Mesothelioma Lawyers

Guilty: Asbestos Exposure at Fault

2010-10-30T16:05:00.000-07:00

In a rare instance, a business that was responsible for asbestos removal pled guilty to exposing workers and neighbors to asbestos fibers. The company failed to inspect the area, failed to plan for contingencies, and failed to protect the area.

The company hired four temporary workers hired to remove asbestos insulation from steam pipes and then to cut the pipes for scrap metal. All four workers were exposed to asbestos.

Breathing asbestos is linked to development of mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lung or abdomen and other serious respiratory diseases. The cancer shows up 20 to 40 years later and is difficult to diagnose.

According to state and federal laws removal of asbestos requires contractors to conduct asbestos surveys to identity the material and contain it to prevent the potential release of toxic asbestos dust.

Mesothelioma Awareness

2010-09-27T09:25:00.000-07:00

Mesothelioma Awareness

Every year, mesothelioma claims the lives of some 2,500 in America or 90,000 worldwide. Mesothelioma is 100 percent preventable. The cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos, a toxic substance used in insulation, sealant, and certain building materials.

Meso awareness will get a boost from the Today Show as the Meso Foundation will display massive ads in the windows of 10 Rockerfeller Building during the week of September 26.

Activists for the Meso Foundation have been hard at work trying to champion a National Mesothelioma Awareness Day.

The foundation continues to sponsor conferences, marathons, races and publicity events that benefit victims and their families, raise money for research, and increase public awareness of the disease.

If you or a family member has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, considered contacting Anapol Schwartz, attorneys-at-law in Pa., NJ, and WVa.

9/11 Victims Still Suffer from Toxic Dust Injuries

2010-08-29T11:15:00.000-07:00

Here's a deeply moving essay from across the pond (UK) about 9/11. Devasting side effects of toxic dust are still negatively impacting thousands of victims who are fighting for compensation and their lives.

These victims include office workers, shopkeepers, students and local residents – but the worst-affected are the emergency service, recovery and volunteer aid workers who were exposed to the site at close quarters. These people went to help – and are paying with their lives.

The New York City Department of Health has already recorded 817 deaths of World Trade Center responders from illnesses generated by working on the site. But as well as the official figures, there are currently another 20,000 recorded sick by the World Trade Center Medical Monitoring Treatment and Environmental programs.

On 9/11 the dust from the pulverized towers was thick and far-reaching. The cancer causing dust contained chemicals including asbestos, lead, dioxin and deadly PVCs, mercury, plus emissions from more than 200,000 gallons of diesel fuel smoldering underneath the site.

In the urgency of rescuing survivors from the rubble, crucial safety procedures seem to have been overlooked and conflicting instructions given by the authorities. People were operating without the correct protective clothing. Rescue teams were provided with paper masks that became clogged.

People worked zealously to clean up. About 70 percent of emergency service workers have been diagnosed with serious respiratory problems as a result of their involvement with Ground Zero. And the real scandal is that post-disaster health care has been so badly neglected that there is barely any provision for them.

Asbestos Exposure and Historic New Jersey Library

2010-07-17T09:09:00.000-07:00

Asbestos used to be a common building material. Unfortunately, now many crumbling New Jersey public buildings and older residences are full of the material, literally from floor to ceiling. Asbestos has been directly linked not only to mesothelioma cancer, but also to lung cancer, asbestosis, pulmonary problems, and autoimmune disorders.

A 1914 vintage East Orange Public Library remains closed after a state health department inspection found exposed asbestos throughout the building, which could put employees and patrons at risk for mesothelioma cancer. The library was required to hire a professional abatement contractor to safety remove the dangerous material, but months after the job was started, there is no indication when the building will reopen.

Because of its heavy industrial background, New Jersey has also been the site of many companies which traditionally made heavy use of asbestos, including ship yards, power plants, chemical plants and oil refiners. These industries all used asbestos for its superior heat and fire-resistant properties which translates into more past and present NJ workers may have a higher incidence of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.

Asbestos dust caused woman's cancer

2010-05-02T18:29:00.000-07:00

Asbestos dust caused woman's cancer

You've heard of second hand smoke but now here's second hand asbestos dust.

A former Los Angeles woman, the wife of a Los Angeles Department of Water & Power employee, was awarded by a jury $8.8 million because she developed mesothelioma or asbestos cancer from inhaling asbestos dust when washing her husband's contaminated clothes when he worked at DWP.

The jury also levied $200 million in punitive damages against CertainTeed, the asbestos cement water pipes company.

A jury awarded a woman more than $200 million after it found that her rare form of mesothelioma cancer was caused by exposure to asbestos from washing her husband's contaminated work-clothes.

During the trial, the jury learned CertainTeed had knowledge that asbestos caused cancer in the early 1960s but the company continued to manufacture the asbestos pipes and did not place a cancer warning on them until 1985.

Sex, Asbestos, and Mesothelioma Cancer

2010-04-13T13:20:00.000-07:00

Sex, Asbestos, and Mesothelioma Cancer

No, you cannot get mesothelioma cancer from sexual contact.

But in the case of the late Sex Pistols manager who died recently from a rare form of cancer known as mesothelioma, Malcolm McLaren allegedly died from asbestos exposure in his fashion shop known as SEX.

McLaren spent a lot of time in the shop and the ceiling was exposed to resemble a bomb shelter.

Friends of McLaren said they were very upset with doctors who failed to diagnose the mesothelioma cancer sooner. Doctors at first said the spots were benign and not to worry. Does this constitute medical malpractice or a failure to diagnose mesothelioma cancer?

A few months later McLaren's lungs filled with fluids and he was properly diagnosed with mesothelioma. He deteriorated quickly and died within weeks of the diagnosis.

Can mesothelioma vaccine save lives?

2010-03-08T19:52:00.000-08:00

According to the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the first vaccine for mesothelioma has been developed by Dutch scientists.

The vaccine uses tumor lysate-pulsed dendritic cells whichs uses the body’s immune system to manufacture mesothelioma specific antibodies.

Treatment is a series of three vaccinations administered intradermally and intravenously over a two week period after chemotherapy.

The results were 80 percent effective in the test group. The earlier a person received the treatment the greater their chances were to be free of mesothelioma. The only side effects were a skin rash and flu like symptoms that lasted a day or two.

Mesothelioma is a cancerous disease of the lungs that results from exposure to asbestos. The disease can remain dormant for as long as 50 years before becoming active. Survival times are a year to fifteen months with radiation treatment.

Alabama has one of the highest rates of mesothelioma and one of the greatest potentials for new cases of mesothelioma because of the number of plants that used asbestos or buildings that contained asbestos.

Crime: Fail to properly remove asbestos

2010-02-25T09:43:00.000-08:00

Four men were arrested when they failed to remove asbestos from a condo conversion.

Instead of removing it according to proper health and safety and environmental standards, they covered it up without telling new condo owners.

The project manager pled guilty and named them as accessories.

After asbestos was found in the popcorn texture in the ceilings the men decided that complete and proper removal of the ceilings was too expensive. They covered the ceilings with drywall attached with furring strips, requiring the asbestos to be drilled into.

Workers were instructed to cover the asbestos with little or no protective equipment and without adhering to recommended procedures. The technique used to cover the ceilings actually disturbed the asbestos.

The men who were in charge of oversight are charged with conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act by failing to remove asbestos before the material would be broken up, dislodged or disturbed and without at least one on-site expert in the removal of the material. They are also accused of making false statements to authorities to cover up the scheme.

Mesothelioma and early detection

2010-02-17T06:42:00.000-08:00

If a Nebraska Senator has his way, his state will spend around $650,000 to do a simple test to diagnose mesothelioma and lung cancer in its early stages.

He has a personal stake in the matter because his father died of cancer linked to asbestos exposure.

The test will take mucus from the respiratory tract for early detection which could save lives before it's too late.

Older veterans have an increased risk of developing cancer because they were exposed to more carcinogens and asbestos while in the military service.

A study of veterans who smoke is under way.

Asbestos and Power Plants

2010-02-10T07:51:00.000-08:00

Power plant workers make electricity happen. You might think it's as easy as flipping a switch but not so for the power plant worker.

Some power plant workers sit at computers and control the production and flow of electricity. Some power plant workers may need to control each generator and turbine by monitoring separate switches on the units for energy demands.

Many of the power plant machines generate a horrendous amount of heat. Power plant workers could be exposed to asbestos used to insulate pipes going to and from turbines and other heat-producing machines. Used to generate heat, boilers were present and asbestos can be found in the insulation surrounding boilers and networks of pipe.

