety of others.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that at various times during her husband Larry Johnson's life he was exposed to and inhaled or ingested asbestos fibers emanating from certain products manufactured, sold, distributed or installed by defendants. On Oct. 27, 2017, he was diagnosed with mesothelioma, an asbestos-induced disease. He died on Nov. 16, 2017.
The plaintiff holds the defendants responsible because they allegedly negligently included asbestos fibers in their products when adequate substitutes were available, and failed to provide adequate warnings and instructions concerning the dangers of working with or around products containing asbestos fibers.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury; and seeks compensatory and punitive damages of not less than $25,000, plus costs of this action, and any further relief as the court deems just and proper. She is represented by Andrew A. O'Brien, Christopher J. Thoron, Bartholomew J. Baumstark, Gerald J. FitzGerald and Adam J. Reynolds of the O'Brien Law Firm PC in St. Louis.
St. Louis 22nd Judicial Circuit Court case number 1822-CC00447