A Trust Fund Victims Can't Trust
Ronald Dutton’s story
San Francisco, California. Ronald was born on March 1, 1954. He is currently 51 years old. He and his wife, Terri, were married in 1973 and have two daughters and a granddaughter. Ronald supported his family as a machinery rigger for over 35 years. Ronald’s family is dependent on his wages.
Ronald has worked as a drydock rigger aboard numerous ships. As a rigger, Ronald used hoists, chains, and cranes to offload from vessels equipment too heavy to move by hand. He rigged equipment in and out of the ships, installed weight-handling gear on ships, hoisted equipment, and removed insulation to rig materials off the ships.
He recalls having contact with asbestos-containing materials such as cement, mortar, insulation, gaskets, blankets, millboard, and Micarta insulation sheets. In addition, throughout his career, Ronald worked around other employees, such as plant insulation workers, pipefitters, machinists, electricians, laborers, carpenters, and boilermakers who handled asbestos products.
In October of 2003, Ronald was diagnosed with asbestos-caused pleural disease. In 2004, Ronald was diagnosed with asbestos-related colon cancer. This past May, Ronald’s condition worsened and he was diagnosed with asbestosis.
Ronald is an avid camper and stream-fisher; however, he can no longer do so due to his illnesses.
How would the asbestos bailout bill hurt Ronald’s family?
In June 2003, Ronald filed his legal case in the San Francisco Superior Court. His trial is scheduled for February 16, 2006. Enactment of the proposed asbestos bill would eliminate Ronald’s case, forcing him to begin the claims process again under the proposed asbestos trust fund.
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