Asbestos may be found inside many power plant machines such as asbestos gaskets used to seal pumps and valves. Power plant workers typically installed these asbestos. In the process of installing asbestos gaskets, workers may have been exposed to asbestos fibers.

Even the walls, floor tiles, and ceiling tiles in a power plant may be sites of exposure for the power plant worker.

Many U.S. power plants have been renovated and asbestos has been removed although some plants still contain asbestos. Workers should be particularly diligent when working in older plants to ensure that they are not exposed. Respirators or filtering masks should always be worn.

All these exposure to asbestos has been the cause of mesothelioma, a rare asbestos-related cancer.

Mesothelioma Lawsuits and Women Victims

2010-02-03T13:10:00.000-08:00

Mesothelioma Lawsuit and Women Victims

Mesothelioma cancer is not a disease solely inflicting men who worked in power plants, factories, and shipyards. Most mesothelioma cancer victims are men...but not all.

Women are subject to mesothelioma cancer from secondhand exposure from handling and washing asbestos particle clothing that their husbands or fathers wore and then sweeping the asbestos dust around the house.

Women have been diagnosed with mesothelioma also from plastering materials used for interior and exterior stucco as well as home insulation dust emanating from walls and sweeping the room with a broom which caused dangerous fibers to circulate and be inhaled.

Women in cleaning industries such as industrial laundries and dry cleaners have been exposed to toxic insulation and other chemicals. Women who cleaned industrial complexes were also exposed while sweeping asbestos dust particles from the floor and other surfaces.

For awhile, asbestos was used in cosmetics (YES!) and women who worked in factories that manufactured asbestos-containing make-up and powders may have inhaled the toxic mineral on a daily basis. Protective gear was not provided so exposure occurred regularly.

Pa. Vocational School Officials Deny Asbesto Dangers

2010-02-02T12:35:00.000-08:00

About 100 students and teachers at a Bethlehem Twp. vocational school were exposed to asbestos during a remodeling project of a private home that went on for two months.

According to an asbestos consultant, the asbestos fibers in the home were extremely low and should not result in any longterm health problems.

Apparently the school knew of the asbestos but failed to alert the parents, students, or involved faculty.

With help from students, two teachers dismantled and removed the home's old boiler in the basement and carried it outside.

School officials later told them that asbestos was in the basement and not to go back to the house.

The consultant was aware of the asbestos and recommended that the school district have it abated by professionals and did not know students were working around the material until after it was already disturbed.

Why weren't the teachers and students properly notified?

Who was responsible for telling them?

Do the parents and teachers need to talk to consult with a Pa. asbestos lawyer?

2010 Asbestos Awareness Conference

2010-02-01T11:10:00.000-08:00

The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) will host its 6th Annual International Asbestos Awareness Conference in Chicago, IL, on Saturday, April 10, 2010, with activities throughout the weekend.

The international conference will provide education and outreach to families, employers/employees, and scientists throughout the world as part of ADAO's continuing effort to educate the public about the dangers of asbestos, ban its use, and encourage research efforts to improve treatment options.

Prominent physicians, scientists, and safety and health care professionals who are experts in the area of asbestos representing the United States, Canada, England, Brazil, and Germany will present current information regarding the status and impact of asbestos in the United States and globally.

The weekend will provide information and inspiration for those impacted by asbestos-related disease as well as others who advocate for safe environments. The special guest will be entertainer Jordan Zevon whose father, rock musician Warren Zevon, died of mesothelioma cancer caused from asbestos exposure.

Cost of Black Lung Disease

2010-01-31T11:59:00.000-08:00

Nobody denies that black lung disease is an occupational disease which coal miners are exposed to.

But what they deny is who should be liable to pay for it.

Both Senator Robert Byrd and the United Mine Workers of America want to make changes in the federal black lung benefits program as part of the still to be decided healthcare bill.

Currently, miners must prove that black lung disease is a significant contributor to their disability in order to receive black lung benefits. Widows of coal miners have to reapply for benefits and prove the miner had black lung that significantly contributed to or hastened death.

Under Byrd's amendments, workers with 15 or more years in the mines would be presumed to have black lung disease which is irreversible and happens from exposure to coal dust. Also, the amendment would make it easier for widows of workers who were employed 15+ years in the mines to receive benefits.

The changes would be effective retroactive to 2005.

Big business and the chambers of commerces are against the amendment because of the costs they will be burdened with.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer or asbestos cancer or black lung disease, please contact a meosthelioma lawyer in Pennsylvania or West Virginia.

Exposure to Toxic Substances: Glow in the Dark

2010-01-30T08:30:00.000-08:00

Is a school that is near a hazardous waste transfer station in danger of toxic substances?

Depends whom you talk to.

The town officials say no but the parents are not convinced.

How dangerous is the groundwater contamination?

What's taking so long since cleanup at the site begin in the mid 1990s.

Remedial efforts have failed and the decontamination method shifted the water table closer to homes and the school.

Parents are skeptical because bins containing mercury and asbestos are pushed up against a fence that borders on the school's property.

The chemical company says this method of storage falls within state regulations.

Who do you trust?

Mesothelioma Cancer and Power Plants

2010-01-29T07:53:00.000-08:00

Some occupations are more prone to mesothelioma than other occupations.

Employees who worked at power plants prior to 1970s were exposed to asbestos related diseases.

Prior to much regulation or knowledge of this horrible disease, insulation was needed in power plants because of the high degree of heat generation. Pipes, pumps, generators, heaters, turbines, and boilers were all lined with asbestos or asbesto containing products.

Employees who were exposed decades ago may not be reeling from a mesothelioma cancer diagnosis today.

If you or a loved one worked in a power plant company, you may have been exposed to materials containing asbestos. If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer or asbestos cancer, find out what your rights are and how contacting a mesothelioma cancer lawyer can help you and your family.

Company Receives Fine for Asbestos Exposure

2010-01-28T19:31:00.000-08:00

A British company was fined for putting workers at risk for asbestos exposure. Even though it happened in England, it could happen anywhere -- New England, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, anywhere.

What happened is while there was site refurbishing going on including the removal of large amounts of asbestos insulation, there were no safety precautions offered to the workers.

So the workers became exposed as well as the area became contaminated.

The landlord pled guilty and was order to pay a fine and clean up the contamination but how can you ever make it right to the workers who were exposed? Frequently, asbestos cancer and asbestos illnesses happen long after the exposure when it's simply too late.

Asbestos On The Job - Have You Been Exposed?

2008-12-26T13:59:00.000-08:00

Working with asbestos is a pretty complicated affair. Employees are not allowed to handle more than a certain amount for a certain period of time. They need to wear the proper safety equipment and be trained to handle asbestos. Apart from that, the employer can be held liable if the proper safety precautions aren't in place. But this isn't how it used to be earlier. Today, many people have contracted Mesothelioma because of exposure to asbestos in the work place in the past.

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that can take many years to show itself. Most cases that have emerged today are the result of exposure to asbestos sometime during the 1940s. It was during this time that many workers in the labor sector were directly exposed to large amounts of asbestos. People who worked in industries such as ship-building, construction and in direct asbestos mining are the most likely to contract Mesothelioma today. Many of the rescue workers and fire fighters who were involved in 9/11 relief work are also at risk, since they too were exposed to high levels of asbestos.

Further studies have also shown that family members of people who have worked with asbestos are also at risk. This is because they are often exposed to asbestos fibers that cling to the clothing, shoes and hair. One of the most frustrating aspects of the disease is that it can sometimes take up to 40 years to show itself. By then, it's often too late for the patient or their family to go back and find out that who is really responsible for the asbestos exposure.

$25.2 Million Asbestos Verdict in Pennsylvania

2008-12-23T13:26:00.000-08:00

Earlier this year, a Philadelphia jury awarded $25.2 million in compensatory and punitive damages in an asbestos related lawsuit.

The case was brought by the estate of James Baccus against the Crane Company and Yarway. James Baccus had served in the United States Navy in Philadelphia, which is how his case came to be heard in the Pennsylvania courts. However, some of his exposure to asbestos occurred in Philadelphia and some occurred in Kentucky.

The court found that the defendant was “grossly negligent for failure to warn of the dangers of asbestos in reckless disregard of the safety of others." The plaintiff was awarded $7 million in compensatory damages and $18.2 million in punitive damages. The compensatory damages were for things such as loss of future income, loss of consortium, and wrongful death. The punitive damages were to punish the defendants for their mistakes.

This case is said to be the first asbestos case in more than 20 years in which punitive damages were awarded in Pennsylvania. This is likely because Kentucky law was applied to the case.

