The widow of a former carpenter has filed suit against Chevron USA, claiming the oil company negligently and maliciously exposed her late husband to asbestos.
On behalf of William Clanan, Mary Clanan filed her suit on April 16 in the Jefferson County District Court.
According to the plaintiff's petition, William Clanan worked for Gulf at its Port Arthur facility. During his career as a carpenter, he used and was exposed to toxic materials including asbestos dust and fibers.
"As a result of such exposure, William Clanan developed an asbestos-related disease for which he died a painful and terrible death on Jan. 31, 2007," the suit said.
"The Defendants knew for decades that asbestos-containing products could cause the disease of asbestosis and asbestos-related cancers and still allowed their employees, such as William Clanan, to work with and around asbestos products in the workplace."
The suit goes on to say Chevron acted with "malice" and "gross neglect," alleging the company "failed to timely and adequately warn workers of the dangers of asbestos and take the necessary engineering, safety, industrial hygiene and medical precautions and provide adequate warning and training to ensure that the deceased was not exposed to the asbestos-containing products."
"As a result of the aforementioned malice and/or gross neglect of the Defendants, Plaintiffs seek claims for all elements of damages allowable under the law including exemplary damages and seek to recover from the Defendants, an amount in excess of the jurisdictional limits of this Court," the suit added.
"Further, Plaintiffs seek a claim for prejudgment interest for all elements allowed him."
Mary Clanan is represented by Provost Umphrey attorney Keith Hyde.
The case has been assigned to Judge Gary Sanderson, 60th Judicial District.
Case No. B181-604