50-year, pack-a-day smoker blames asbestos for lung disease

Robert Guidry smoked more than a pack of cigarettes a day for 50 years of his life. Now dying of cancer, Guidry will seek compensation for what he claims is an asbestos-related lung disease.

Attorney Bryan Blevins of Provost Umphrey will represent Guidry and sue the A.O. Smith Corp., along with 42 other major corporations, for distributing products containing asbestos throughout Jefferson County.

Guidry, a 72-year-old retired welder, is blaming an assortment of corporations, such as aerospace giant Lockheed Martin and iron supplier Zurn Industries, for manufacturing and distributing asbestos laced products.

He filed his lawsuit with the Jefferson County District Court on May June 6. Judge Gary Sanderson, 60th Judicial District, will preside over the case.

"Guidry is a...heavy smoker who had a large mass discovered (in 2005)," medical documents attached to the suit said.

The petition says the 43 defendants entangled in his lawsuit were negligent, failing to adequately test their asbestos-laced products before flooding the market with dangerous goods.

In addition, the petition faults Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Corp. (3M Corporation) and American Optical Corp. for producing defective masks that failed to "provide respiratory protection."

Guidry is suing for physical pain and suffering in the past and future, mental anguish in the past and future, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, disfigurement in the past and future, physical impairment in the past and future, and past and future medical expenses.

Case No. B179-448