Clearly, the result was a large economic benefit to the family of James Baccus. Was it the right decision? Does Kentucky law which allows for punitive damages to be found earlier in the case than Pennsylvania law result in decisions that are fair for the family or overly punitive?

The award of damages is very likely to be appealed and we won’t know the final outcome for some time. However, the family of James Baccus already knows the outcome. They know that they lost a beloved family member to a preventable disease. That is something that is hard to tie to a dollar amount. It is the court’s obligation to try since it is the only method of compensating the families, imperfect as it may be.

Asbestos Litigation: At what price?

2008-12-19T10:19:00.000-08:00

Asbestos litigation is important business. Many people have become seriously ill and died as a result of asbestos exposure. Many of these people have sought compensation for themselves and their families in court. However, is the way in which the courts hear asbestos cases fair?

In the past few years Congress has been considering funding a trust fund that would allow people who become sick with mesothelioma or other asbestos related diseases to get money quickly without going to court. The proposed law was called the Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act. It never became law.

Many parties agree that something has to be done. Patients and their families are struggling with the high costs of medical bills and services that become necessary when there is a mesothelioma diagnosis. Most of the time, the courts do not work fast enough to provide money to patients that urgently need it.

However, some lawyers are critical of the trust fund idea and say that it protects companies who are at fault. They are also fearful that the trust fund would not help all of the people who have become ill or died as a result of asbestos exposure.

On the local level some state and county courts have initiated their own reforms. The Madison County Circuit Court in Missouri has created a deferred docket. That means in asbestos related cases, plaintiffs who are already ill will get their cases heard before other plaintiffs who might become ill.

Mesothelioma is an aggressive and most often fatal cancer. Many patients who chose to sue their former employers do not have a long time to live and very much want their day in court. They want to make sure their families are provided for before they die.

However, is it fair to move their cases ahead of others? Is a trust fund a better idea? Are the courts working efficiently? Is reform needed? We’d love to hear your thoughts on this matter. Please leave a comment and let us know what you think.

Asbestos Exposure: Protect Your Home & Family

2008-12-15T10:06:00.000-08:00

You may have heard the headlines about the dangers of asbestos in the construction industry and other industries. You may know that exposure to asbestos can cause significant and often fatal health problems such as mesothelioma. But, did you know that there is likely asbestos present in your home if you live in a home that was built in the mid 20th century?

What can you do to protect your health?

Is Asbestos Used in Your Home?
There are many areas of your home that may contain asbestos. Asbestos may be present in your roofing or siding. Houses that were built between 1930 and 1950 often had asbestos insulation. Prior to 1977, asbestos was used in some kinds of wall compounds and paints. Older homes may also have water pipes that are covered in asbestos. Asbestos can be found in vinyl floors, gas fireplaces or in the surfaces surrounding wood burning stoves. Some oil furnaces are also known to have asbestos insulation. If your house was built or worked on prior to 1980, it is possible that the asbestos is still present in your home.

What Should You Do?
The most important thing that you can do is not to disturb the asbestos. If the asbestos is in good condition it is unlikely to be dangerous or to cause any illnesses. However, if the fibers are coming loose or if, for example, the insulation needs to be replaced or the paint needs to be chipped away, then you need to have it removed by a professional who has been well educated about the different precautions that are necessary to prevent serious illnesses such as mesothelioma from asbestos exposure.

If you require information the American Lung Association can help you learn more about how to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Asbestos Release Site: Valley Forge National Park

2008-12-12T13:10:00.000-08:00

Studies that link asbestos to dangerous diseases such as mesothelioma have concentrated on workers who are exposed to large concentrations of asbestos over long periods of time. Many people know that asbestos is present in their home insulation, car brakes, or air conditioning units.

However, did you know that Pennsylvania’s Valley Forge National Historical Park is an asbestos release site?

Between the 1890s and the 1970s an asbestos plant dumped its waste in Valley Forge. Then, in 1997, when a fiber optic cable was being installed, asbestos contamination was discovered in the park’s soil. In April 1997, the Environmental Protection Agency determined that the asbestos contamination could be a public health threat and ordered that the site be cleaned up. The goal was to prevent visitors at the pristine national park to not suffer the ill effects of asbestos exposure, such as mesothelioma, in years to come. Mesothelioma typically presents itself decades after exposure to asbestos. It is almost always fatal and it is almost always caused by asbestos exposure.

Accordingly, Valley Forge began a long term plan to minimize the risk to public health and to the environment that could be caused by the asbestos exposure. The plan included a feasibility study, plan implementation, and remedial actions.

Valley Forge used the guidelines set forth by various federal regulations that regulate asbestos exposure in order to minimize the risk of mesothelioma and other illnesses. The Environmental Protection Agency regulates asbestos exposure through the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Superfund law and the Toxic Substances Control Act. Other agencies such as the FDA and OSHA also regulate asbestos exposure to minimize the risk of mesothelioma and other asbestos related illnesses.

Construction Workers Families & Asbestos Exposure

2008-12-09T10:02:00.000-08:00

In 1992, a law was passed that required the government to look at contamination of workers’ homes from substances workers unknowingly brought home on their clothing and equipment from the workplace. Specifically, the law called the Worker’s Family Protection Act of 1992 directed the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to study this problem.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health worked with several other federal agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in carrying out its study. Information was gathered from state and federal agencies, professional associations, and published reports. The report included information from 28 different countries and 36 states within the United States.

In 1995, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health issued its report. The report found that many different contaminants have caused serious health problems for workers’ families. Asbestos was among the contaminants cited in the study. The study found that the problem of asbestos entering workers’ homes was a worldwide issue that resulted in all kinds of asbestos-related diseases including the deadly cancer, mesothelioma. The report also stated that there were at least 100 known cases of workers’ family members dying from mesothelioma in the United States. It concluded that while asbestos is used less frequently then it once was -- asbestos exposure and the potential for mesothelioma remain a risk for family members of construction workers.

The report also listed recommendations on precautions that should be taken by workers who are exposed to asbestos so that they minimize the danger to their families. It is recommended that workers shower and change out of their work clothes prior to coming home. It is further recommended that work clothes be kept separate from other clothes and remain on the job site. Family members should be discouraged from visiting job sites and, as always, workers should take every precaution to minimize their own exposure.

Center of Excellence in Environmental Technology (CEET)

2008-12-04T13:56:00.000-08:00

What is being done to further the prevention, diagnoses and treatment of mesothelioma and other diseases that are caused by environmental toxins such as asbestos? Different organizations around the country are doing their part to aid in the research necessary to minimize the effects of mesothelioma and other dangerous diseases.

Some of these groups such as the Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology (CEET) at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School are funded, in part, with grants from the National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences. CEET is one of 22 environmental health centers in the United States. The environmental health centers were created to build infrastructure and provide resources so that important gains could be made in diseases that are caused by environmental toxins.

The specific purpose of CEET is to understand the link between environmental exposures and the diseases they cause. It is thought that understanding that link will help with the prevention, diagnoses, and treatment of environmentally caused diseases.

CEET has several different research cores including one in lung and airway disease. The lung and airway disease core includes the study of asthma, lung cancer, mesothelioma, and other diseases. Mesothelioma, for example, is a serious and aggressive form of cancer that is most often caused by exposure to asbestos in the workplace. CEET investigators take their work wherever they might find the answers to their questions, including to patients suffering from the disease and to superfund sites.

Another important aspect of CEET is its commitment to sharing the knowledge gained from its research both with those in the medical community and those in the broader community. This commitment to shared knowledge is important and is the only way that the research will have the intended result of preventing environmental diseases and easing the impact causes by illnesses that do occur.

9/11 World Trade Center Asbestos Exposure

2008-11-30T13:59:00.000-08:00

Most often, mesothelioma is related to asbestos exposure. Asbestos is present almost everywhere and almost everyone is exposed to asbestos during their lives. Yet, most of those people are not at risk for mesothelioma or other asbestos related diseases. It is people who have extended exposure to asbestos, usually through their work, that should be most concerned about this deadly kind of cancer.

Risk of illness to workers and their families
Beginning in the 1940s, American workers in a variety of construction trades were regularly exposed to asbestos. It has affected workers in the asbestos mining industry, the shipbuilding industry and, the construction industry. It has also affected workers who are involved with buildings as they come down including demolition workers and firefighters. People who have lived with workers in these trades also need to be aware of the disease and watch for symptoms. It has been shown that the asbestos fibers that workers carry home on their clothes and equipment can cause mesothelioma.

