HOUSTON – An Italian man is suing multiple Texas companies, claiming that he developed health issues by being exposed to asbestos while working for decades aboard Chevron and Texaco ships.
Plaintiffs Giuseppe D'Esposito and Ada BuonoCore, residents of Italy, filed a lawsuit in the District Court of Harris County against Air Liquid Systems Corporation, A.W. Chesteron Company, Carrier Corporation, Chevron Corporation, Elliot Company, Flowserve US, Foster Wheeler Energy Corporation, Foster Wheeler, General Electric Company, Goulds Pumps, Guard-Line, IMO Industries, ITT, McNally Industries, Paramount Global, Pfizer, Redco Corporation, and Texaco.
According to court documents, the defendants have been engaged in the design, manufacture, sale, and distribution of asbestos-containing products and machinery.
From 1973 to approximately 2018, D'Esposito was employed as a stoker and oiler to work on numerous Chevron and Texaco ships. The lawsuit claims that, as part of his employment, D'Esposito was required to work with or near the defendants' asbestos-containing products and machinery for decades while being completely unaware of the dangers of the toxic substance.
The lawsuit claims that the defendants' were negligent in failing to properly design and manufacture products safe for consumer use, to provide proper warning of the serious health hazards of using the defendant's products, to place adequate warnings on the product's packaging, to use a material to eliminate asbestos from the defendants' products, and to recall or remove dangerous products from sale. According to the lawsuit, the defendants' knew that the inhalation of asbestos was hazardous to human health but allowed their products to be sold and used anyway.
According to the lawsuit, by working with the defendants' products, D'Esposito developed asbestos-related mesothelioma and other serious health defects.
D'Esposito is seeking damages for pain, suffering, physical impairment, disfigurement, mental anguish, loss of earnings, medical expenses, plus punitive and exemplary damages, court costs, interest, and any other relief the court deems proper. Additionally, BuonoCore, D'Esposito's spouse, is seeking damages for the loss of D'Esposito's love, support, and consortium.
The plaintiffs are represented by attorneys Cory E. Powell, Susanah B. Chester-Schindler and Chase Johnson of Waters & Kraus, LLP, in Dallas.
Harris County District Court case number 2023-78637 / Court: 215