Jury rejects woman's claim that laundry caused her mesothelioma

By Carol Kennedy

Published on March 03, 2006

Anita O'Connell, 84, of Burbank, alleged that her terminal disease was caused from years of washing her son's work clothes. In his testimony, Michael O'Connell stated that he worked for his father's business, Bel Aire Plastering, for years, hanging drywall using joint compound manufactured by Georgia-Pacific and Bondex. The suit alleges that Mrs. O'Connell was repeatedly exposed to asbestos when she shook her son's work clothes prior to doing laundry. She was diagnosed with mesothelioma in February 2004.

The company that supplied Bel Aire Plastering during the period in question testified that joint compound was never sold to the company. Michael O'Connell stated that he remembered seeing silver cans of Georgia-Pacific joint compound during his employment; however, Georgia-Pacific countered that their products were not packaged in silver cans at the time.

Charla Aldous, Anita O'Connell's attorney, stated that her client will suffer a horrendous death and is entitled to justice, regardless of her age.

This was Madison County's first mesothelioma case in 2006.

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