The Potential for Illness as a Result of the September 11 Attacks
While mesothelioma can take 20 – 40 years to present itself after a worker has worked with asbestos, there is growing concern that a whole new group of workers may have been exposed in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. As the towers crumbled and the nation mourned, a brave group of rescue and recovery workers set about the brave task of helping the victims and cleaning the site. Asbestos had been used in the construction of the North Tower of the World Trade Center and when the building collapsed it is estimated that hundreds of tons of asbestos were released into the atmosphere. The rescue and recovery workers are at the greatest risk for mesothelioma and other asbestos related illnesses. However, those in nearby residences, offices and schools must also keep a careful watch for symptoms of the disease.

If you believe that you are in one of the risk groups for mesothelioma then you should discuss your concerns with your doctor as soon as possible.

Mesothelioma Symptoms

2008-11-25T05:50:00.000-08:00

Mesothelioma is a deadly type of cancer. As with many types of cancer, early detection and prompt treatment are a patient’s best protection and best chance of survival. In order to get that critical early treatment, it is essential that people who are at risk of this disease recognize its symptoms.

If you, or someone you have lived with, have worked with asbestos in the past 50 or so years, then it is especially important that you know the symptoms.

What are the symptoms?

The earliest symptoms of mesothelioma include chest pain, difficulty breathing, coughing, blood in the sputum and weight loss. The symptoms are caused by a buildup of tumor tissue in the lung and fluid that prevents the lung from working properly.

However, sometimes the disease is present and is almost impossible to diagnose. Sometimes the disease presents itself with a fever, nausea or swelling which makes it even more difficult to diagnose. Other times there are no symptoms and mesothelioma is not diagnosed until it has reached an advanced stage and patients have less than a year left to live.

What causes overlooked symptoms?
The most common reason that there is a delay in diagnosing mesothelioma is because it is a relatively rare type of cancer and its symptoms are often the same as other more common illnesses such as pneumonia.

Yet, if you have been exposed to asbestos or you have recurring symptoms that do not seem to be responding to treatment for other illnesses then you should ask your doctor to test for mesothelioma.

Patients can avoid a missed diagnosis by insisting on a chest x-ray to begin testing for mesothelioma. If the chest x-ray comes back suspicious then your doctor should order a CT scan. If that does not rule out mesothelioma, a biopsy should be ordered to confirm the diagnosis, and treatment should begin immediately to give the patient the best chance for survival.

mesothelioma treatments

2008-11-20T18:06:00.000-08:00

Patients who are diagnosed with mesothelioma have one and only one concern. They want to know how to treat it. They know the risk factors and the symptoms of the illness all too well. They understand the dismal statistics about recovery and remission. However, all of them share a common goal. All want to be part of the small minority of people who are diagnosed and get to live for at least another five years.

In order to meet that goal, patients need to understand their treatment options. Treatment plans have to be individualized based on the severity of the mesothelioma, its location and aggressiveness. Often treatment is a combination of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Surgery is very rarely used alone. If the mesotheliomas are located in one of the pleural cavities, surgery is often used in combination with radiation or chemotherapy to make sure that any cancer that was not able to be removed due its location is completely removed.

A patient with peritoneal mesothelioma is the most difficult to treat. It has only recently been able to be treated. It requires an expert in the field and requires a combination of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

It is currently estimated that mesothelioma accounts for less than one percent of all cancer cases in the United States. Therefore, not all oncologists and not every hospital is well equipped to provide the best, most up to date medical care and patients should seek out institutions and professionals with significant mesothelioma treatment experience.

As with many types of cancers, research on treating mesothelioma is ongoing and patients, their families and their doctors remain hopeful that more effective treatments are right around the corner. In the meantime, patients should seek out doctors who are knowledgeable about the most effective and up to date options.

Mesothelioma: An Overview

2008-11-20T15:27:00.000-08:00

Mesothelioma may be relatively rare as far as cancers go but make no mistake - it is deadly. It is a type of cancer that is found in the lining of the lungs, chest cavity, abdomen and heart. The cancerous cells line these cavities and form a tissue called mesothelium. Mesothelium tumors can be benign or cancerous. However, they are most often cancerous and the cancer is aggressive. If the cancer is found in the chest cavity it is called pleural mesothelioma.

Pleural Mesothelioma
This type of cancer is most often caused by asbestos exposure. In fact, about 80 percent of patients with pleural mesothelioma have a history of exposure to asbestos. This includes people who worked directly with asbestos and members of their households since asbestos could be introduced into the home on a worker’s clothing and equipment. The 20 percent minority of other patients may develop the disease from chronic lung infections, tuberculosis, radiation or exposure to certain minerals or fibers.

Pleural mesothelioma is diagnosed in about 2,000 to 3,000 patients a year in the United States. Currently, more men than women are diagnosed. This is likely because the disease often presents itself 20 to 40 years after exposure to asbestos. That means that people who worked with asbestos between 1968 and 1988 are just being diagnosed with mesothelioma now and it was most often men who were in the asbestos using industries during that time in United States history. Affected industries include the shipbuilding, construction, milling, heating and asbestos production industries.

Mesothelioma is difficult to diagnose and to treat. So, if you have worked with asbestos in the past be sure that your doctors are aware of your history and inform you about symptoms and risks of the disease. As with most types of cancer, early treatment is essential. However, for mesothelioma early treatment is critical since the 5 year survival rate is only approximately 5 percent.

Mesothelioma Asbesto Cancer Prevention

2008-10-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

Any form of cancer is tragic but Mesothelioma has recently emerged as one of the most frustrating and brutal forms of all.

Mesothelioma is not only serious but can take a long time to manifest. People suffering from this condition today find out about the disease when it’s too late. This form of cancer can take 30 to 50 years to show and by then, the person has no idea when or where he contracted the cancer.

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that eats away at the protective membrane that covers our internal organs which is what makes it such a dangerous condition. Mesothelioma cancer is actually quite rare but over the past 20 years, the number of cases has risen dramatically, with nearly 2,000 new cases being reported each year. In a majority of cases, exposure to asbestos at the workplace has been found to be a common factor.

While Asbestos is present in harmless amounts in many of our day-to-day items, people who are exposed to it at the workplace face higher risk. The reason why there are so many cases of Mesothelioma today is because 40 years ago, there were no regulations regarding the handling of asbestos. Young people who freely handled the substance when they were 20 or 30 years old have found themselves with cancer today in their 60s or 70s.

OSHA has now set down strict regulations regarding how long workers can handle asbestos and the kind of protective gear that they should wear.

Asbestos Use and Mesothelioma

2008-10-23T10:17:00.000-07:00

It has now been established beyond a doubt that exposure to asbestos is the primary cause of mesothelioma, a deadly form of cancer. Taking adequate precautions and using alternative materials is the best bet to safeguard against the risk of contracting this fatal disease.

Here are some important fact:
• Asbestos exposure affects nearly 1.3 million employees in the construction and general industry.
• These workers are at a considerable risk of getting mesothelioma, a lethal form of cancer that attacks the lining of the lungs, stomach, and internal organs.

Is the government taking a proactive stance? Yes. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has addressed asbestos hazards by specifying the standards for the general industry and shipyards.

What other actions are being taken? The challenge for industry leaders and the government is daunting. The applications of asbestos are legion. Fire protection, heat insulation, ceiling tiles, building boards and automotive components are some common areas of asbestos usage.

In fact, there already is a determined action by the industry to use alternative materials in some applications. These include:
• Floor tiles • Gaskets and seals • Vehicle clutch plates • Insulation in cookers • Packing products • Cement sheeting for roofs and walls.

There can be no substitute when it comes to safeguarding the health of the nation. By eliminating the use of asbestos and asbestos-based products, the risk of mesothelioma can be drastically reduced.

Home Sweet Home But Not Near Asbestos Plant

2008-10-19T14:10:00.000-07:00

Researchers in Japan recently discovered that residents living within 1.5 miles of a factory that manufactured asbestos or products containing asbestos were more likely to develop asbestos cancer.

People who worked in the asbestos plant had the highest risk to asbestos fibers which penetrated the lungs causing mesothelioma cancer. The death rate decreased, the further away from the factory they lived.

Yet, people who never worked at the asbestos plant but lived within a 2-mile radius all were diagnosed with mesothelioma showing symptoms for up to four decades and then dying.

Have you or someone you know been diagnosed with asbestos cancer? Perhaps it's time to file a mesothelioma lawsuit claim?

Asbestos Cancer and Fossil Fuels

2008-10-12T19:07:00.000-07:00

What causes asbestos cancer?

When microscopic asbestos fibers are inhaled, these deadly asbestos fibers get caught in the lining of the lungs laying the groundwork for asbestos cancer also known as mesothelioma. The rate of this type of deadly cancer is extremely high for oil refinery workers.

