A Trust Fund Victims Can't Trust
Dennis Colbus’ story
Trail Munising, Michigan. Dennis served in the U.S. Air Force from 1963 to 1969. Not long after, he began his career at Kimberly Clark paper mill in Munising, Michigan. He worked two years as a laborer and then began an apprenticeship as a millwright. Dennis became a full-fledged millwright in 1973 - a job he did for 20 years until he was promoted to a mill planner. He retired from the mill in 1999.
His career put him in daily contact with asbestos materials in pipes, boilers, gaskets, valves, pumps, and turbines. His primary exposure to the deadly dust and fibers came from personally working on and overhauling asbestos-containing equipment.
Now Dennis has mesothelioma, a terminal cancer caused only by asbestos. Before his diagnosis, he was in good health. He was an avid fisherman and hunter who loved spending time outdoors. Following his retirement, he initially worked part-time. Now, he not only cannot work but is unable to perform simple household tasks because he is short of breath and fatigued. His medical bills have put a strain on his family.
How would the asbestos bailout bill hurt Dennis’s family?
Dennis has a case filed in Rhode Island Superior Court. If the proposed asbestos bill is enacted, his case would be wiped out and he would have to start the claims process from the very beginning.
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