Living With Mesothelioma: A Tennessee Mechanic’s Journey to Justice

After his career as an auto mechanic, Art Putt felt like he was beginning a new adventure. He moved to Arizona, where he met and married Jan, the love of his life, then returned to Tennessee with his bride. The couple worked at Dollywood, an amusement park in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.

However, in 2018, Art was diagnosed with mesothelioma — a rare, aggressive cancer caused by asbestos. The couple’s plans for happily ever after were put on hold.

When Art discovered that manufacturers knew about the dangers of asbestos, he decided to take legal action against the companies responsible for exposing him and making him sick.

Art filed a mesothelioma lawsuit that awarded him tens of millions of dollars, which allowed him to keep fighting the cancer and provide for his family.

“We gave all that money to our kids, paid all their debts out, paid our house out, made our life a little easier because we had no financial worries. We still don’t have any financial worries because of it.”

– Art Putt, 6+ year mesothelioma survivor 

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Persistent Cough Reveals a Worrying Diagnosis

One of Art’s early mesothelioma symptoms was a cough that wouldn’t go away. Jan urged him to go to the doctor, but Art kept putting it off. It wasn’t until the cough worsened that he agreed to get it checked out.

Art’s physicians ordered X-rays and initially diagnosed him with pneumonia. However, the radiologist who took the scans encouraged more testing, which revealed Art’s actual diagnosis — pleural mesothelioma.

The news was devastating, as the life expectancy for this cancer is about 18 months on average.

“Initially, the doctors told him he probably had about six months to a year. That was six years ago, and I’ve still got him.”

– Jan Putt, wife of mesothelioma survivor Art

Even though there’s no cure for mesothelioma, Art and Jan were determined to fight. First, they needed to know more about this cancer and how Art ended up with it.

Years of Brake Pad Repairs and Asbestos Dust

For most of his life, Art worked as an auto mechanic. At one point, he juggled jobs at three different service stations.

He mainly replaced brake pads, which involved removing old, worn-down brakes and sanding fresh ones to make them fit just right. This work released clouds of asbestos dust that would be the reason for his illness decades later.

“We had dust everywhere, and we didn’t know any better.”

– Art Putt, 6+ year mesothelioma survivor 

Before the 1980s, brake components were made using asbestos, a durable and heat-resistant mineral that withstood the extreme friction in braking systems. Negligent brake product manufacturers knew of the risks but hid them to keep making money.

For years, Art and his coworkers inhaled asbestos dust in the shops where they worked. Since they had been kept in the dark, they didn’t know they were at risk of developing mesothelioma and other life-threatening illnesses later in life.

Battling Mesothelioma and the Companies Responsible

As Art and Jan learned more about how asbestos companies had knowingly put people at risk, they knew they had to take action. Although Art was initially unsure about pursuing a lawsuit, he realized that seeking justice was the right choice — not just for himself, but for all those affected by asbestos exposure.

“When you know this could have been prevented, it makes things just that much harder to bear. No one should ever have to endure the pain of mesothelioma.”

– Jan Putt, wife of mesothelioma survivor Art 

Knowing they had a long road ahead with costly treatments, Art and Jan understood that taking legal action could help secure the financial resources needed to cover medical expenses.

Their first step in holding the negligent companies accountable was contacting a mesothelioma law firm. Within days, a lawyer from the firm came to their home to explain the legal process.

“He made us feel at ease,” Art recalled. “He seemed like he was interested and really cared.” That first visitor became the leader in their fight for justice.

A Mesothelioma Verdict Reignites Hope

The couple’s mesothelioma lawyer worked hard to make filing a lawsuit as easy and stress-free as possible for them, and throughout the process, they developed a strong friendship as well.

“Our lawyers treated us like family. They cared about us like family.”

– Art Putt, 6+ year mesothelioma survivor 

Art’s legal team built his case by identifying the asbestos-containing brake parts that Art worked with and the companies that made them. One of those manufacturers was Ford Motor Company.

After filing Art’s mesothelioma lawsuit against the companies that had exposed him to asbestos, his legal team worked tirelessly to negotiate mesothelioma settlements with the defendants while he was undergoing treatment.

Ultimately, Art was awarded $34 million in a verdict against Ford and received additional compensation from settlements with other companies.

Throughout the legal battle to secure the compensation they deserved, Art and Jan felt genuinely supported by their lawyer, who treated them as friends rather than just another set of clients.

To this day, their lawyer regularly checks in on Art’s health and provides updates to the firm, where the two have become office celebrities.

To Many More Years of Mesothelioma Survival

Art was fighting two battles within that first year of his diagnosis — a legal battle and a battle for survival. His treatment slowed the progression of his cancer enough to extend his life beyond that first year.

When chemotherapy and immunotherapy stopped working, Art explored natural remedies and nutrition-based treatments to support his body in fighting the cancer. Soon, he began to feel like himself again.

Now, over six years after his diagnosis, Art looks back on the legal process with gratitude.

“It’s been a great experience. It’s made the time I have left very good. I don’t have the financial worries. That’s all because of our lawyers.”

– Art Putt, 6+ year mesothelioma survivor 

Living with mesothelioma cancer is never easy, but Art and Jan continue to soak up as much time together as possible. They pass the days enjoying meals, going for scenic drives, treating themselves to late-night ice cream bars, and seeing their kids every Friday.

“We never get tired of being together,” Art said. He looks forward to many more years of surviving mesothelioma.

Get Help From a Mesothelioma Lawyer

If you or someone you love is living with mesothelioma, you don’t have to go it alone. Our team has partnered with leading mesothelioma lawyers who can help families in all 50 states.

The lawyers in our network are leaders in asbestos litigation and treat every client like family. Together, they’ve secured over $9.6 billion for those impacted by mesothelioma.

Our legal partners never charge any upfront costs or hourly fees, so there’s no financial risk to work with them.

Call (888) 726-9160 right now or fill in our online form to take the first step toward justice.