Working with fossil fuels can be an extremely deadly occupation. In some countries where the ozone layer is depleted, skin cancer rates are the highest because UV rays are to blame. Working conditions in the fossil fuel industry are among the most hazardous as workers will encounter is asbestos, a known carcinogen.

Ozone depletion and fossil fuel use and processing is deadly to people as well as the planet.

Do you or a loved one suffer from asbestos cancer?

Safeguarding against Asbestos

2008-09-03T11:55:00.001-07:00

Buildings must remove asbestos in order to maintain safety.

It would be incredibly insensitive to say that battling mesothelioma cancer is an easy proposition. The fact of the matter is that this form of cancer in very difficult to overcome. However, this does not mean the situation is hopeless. Yes, there are a number of struggles of difficulties one has to endure in order to wage the war against this very dangerous form of cancer. Yet, with the proper treatment and positive mental outlook one could undertake a valiant fight against this dangerous disease.

Surgery and chemotherapy have all been used effectively to send malignant mesothelioma into remission. These processes, however effective, can be long and drawn out. And, as much as we do not like to think of it, they can be quite expensive treatments as well. Yes, there also a number of costs and expenses of one must deal with when battling mesothelioma. Even if you are covered by an HMO or insurance provider, many providers are not exactly generous with making insurance payments. In fact, they may very well opt to look for whatever excuse possible to avoid making their payments. This is why is important to never let any individual or entity who may have led to the contraction of mesothelioma off the hook financially.

Buildings have been duty to make sure that they are free of asbestos. Companies that employ people to remove asbestos have a duty to make sure the protective equipment supplied to the employees is in solid shape. When the building or the asbestos removal employers fail in their duty to safeguard people they can be held liable for the health problems that result. This then opens the door for liability lawsuits to recoup damages. Often, it is these rewards of damages that finance a mesothelioma patient's primary care and treatment.

The Need for a Strong Case

2008-08-30T09:38:00.000-07:00

A solid case is required to win a mesothelioma suit.

Simply being "in the right" does not automatically mean one can win a lawsuit. The litigant must prove in a court of law that all allegations of wrong doing within the preponderance of the evidence. (Well, actually it is the representing attorney who does this and not the litigant…) That means, a solid case must be presented to the judge and jury. Even if the defendant is in the wrong, if the presentation of the case is weak, then there would be little hope of the plaintiff walking away from the case a winner. This is why it is critical to hire an experienced Philadelphia lawyer who knows how to properly present a cohesive argument.

When it comes to a mesothelioma lawsuit, it is absolutely critical that the proof of negligence meets the aforementioned preponderance of the evidence. For a qualified and talented attorney this may not be that difficult. For an attorney who is in it over his head experience wise, the case might very well fail no matter how strong the case really is. This is why it is important to hire a solid mesothelioma attorney who has significant experience in the field.

Now, how does one define significant experience? Significant experience refers to have previously tried a number of cases in this area of law prior. Also, having a track record for winning such cases would be beneficial as well. After all, a client should seek an attorney who has the ability to bring about the desired result. If not, then what would be the purpose of filing a lawsuit in the first place?

This is why it is important to select an attorney with solid experience and a proven track record. While there is no guarantee that a case will be one, the odds of success will increase…

Mesothelioma and Safety Equipment

2008-08-16T09:37:00.000-07:00

Proper Equipment can Prevent Mesothelioma

It has been said that do any job effectively one must have the right tools. But, many people assume that tools refer to those devices designed for the physical task at hand. Actually, the definition of tools can be expanded to include other items that center on safety. For example, a welder needs a blow torch to perform his job. But, if he is without safety goggles it is impossible to perform the job without potentially causing great harm. This, however, is a very obvious situation as most people realize the dangers a welder faces. Unfortunately, many people do not truly understand the danger that an individual in the asbestos removal business often faces.

Exposure to asbestos is a grave and serious matter. Excess exposure to asbestos can lead to contracting mesothelioma which is a dangerous form of cancer. While there is no cure for mesothelioma there are a number of preventive measures that can be taken to avoid contracting this condition when one is removing asbestos. These preventive measures come in the form of protective clothing.

Therefore, it is critical that the employees are provided them with properly maintained protective gear and clothing. Since the very lives of the employees are at stake it is critical that the employer safeguards them from contracting mesothelioma. Often, this means simply replacing or repairing worn out equipment. So, there's really no excuse for not maintaining the proper condition of the protective clothing. To do otherwise, would be to place workers at great risk and open the employer to liability action.

Of course, issues of liability are not as important as maintaining the health and safety of employees. That is why anyone who works in asbestos removal should be willing to stand up and insist safety measures are maintained. The seriousness of the inherent safety risks demand that such action be taken. The consequences of not doing so could prove disastrous.

Mesothelioma – The Misunderstood Cancer

2008-07-29T09:36:00.000-07:00

An understanding of the asbestos/mesothelioma connection is provided.

Mesothelioma remains one of the most misunderstood of all cancers. This is because it is a cancer that derives from asbestos which has only been revealed relatively recently to be a dangerous and cancerous substance. This is why it is critically important to remove asbestos infestations as soon as possible. To do otherwise would place many people in the extreme risk since asbestos exposure can lead to cancer.

In the past, sadly, many people suffered from mesothelioma due to a lack of understanding of the danger of asbestos. In fact, many members of the greatest generation of World War Two suffered from asbestos related cancer. This was due to the presence of the substance in the piping of naval ships. Much like smoking, those who were born during this time period were unaware of the dangers associated with asbestos. This is why there were no precautions taken against the presence of asbestos nor was it removed when it was dicovered. Today, however, the extreme danger associated with asbestos and its relationship with mesothelioma is known. This is why it is critical for asbestos screening to be performed regularly in high risk areas.

Of course, discovering the substance alone does not alter the problem. If the asbestos must be removed as soon as possible so as not to create a threat to those who may come in contact with it. This is why there are professional asbestos removal services. When building management firms realize the asbestos may be present in a building they need to procure these professional services and extract the threat. If not, then building management can be held liable for any illness that results. Actually, it has been the expansiveness of asbestos lawsuits which has led to many being more diligent with asbestos removal.

This is probably the greatest benefit of an asbestos related lawsuit: it corrects or modifies behavior. This way, lives can be saved due to forcing building management to clean up any dangerous asbestos that presents a danger to tenants or occupants.

Mesothelioma Law – Mesothelioma - Claim Medical Compensation

2008-06-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

Are you exposed to asbestos at your workplace? Are you aware of its risks to you and your family? Then it's high time you became familiar with Mesothelioma law and what it means to you.

Understanding Mesothelioma Law

The importance of knowing and understanding Mesothelioma law is a little tragic. The people who are most prone to contracting the condition and who work with asbestos often aren't aware of the risks. This is why when they fall sick and can no longer work, they don't realize that they can seek compensation for their sickness.

Before diving into Mesothelioma law, let's understand what Mesothelioma actually is. Mesothelioma is a kind of cancer that affects something known as the mesothelium, a protective layer that surrounds our internal organs. The most common way to contract this form of cancer is from exposure to asbestos. As a result, the people who are most at risk from this disease are construction workers and people who work in factories, shipyards, railroads or in the automotive industry.

A review of related mesothelioma laws will reveal that there are well-defined rules regarding the use of asbestos while on the job. OSHA guidelines state that an employee can't be exposed to more than 0.1 fiber/cubic centimeter of asbestos in an eight-hour day. Within a thirty minute time period, they can't be exposed to more than 1 fiber per cubic centimeter. Employees must also wear and have the right kind of respiratory and protective gear while working with asbestos.

Like any form of cancer, Mesothelioma is no joke. Not only can it prevent you from working, it can also put your family and children at risk. Apart from the mental trauma, the medical bills can often be too much to handle. This is where Mesothelioma law can help. If you or a loved one is at risk or has already fallen sick because of asbestos exposure at work, then you can rightfully claim medical compensation.

Filing A Mesothelioma Lawsuit - Mesothelioma Lawsuit - Mesothelioma Cases

2008-06-25T06:44:00.000-07:00

Filing a mesothelioma lawsuit can be one of the most heart rending things that you will ever do. If you or a loved one suffers from this disease, there is still a chance to reclaim the future for you and your family.

Why Filing A Mesothelioma Lawsuit Is So Important

Have you ever thought aboutfiling a mesothelioma lawsuit? If you or someone in your family works around asbestos, it's something that you should definitely look into. The tragic truth is that mesothelioma cases are on the rise and too many victims are suffering in silence because they don't know what to do or who to turn to.

