Almost happened to Alexander Graham Bell as well.
Graham Bell was smart enough to keep in touch with research professionals such as Michelson/Morley. Thus he was an insider and could count on support from some businessmen. Westinghouse was brilliant but didn't play the business game right.
On September 25, 2001, the United States Congress officially recognized Antonio Meucci as the inventor of the telephone, denying Bell's claim to its invention.