Lawsuit alleges that asbestos in Fairmont State buildings caused woman’s lung cancer

FAIRMONT, W.Va. (WBOY) — A lawsuit against Fairmont State University (FSU) alleges that a former student developed lung cancer because she was exposed to asbestos on the campus.

Attorney Michael Robb of Bailey & Glasser LLP represents Donna Spurling, who attended Fairmont State in the late 1990s. During a press conference on Tuesday, Robb broke down the suit, which was originally filed back in July.

The lawsuit mentions multiple businesses in the area, including FSU, Mon General Hospital and WVU Health System where Spurling did educational rotations, claiming that asbestos in buildings on those campuses caused her to get lung cancer and eventually lose half of one of her lungs.

“I didn’t know why because I don’t smoke, I never smoked, so I never understood why I got cancer,” Spurling said in an interview.

The lawsuit alleges that the State of West Virginia knew that the buildings were potentially dangerous after a study in 1987 and did nothing. Robb said during an interview that all the buildings at FSU have asbestos containing materials.

“This case is just the beginning,” Robb said. “We are uncovering evidence that extends far beyond Fairmont State University.” He continued, “It’s time we hold these institutions accountable for the decades of harm they have caused.”

12 News reached out to Fairmont State University for comment and received the following statement:

Fairmont State University is proud to have served North-Central West Virginia since 1865, measuring our impact by the notable contributions our alumni have made in businesses, industries, and organizations across the globe. To continue that proud tradition, we continually reinvest in the facilities, programs, and experiences that deliver value to our students and communities. These include enhancements to our campus, which dates back to 1915. While it would be inappropriate to comment on pending litigation, our number one priority is, and always has been, the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff. We are one of several organizations named and are confident these accusations will be dismissed. We look forward to continuing our focus on providing an ongoing supportive and safe environment for our entire campus community.

Asbestos is a known carcinogen that causes lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis, but symptoms usually take years to develop following exposure, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency . People are exposed to asbestos when asbestos-containing material are disturbed, causing the fibers to be released into the air.

The full lawsuit is available here .

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