Learning about filing a mesothelioma lawsuit is important to those who are at risk and those who are already suffering from this disease. Unfortunately, this cancer can lie dormant in the body for as long as forty years. More tragic is the fact that once the cancer manifests itself, the patient only has a few years to live. This is why time is so important- once you've been diagnosed with Mesothelioma, it's important to meet with an attorney right away.

Approaching an attorney with experience in filing mesothelioma lawsuits is a good way to start. This is because mesothelioma lawsuits are a little different from ordinary medical litigation- you'll need to determine whether it was the manufacturer or the employer who was negligent. If you've changed jobs over a number of years, your lawyer will need to trace exactly when and where the mesothelioma started from.

Dealing with a disease like mesothelioma can be a heart-wrenching affair. It's only natural to feel like you have no fight left in you, but you must take heart. By immediately filing a mesothelioma lawsuit, you can get the compensation that you so well deserve. You'll be able to cover medical costs and everyday expenses if you can work no longer. Best of all, you'll be able to provide for your family as well. There's no reason why you should suffer because of someone else's negligence.

Asbestos at Work

2008-06-20T09:44:00.000-07:00

Anyone can come into contact with asbestos. Usually it happens at work. In fact, a number of studies have shown a correlation between the industrial sector and diseases of the lungs. This is because asbestos is usually inhaled- unfortunately, the symptoms don't manifest themselves right away. This is why a number of people have developed Mesothelioma but never connected it with their workplace.

Mesothelioma - Work Issues

2008-06-19T09:36:00.000-07:00

Mesothelioma Legal Faq - Get Your Facts Straight

Do you work in the construction business? While it's true that your employer is supposed to protect you from asbestos exposure, more and more people are contracting mesothelioma each year. A majority of these people come from the construction business and it's unfortunate to note how many find out about the disease when it's too late.

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is caused by asbestos inhalation. It can take years to show, which means that a person who is exposed to asbestos when they are thirty years old might not get the symptoms until they are sixty. Once full-blown mesothelioma sets in, the person only has a few years to live.

Who is responsible?

Is it the employer's fault? Or the asbestos manufacturer's fault? In most cases, the fault lies with both the employer and the manufacturer. If you think that you might be at risk of contracting mesothelioma, contact a lawyer and find out what your options are. If you've already been diagnosed with this disease, then you need to meet with a lawyer right away.

If you work in the labor sector or have been exposed to asbestos, you need to be aware of this disease can help you take the necessary steps to get compensation.

Mesothelioma - A Rare Form of Cancer that may date back decades

2008-06-17T09:29:00.000-07:00

Mesothelioma is a very rare form of cancer that arises from exposure to and inhalation of asbestos.

Unfortunately, many times it is the employer or product manufacturer's negligence that leads to this disease. Worst of all, for those exposed, the cancer won't manifest itself until thirty to forty years after the initial exposure. That means that the mesothelioma cases that we see today are the result of what happened in the 1950s!

Mesothelioma Lawsuit Recovery Process - Mesothelioma Lawsuit - Mesothelioma

2008-06-15T06:42:00.000-07:00

Knowing what to expect from the mesothelioma lawsuit recovery process can be helpful while preparing your case. You'll know just what material you need and how long it will take.

Mesothelioma Lawsuit Recovery Process - Get Ready For The Long Haul

If you're planning on filing for medical compensation, you should know what to expect from the
Mesothelioma lawsuit recovery process. Unfortunately, it's not as simple as filing a claim and then getting a compensation amount. Like most trials, a mesothelioma lawsuit can be long drawn and become very complicated. Being prepared beforehand can make the ordeal a little easier.

Time is the most important factor in the mesothelioma lawsuit recovery process. In terms of the disease itself, Mesothelioma is a cancer that can take thirty to forty years to start showing. Once it does appear, the patient can have as little as a few months to maximum a couple of years to live. This is why meeting with a lawyer right after the diagnosis is so important. Apart from that, it can take time for a settlement to be reached or for the case to go to court.

Another thing that's important to the mesothelioma lawsuit recovery process is information. Since the disease takes years to start showing, your lawyer must be able to pinpoint with certainty when the asbestos exposure first started. This can be difficult, especially if the person has changed jobs often and the original employers can't be traced. Keep a detailed account of your places of employment as well as all the medical records.

You will have to work together with your lawyer to build a strong case. The more details you have, the more material your lawyer will have to work with. This can make a big difference in the mesothelioma lawsuit recovery process- the more gaps and vague events in your case, the more time it will take to get it ready. While the process might not be easy, you must be prepared to tackle it head-on.

Mesothelioma Litigation

2008-06-09T09:27:00.000-07:00

Mention the words mesothelioma litigation to most people and they'll just shrug and say 'what's that?' If you work in the construction business or in any of the other labor sectors, mesothelioma is something that you need to be aware of. Not only is it a terrible form of cancer, but a large number of people are at risk of being infected every day. What's even worse is that there are people who are already harmed and don't even know it.

Unfortunately, the people who are usually at fault are the employers and manufacturers. OSHA has laid down stringent guidelines regarding how long an employee can be exposed to asbestos. They also state that employers need to provide protective and respiratory gear for all employees as well. If you know that you've been working with asbestos without protection, you need to see a lawyer about mesothelioma litigation.

For those of you who don't know what mesothelioma is, it is a form of cancer that affects the lining of the internal organs. It occurs due to the inhalation of asbestos but the symptoms don't show until fifteen to thirty years after the first exposure. Once the cancer has set in, the patient has only a few more years left to live. This is why speedy mesothelioma litigation is important for those who suffer from this disease and those who are at risk.

The bad news is that these lawsuits can take time to come through. Whether your case reaches a settlement or ends up going to trial, it can take a while for the actual compensation money to reach your hands. By building your mesothelioma litigation right away, you can start making your case as air-tight as possible.

If you work around asbestos, you need to know the facts about mesothelioma litigation. The truth is that your employer might be putting you at risk of contracting this deadly disease.

File A Mesothelioma Lawsuit - Mesothelioma Lawsuit - Mesothelioma Cases

2008-06-05T07:03:00.001-07:00

Wondering how to file a mesothelioma lawsuit? It's important to know how to tackle this difficult situation, especially since it does require some specialized attention.

How To File A Mesothelioma Lawsuit - Truth And Tips

Learning how to file a mesothelioma lawsuit could save you a lot of money and heart-ache. When this kind of tragedy strikes, it can be difficult to know what to do. With a condition like mesothelioma, it can be all the more confusing, given the cruelty of the disease.

Mesothelioma
is a very rare form of cancer that arises from exposure to and inhalation of asbestos. Unfortunately, employer and manufacturer negligence has led to a rise in this disease. Worst of all, the cancer won't manifest itself until thirty to forty years after the initial exposure. That means that the mesothelioma cases that we see today are the result of what happened in the 1950s! This is something that you must know about when learning how to file a mesothelioma lawsuit.

Even though there are guidelines about asbestos exposure in the workplace, a lot of employers and asbestos manufacturers are still negligent. In other words, hundreds of workers even today are still being exposed to asbestos and are at risk of contracting the disease later in life. If you work around asbestos, your employer needs to provide protective gear and respiratory equipment. If they don't, you should learn how to file a mesothelioma lawsuit.

When dealing with this kind of litigation, it's best to approach a specialist rather than a general attorney. The rising number of mesothelioma cases and the special measures that they require call for the services of a real expert. You can easily find lawyers who focus on this kind of litigation via mesothelioma support groups. Don't take this disease lying down- learn more about how to file a mesothelioma lawsuit and get the compensation that you deserve.

Filing A Mesothelioma Lawsuit - Mesothelioma Lawsuit - Asbestos

2008-06-05T06:38:00.001-07:00

If you or a loved one is suffering from mesothelioma, filing a mesothelioma lawsuit is something that you should look into. It could mean the difference between having no financial security and being able to provide for your family.

Facts About Filing A Mesothelioma Lawsuit

Nobody wants to think about Filing a mesothelioma lawsuit. For one thing, it deals with a terrible disease that we certainly don't want to think about. Secondly, if you do encounter it, the last thing you should be thinking about is lawsuits, right? Wrong-while dealing with mesothelioma can be a trying experience, taking legal action could save your own future as well as your family's.

Mesothelioma is one of the worst forms of cancer. For one thing, the patient can have as little as a few years to live once the condition has fully set in. Secondly, it can take years before a person even realizes that he has the disease- by then, it's usually too late. That's why time is of the essence while filing a mesothelioma lawsuit. The sooner you retain a lawyer, the sooner you'll be able to proceed to hold the manufacturers of the asbestos liable for the damage that they have caused.

