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Woman claims husband’s brain disease caused by work conditions

On Behalf of | Nov 26, 2013 | Workers' Compensation

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court decided to allow the lawsuit filed by the wife a former employee of Armstrong World Industries to move forward on Nov. 18. The lawsuit claims that the Lancaster man sustained a workplace injury by being exposed to chemicals that negatively impacted his brain.

By denying the appeal filed by the three chemical manufacturers named in the lawsuit, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court upheld the decision of the Pennsylvania Superior Court to let the case proceed, a decision that reversed the initial lower court decision to dismiss the lawsuit based on the expiration of the statute of limitations. The three chemical companies named in the lawsuit are Dow Chemical, Mallinckrodt Baker, and Brenntag Northeast.

The wife of the man who was employed for 35 years at the Armstrong Floor Plant in Lancaster has also filed a separate lawsuit against Armstrong World Industries alleging the company did not properly educate her husband about the risks involved with some of the chemicals he was exposed to at the plant. One of the central claims of the lawsuit is that the plaintiff’s husband, who is currently suffering from neurological problems in an area nursing home, was exposed to the chemical trichlorethylene, also known as TCE. The chemical has been associated with numerous health problems, including cancer and neurological disorders.

Individuals who have suffered a life-changing injury at work may benefit from a consultation with a legal professional. Attorneys working in the area of workers’ compensation may be able to educate clients about the legal options available so they can pursue compensation for their loss of health and income.

Source: Lancaster Online, “Lawsuit involving exposure to toxic chemicals at Armstrong is returned to lower court”, Gil Smart, November 22, 2013

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