Discovery starts in asbestos suit against Chevron

A certificate of discovery was recently filed in an asbestos suit against Chevron USA.

On behalf of Thaddeus Alpough, Mary Alpough and her siblings filed the suit Aug. 16 in Jefferson County District Court, alleging Chevron exposed their late father to asbestos during his employment with the company.

Court records show that on Nov. 2 the plaintiffs filed their answers and objections to Chevron's interrogatories.

The petition states that Alpough worked at Chevron's Port Arthur refinery as a boilermaker helper and pipefitter - occupations that exposed him to asbestos dust and fibers.

"As a result of such exposure, Thaddeus Alpough developed asbestos-related pleural disease, lung cancer and then gastric cancer, for which he died a painful and terrible death on May 7, 2010," the suit states.

Chevron is accused of knowing that asbestos products could cause cancer but still chose to expose workers, such as Alpough.

The Alpough family is suing for punitive and exemplary damages.

Beaumont attorney Keith Hyde of the Provost Umphrey law firm represents the family.

Judge Gary Sanderson, 6oth District Court, is assigned to the case.

Case No. B190-682