But there are other reasons why time is such an important factor when filing a Mesothelioma lawsuit. For one thing, there is a statute of limitations, a time limit, on bringing your claim. Second, tracking down the employers and manufacturers who are responsible for asbestos exposure can be difficult. If a person has changed jobs more than once, the lawyer must find out which employer's negligence led to mesothelioma. Finally, and more tragically, patients with mesothelioma just don't have that much time on their hands. Getting to a lawyer quickly can ensure that you or your family gets the money that they would need to keep going.

It might be unpleasant now, but learning about filing a mesothelioma lawsuit may prove to be useful later on if you are faced with this terrible disease. Remember that time is of great value and can help get you the money you need, when you need it.

Mesothelioma Statistics – Mesothelioma - Asbestos

2008-05-30T12:51:00.000-07:00

If you check out the numbers in mesothelioma statistics, there's a good chance that you'll be astonished. Not only are the number of cases on the rise, the medical costs are exorbitant as well.

Mesothelioma Statistics - Know Your Numbers
Learning more about mesothelioma statistics can be helpful in understanding just how serious this condition can be. Even today, a large number of people are working in unsafe environments, totally unaware of the risks involved. By the time they contract this fatal disease, it is usually too late to do anything.

So who is at risk?
mesothelioma statistics show that people who work in the labor sector or in different industries are at the highest risk. The top four riskiest occupations are railroads, manufacturing, automotive industry and shipyards. The riskiest occupation of them all is the construction business, with nearly 1.3 million people being exposed to deadly asbestos every year.

Mesothelioma statistics also show that the disease affects more men than women. The most predominant are men aged fifty to seventy and this is probably due to the fact that the symptoms of mesothelioma take a while to show. Men who were first exposed to asbestos when they were in their twenties will only experience the effects when they are in their fifties or sixties. Recent studies have shown that due to secondary exposure, men in their thirties and forties are also contracting mesothelioma.

And exactly how big a problem is it? Mesothelioma statistics show that nearly 3000 people are newly diagnosed with the disease every year. About 80% of all cases were found to be directly linked to asbestos exposure. Once diagnosed, patients have as little as two to three years to live, with 230,000 people dying from this disease every year. The medical costs can be as high as $800,000 and there is no cure. If you have mesothelioma, it's important to meet a lawyer as soon as possible to build your compensation case.

Contractors in Iraq Suing Over Exposure to Cancer-Causing Toxin

2008-05-21T05:49:00.000-07:00

Once again, the bloggers at Workers’ Comp Insider highlight an interesting legal case involving a group of employees who are suing their employer over exposure to toxic substances. What makes this case interesting is that it involves government contractors working for KBR in Iraq.

The Boston Globe has the story about the nine Americans who have accused the one-time Halliburton subsidiary of knowingly exposing them to a deadly substance and failing to provide them with the protective equipment needed to keep them safe. KBR says that the employees have no grounds to sue because they are covered by the Defense Base Act, similar to workers’ compensation for contractors working in Iraq.

The American contractors were working for Houston-based KBR to repair a water plant.

According to the Globe:

When the American team arrived in Iraq in the summer of 2003 to repair the Qarmat Ali water injection plant, supervisors told them the orange, sand-like substance strewn around the looted facility was just a "mild irritant," workers recall.

Edward Blacke, a safety representative on the project, said he tried to raise safety concerns but was told not to get involved. The workers got it on their hands and clothing every day while racing for 2 1/2 months to meet a deadline to get the plant, a crucial part of Iraq's oil infrastructure, up and running.

But the chemical turned out to be sodium dichromate, a substance so dangerous that even limited exposure greatly increases the risk of cancer. Soon, many of the 22 Americans and 100-plus Iraqis began to complain of nosebleeds, ulcers, and shortness of breath. Within weeks, nearly 60 percent exhibited symptoms of exposure, according to the minutes of a meeting of project managers from KBR, the Houston-based construction company in charge of the repairs.

Workers Comp Insider has a good discussion of the DBA and the possible ramifications of this lawsuit, which we’ll excerpt here:

Regular readers may recall that we've discussed Iraq-based contractors previously - all contractors - whether nationals or foreign - are covered by the Defense Base Act. Although this involves some creative insurance arrangements, the DBA essentially acts very similarly to workers comp.

As with workers comp, one of the cornerstones of the coverage is that the DBA is the employee's exclusive remedy. In other words, it is an employee's only legal redress in the event of injuries or illnesses. However, in workers comp, there are generally some exceptions, although the window for such exceptions is pretty narrow. Some states allow an employee to pierce the exclusive remedy shield if "willful intent" of injury can be proven or if there was substantial certainty that an injury would have been likely to occur. The burden of proof is on the employee, and courts usually require something more that goes beyond the realm of mere negligence - the employer's actions need to be quasi criminal.

KBR is relying on exclusive remedy for protection, but this troublesome matter may be a factor:

"But the company's own actions have undermined its case: To avoid payroll taxes for its American employees, KBR hired the workers through two subsidiaries registered in the Cayman Islands, part of a strategy that has allowed KBR to dodge hundreds of millions of dollars in Social Security and Medicare taxes.

That gives the workers' lawyer, Mike Doyle of Houston, a chance to argue to an arbitration board that KBR is not an employer protected by federal law, but a third-party that can be sued."

My colleague has talked about the matter of independent contractors vs. employees several times in the past - most notably in the case of the fascinating FedEx state-by-state saga. It will be interesting to see how the matter of these giant federal contractors plays out. Being a military contractor is apparently good work for the firms that can get it: lucrative no-bid contracts, U.S. taxpayers subsidizing the DBA coverage, and little in the way of pesky employee taxes, labor laws, or government oversight.

In looking into these issue, we stumbled on the Defense Base Act Blog (who knew there was such a critter?!) and blogger Aaron Walter makes some good points about being careful what you wish for - if KBR is not covered by DBA, then thousands of injured or deceased employees and their families would no longer receive income benefits or medical treatment.

For the full analysis, visit Workers Comp Insider, which also has some great links to more about KBR and the Defense Base Act.

Compensation For Mesothelioma – Mesothelioma - Asbestos Exposure

2008-05-20T07:44:00.000-07:00

Unlike other forms of medical compensation, getting compensation for mesothelioma can be a little tricky. That's why it's so important to approach the right kind of lawyer for help.

Compensation For Mesothelioma - What's The Catch?

Why is getting Compensation for mesothelioma
so difficult sometimes? We all know that any kind of lawsuit for medical compensation can be a difficult affair. But with mesothelioma, it can be a little different. While a number of people have been well-compensated, others have found themselves lost in the legal labyrinths.

So what makes compensation for Mesothelioma so different? First of all, its symptoms don't manifest themselves until years after the initial inhalation and exposure. Studies have shown that it can take nearly thirty years for the effects of asbestos exposure to show. In fact, other research has shown that by 2015, nearly 2500 people will be suffering from the full-blown effects of today's asbestos exposure. What makes this even worse is that the effects are not some mild allergic reaction. Asbestos exposure leads to mesothelioma, one of the cruelest forms of cancer which gives people no more than three years to live.

As if that wasn't enough, people often have trouble tracking the employers who are responsible for this asbestos exposure. If a person has switched jobs a number of times in thirty years, it can be next to impossible to trace who the condition of mesothelioma started with. In some cases, the person might know the employer but might face difficulty in finding them. These factors make getting compensation for mesothelioma all the more difficult.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with this condition, the first thing that you should do is contact a legal specialist. Many lawyers deal specifically with cases relating to mesothelioma and other asbestos-related conditions. The sooner you get the legal wheels in motion, faster you'll be able to claim the compensation for mesothelioma.

Strict Safety Guidelines in Place to Protect Workers Exposed to Asbestos

2008-05-05T11:46:00.000-07:00

Asbestos exposure is still a very real risk for hundreds of thousands of workers every year.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, an estimated 1.3 million employees in construction and general industry face significant asbestos exposure on the job.

Construction workers are at the greatest risk, especially during demolition or asbestos removal jobs.

Asbestos is a known carcinogen. Exposure can cause asbestosis (scarring of the lungs), mesothelioma (a cancer affecting the membranes lining the lungs and abdomen), lung cancer and other cancers.

Because asbestos is highly toxic, OSHA has established mandatory guidelines that companies must follow when exposing employees to asbestos.

For the complete list, visit the OSHA Web site.

Warning: This toy has asbestos

2008-04-22T07:38:00.000-07:00

The nonprofit Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization said the defendants, CBS Corp. and toy maker Planet Toys and several retailers failed to warn consumers the toy crime scene kits contained tremolite asbestos, a hazardous lethal material that causes cancer.

