ST. LOUIS – A surviving heir of a woman's estate has filed a wrongful death suit against three companies over allegations that asbestos in their products caused injuries to the decedent.
Patricia Henriquez, individually and as surviving heir of the estate of Helen Schwartz, deceased filed a complaint on April 12 in the St. Louis 22nd Judicial Circuit Court against General Gasket Corp., J.P. Bushnell Packing Supply Co. and Novartis Corp. alleging wrongful death and other counts.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that at various times during Schwartz's life, she was exposed to and inhaled or ingested asbestos fibers emanating from certain products manufactured, sold, distributed or installed by defendants. The suit states she was exposed while working for Corning Glass Works in the 1940s in Pennsylvania and also through her husband, who also worked at the company. The suit states she died on June 6, 2016, due to mesothelioma, an asbestos-induced disease that was wrongfully caused.
The plaintiff holds General Gasket Corp., J.P. Bushnell Packing Supply Co. and Novartis Corp. responsible because the defendants 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 seeks damages against each defendant separately in an amount greater than $25,000. She is represented by Benjamin R. Schmickle and Matthew C. Morris of SWMW Law LLC in St. Louis.
St. Louis 22nd Judicial Circuit Court case number 1822-CC00751