Court Finds That 30-Year Smoker's Lung Cancer May Have Been Caused by Asbestos Exposure

HARRISBURG, Pa. - A Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court has reinstated a fatal claim filed by the family of a former steel worker who allegedly died of lung cancer caused by years of exposure to asbestos dust. Gibson v. Workers' Compensation Appeal Board, No. 1860 C.D. 2002 (Pa. Cmwlth.).

The Commonwealth Court issued an opinion May 8 reversing a workers' compensation appeals board that had dismissed the claim after determining that the former pack-and-half-a-day smoker failed to present enough evidence that his lung cancer was asbestos-related.

Patrick Gibson worked for Armco Stainless & Alloy Products as a laborer for about 25 years …