Keel v. H & V Inc‪.‬

Plaintiff-employee, Roxie Keel, is a 42 year old woman (she was 36 years old at the time of initial diagnosis) with a tenth grade education who worked for defendant dry cleaner from October 1985 until June 1986. For the first three months, plaintiff washed, pressed and removed spots. In January 1986 she began operating a dry-cleaning machine. During the required maintenance of the machine, plaintiff was regularly exposed to perchloroethylene (PCE), a chemical component of the dry-cleaning solution, while cleaning the filters. Plaintiff contended that contact with the fumes of the dry-cleaning solution caused eye irritation and tears, dizziness, perspiration, coughing and later, shortness of breath. The fumes were so strong that on occasion plaintiff was forced to sit down. By June 1986 plaintiffs shortness of breath became so pronounced that she left the job.