Mesothelioma Lawsuit Resolved for DIY Home Improvement Asbestos Exposure Victim
In 2011 the Fenstermaker family of Alameda, California received some news that changed their world. Husband and father Rick Fenstermaker was diagnosed with mesothelioma, an incurable cancer caused by breathing invisible, odorless asbestos dust.
Rick Fenstermaker earned his success through hard work and hands-on education. In the 1970s he bought fixer-uppers. He worked on the houses himself: he patched and repaired walls, installed new windows, fixed roofs, and made the homes desirable to tenants. Rick took care of all the property management and maintenance for the homes he rented to his tenants.
Rick and his wife Eve used this entrepreneurial experience to build a thriving realty and brokerage business. Rick and Eve were close supportive partners in both business and home. They raised three children together and enjoyed the successes their perseverance brought.
What they didn’t know is that some of the products Rick used in the 1970s contained asbestos.
Kazan Law’s investigation revealed that the asbestos products Rick used had the same brand of asbestos, called “Calidria.” Calidria was mined, milled, and marketed by the Union Carbide Corporation, a subsidiary of Dow Chemical Company.
Trial commenced on January 23, 2012. Firm principal Dianna Lyons and associate William Ruiz served as lead trial counsel with law and motion support from associate Michael Stewart. The case resolved to the parties’ mutual satisfaction after “mini-opening statements” and plaintiffs’ counsel’s first round of jury voir dire.
Rick fought through extensive surgery and chemotherapy with Eve always by his side. Sadly, Rick finally succumbed to his illness and passed away on April 9, 2012, at his home and surrounded by his family.