Nebraska Woman’s Family Settles Mesothelioma Claim for $260,000

For years, Donna Grant worked concessions and catering at Lincoln, Nebraska’s Pershing Center, never dreaming that the job would lead to her eventual diagnosis with malignant mesothelioma. Two years after her death, her family has agreed to a $260,000 settlement with the city. The money will pay for her funeral and burial costs and her hospital and medical expenses, as well as offering compensation for the pain and suffering that she endured prior to her death.

Vibrations from Concerts, Maintenance Crews Disturbed Asbestos That Led to Mesothelioma

Following her mesothelioma diagnosis, Mrs. Grant recalled dust that fell onto the concession areas where she’d worked — it would appear whenever the Pershing Center vibrated from the sound generated during concerts. She also recalled maintenance being done in those areas, and the tremendous amount of dust that was generated. She hadn’t realized that the dust was deadly.

Her sister, Dixie Johnson, filed a mesothelioma lawsuit against the city, accusing them of negligence in its management of the popular entertainment venue where Mrs. Grant had worked from 1974 through 2014, when it stopped hosting events. The suit cited a lack of care in the hiring and supervision of maintenance subcontractors, as well as the failure to test for asbestos in areas where employees worked and were vulnerable to breathing in carcinogenic asbestos fibers.

City Agrees to Pay $260,000 in Mesothelioma Death

While the $260,000 settlement of the mesothelioma case has resolved the issue for Mrs. Grant’s family, the Pershing Center building remains a subject of concern for people who live and work nearby. With the asbestos-contaminated building slated for demolition, the city of Lincoln has sought help from an asbestos remediation firm to guide them through the process and ensure that no neighbors or workers risk any further exposure.