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Asbestos News
Paul Zygielbaum Could Be Left with Nothing
"I feel that I've already been robbed."
 In
1998, Paul Zygielbaum of Santa Rosa, CA, began experiencing difficulty
walking due to a distended abdomen. His disease was initially mis-diagnosed
and his doctor instructed him to eat less and exercise more. Now 54,
Paul and his wife, Michelle, know the real cause of his pain is malignant
peritoneal mesothelioma, a cancer caused by exposure to asbestos.
Paul's son Joshua, a U.S. Marine who has been ordered to serve in
Iraq, has to live with the fact that his father will die from this
disease.
Paul had several instances of exposure to asbestos during his lifetime.
These include exposure while working in NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
while working in the electric utility industry, while doing home repair
in the '70s, and as a child from fibers his father brought home from
work on his clothes.
Paul has undergone invasive surgery to remove the cancer, followed
by an extended period of recovery. Due to his illness and having to
take time off work, his family has suffered from a significant loss
of income. He has also had to cut back his work load since he's been
ill.
 Paul's
wife, Michelle, is now working to help pay the bills, including his
medical expenses, as he is now unable to get health insurance. The
Zygielbaums are waiting for compensation from a settlement to help
cover these costs, as well as his lost income. Paul says, "Our
goal has been to receive sufficient funds that we can … have,
for at least a few years, a facsimile of the retirement we've worked
for, without fear of financial destitution when the end approaches."
Under the proposed asbestos bill, Paul, along with other asbestos
victims, may not qualify for compensation from the trust fund. According
to the strict criteria of this bill, his multiple exposures may not
add up to enough "exposure time" to qualify for the fund.
Paul says, "I feel that I've already been robbed of many years
of potential life, and that now I'm being robbed of compensation for
my lost earnings and potential medical expenses."
Updated May 2005 |
