Could Richard Dawson’s Death Have Been Caused By Asbestos Exposure?

Only weeks after the potentially asbestos-related cancer death of disco icon Donna Summer, famed television personality Richard Dawson has passed away from another form or cancer that has also been linked to asbestos exposure.

The 79-year-old Dawson passed away from esophageal cancer that which his family said he had only been diagnosed with three weeks earlier. The Institute of Medicine has found evidence that suggests asbestos exposure can cause cancers of the pharynx, larynx, esophagus, and other organs as well.

While initial reports of Dawson’s death do not mention if asbestos exposure could have played a role in his death, it is well known that inhalable asbestos was a danger on the sets of many films and television shows in the 1970s and 1980. Football star and actor Merlin Olsen sued NBC and Universal prior to his death from mesothelioma in 2010 with claims that he was exposed to while working on shows such as Little House on the Prairie and Father Murphy.

Dawson was born in Britain and rose to fame in the U.S. during the 1960’s with his role of Peter Newkirk in Hogan’s Heroes. Years after the show went off-air in 1971 he reached new levels of notoriety as the host of Family Feud from 1976 to 1985. Aside from his quick wit and coining of the catchphrase “Survey says…” Dawson was perhaps best known for regularly kissing any female show contestants for good luck.

In fact, one former Family Feud contestant, Gretchen Johnson, became his wife in 1991, USA Today reported.

While asbestos exposure is generally known as the only cause of mesothelioma, it isn’t as commonly recognized as the cause of other types of cancer. If you or a loved one has been exposed to asbestos and now suffer from an asbestos-related disease such as mesothelioma, there may be legal options available to you. Call Sokolove Law today to learn more about what is required to pursue a mesothelioma lawsuit. Call us today at 800-581-6358.

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