The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleges that laboratory tests revealed the fingerprint dusting powder with asbestos. The kit is modeled after the popular TV show, CSI.
Planet Toys Inc pulled the kits from the market late last year but said that multiple tests had shown no traces of asbestos. Some of the kits were manufactured in China, the source of millions of toys recalled last year for lead paint and other hazards such as small magnets.

The Asbesto Disease Awareness Organization seeks a court order to stop sales of the kits unless they carry the warning and to require the companies to allow purchasers to return the kits for a full refund.

CBS ended its licensing agreement with Planet Toys for the kits after the alleged asbestos issue arose.

See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080412/tv_nm/cbs_toys_asbestos_dc

Workplace injury

2008-04-21T10:40:00.000-07:00

Millions of employees go to work everyday with a sense of trust that employers will safeguard their health and welfare. On occasion, accidents and injuries can occur on the job. When these injuries could have been prevented or are the result of oversight by the employer, action deserves to be taken.

While Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has the oversight to assure the safety and health of America's workers by setting and enforcing standards, be aware that a workplace injury, while the result of an employer or third party negligence, may not necessarily be the result of an OSHA violation.

Third party negligence occurs when an employee has sustained an on-the-job injury caused by someone other than the employer or a fellow employee and may include instances such as traffic accidents, defective products, defective equipment, or the exposure to toxic substances. Every on-the-job injury should be evaluated to determine if a third-party claim exists.

There are numerous laws and programs, such as worker’s compensation, that affect workplace safety and the victim’s ability to recover for a workplace injury. An attorney can help navigate the numerous aspects of a workplace injury claim.

Mesothelioma

2008-04-16T11:59:00.000-07:00

Mesotheliomas are aggressive tumors arising from the thin layer of tissue that covers most internal organs, like the lungs, and the abdominal cavity.

When a genetic mutation turns off the normal life cycle and death rate of a cell, they abnormal cells multiply out of control and accumulate to form a mass called a tumor. When these cancerous cells break off form the tumor and travel to other body parts, it is called metastasis.

Mesothelioma risk is believed to be higher in people who are exposed to high levels of asbestos, have long term exposure to asbestos or have had exposure to asbestos at a young age. On the other hand, not everybody who has had significant exposure to asbestos will develop mesothelioma. There may be some underlying genetic risk factor that is not yet understood. The danger comes when workers in the process of mining, removing insulation or otherwise working with asbestos create a dust that settles in the lungs or stomach. By a mechanism still unknown, the dust causes an irritation that leads to cellular genetic mutations.

Although asbestos is still used in a limited number of industries, the federal government limits the amount of asbestos fibers workers may be exposed to and sets rules to protect workers. A great deal of litigation has centered upon workers who developed mesothelioma.

Patients most frequently present with abdominal pain. It takes a biopsy, a surgical procedure to remove a small portion of tissue for laboratory examination, to definitively diagnose mesothelioma. For patients with mesothelioma, surgery to remove as completely as possible cancerous areas is the primary treatment. Supplementary strategies include cryotherapy, immunotherapy and chemotherapy.

A cancer diagnosis is devastating to the whole family. Grief and sadness are to be expected. In the tumult of traipsing between physicians, take control of your precious time by becoming an educated patient.

Government to Screen for Black Lung in West Virginia Miners

2008-04-14T10:14:00.001-07:00

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is providing free health screenings to coal miners in 16 West Virginia counties to provide early detection of pneumoconiosis.

Pneumoconiosis, also know as "black lung," is a serious but preventable lung disease. It is caused by inhaling coal dust. There are few early symptoms of the disease, but as it progresses, it can cause lung scarring and shortness of breath. Some people who develop serious cases of black lung become disabled or die.

The disease is not curable but it is preventable.

Under the Federal Mine Safety & Health Act of 1977, all working underground coal miners are eligible for free chest x-ray screenings.

Controversial Workers’ Compensation Reform Measures in Louisiana

2008-04-08T12:28:00.000-07:00

A letter writer to The Daily Advertiser in Lafayette, Lousiana, explains why proposed workers’ comp reform in his state is a bad idea.

One of the most controversial parts of the proposed Louisiana reform centers around patient choice. Reform advocates want to take away a worker’s right to choose his or her treating physician – something many states have already done – and require him or her to go to an approved doctor.

The writer argues: “Bottom line: All of the proposed changes will harm injured workers.”

He writes further, “It will put people on Medicaid, Medicare and welfare. It's just another example of the promotion of special interests over the rights of the working class. I write this letter for the injured workers who may not even know their rights hang in the balance. It could happen to you. Call your legislators.”

Mesothelioma: Cancer and Asbestos

2008-04-07T13:10:00.001-07:00

Cancer is hardly a condition that anyone wishes to deal with and when cancer is diagnosed it can be heartbreaking. However, when it is discovered that cancer is a result of a third party's negligence a feeling of anger can overcome the diagnosed individual. Such is the case with mesothelioma which is a cancer derived from exposure to asbestos. If a building is infested with asbestos and the building management did not take the steps to remove the asbestos then those who were exposed to it may have a case for a lawsuit. In fact, they would have a very strong case.

Removing Asbestos and Reducing the Threat of Mesothelioma

2008-04-04T10:59:00.000-07:00

If you have discovered the presence of asbestos on your property you will need to have it removed as soon as possible. This is because exposure to asbestos can lead to the development of the cancer mesothelioma. As such, any asbestos removal company that is hired to remove the dangerous material positively must do an effective job. Remember, if the asbestos is not completely removed and the dwellers of the property have been assured it was removed then the removal company can be held liable. Actually, they SHOULD be held liable and if you have procured the services of such a negligible company you should seek proper action.

Mesothelioma and Employee Liability

2008-04-01T03:37:00.000-07:00

When it comes to employees rights all employee have a right to work in a safe environment and that includes an environment free of exposure to asbestos. Unfortunately, not all employers take the proper steps to safeguard their employee's safety and can put them at risk to asbestos exposure. These employers are also putting themselves at severe liability risk as well as they can find themselves sued for putting their employees in jeopardy. No reasonably responsible employer would place anyone under their supervision in direct path of a cancer causing agent. Any employer that does do this, however, should face the consequences.

Understanding Mesothelioma

2008-03-31T12:30:00.001-07:00

Mesothelioma is one of the most dangerous forms of cancer that a patient can suffer from yet even knowledgeable health care professionals are unfamiliar with this form of cancer. In general, when someone inhales asbestos it collects in the lungs and causes severe scarring. Additionally, asbestos fibers remain in the lungs where they cancerous mutations might develop in the lungs. Worst of all, these mutations can spread to other organs in the body where they inflict serious and irreparable harm. It goes without saying this is a serious and deadly condition to develop and the need for raising public awareness about the dangers of this cancer and its relationship to asbestos is critical.

Tainted Drinking Water inTexas

2008-03-31T11:43:00.000-07:00

Besides asbestos, we have introduced many other toxis substances into our daily lives. Read this story about drinking water in Texas...

Is There a Link Between Benzene, Leukemia and the Water in Bethany?
While we take clean water for granted, in some towns in Texas contamination of ground water is a big problem.

Since the United States is not a third world country, its citizens automatically assume that clean water is as American as apple pie…in a perfect world – maybe. That is -- unless they live in a small town in Texas called Bethany. Like what was seen in the popular movie, Erin Brockovich, water sources can become dangerously tainted and cause severe injuries to those exposed to those sources or who rely on those water sources for drinking water.

One type of problem that water can cause - and which has been the source of litigation in Texas, due to the large number of oil refineries - is Benzene. Benzene is a sweet-smelling, but highly toxic, chemical solvent derived from petroleum. Benzene is used to manufacture a wide variety of products, including gasoline. Benzene can cause cancer, and has been directly linked to leukemia (bone marrow cancer) with chronic exposure. Even short-term exposure can cause headaches, dizziness, confusion and sometimes death when benzene is breathed or ingested. For example, as reported in the New York Times, July 9, 2006, Texas Lawsuit Includes a Mix of Race and Water, for decades people in the East Texas town of DeBerry, have been unable to drink, cook or bathe safely from their own wells.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its Toxics Release Inventory, releases of benzene to water and land totalled over 2 million lbs from 1987 to 1992. These releases were primarily from petroleum refining industries, with the greatest releases occurring in Texas.

With this being known by the EPA, why then did it take more than four years of persistence from residents in the Texas town Bethany, going through a bureaucratic nightmare, to have clean water to drink?The facts established by the EPA for the town of Bethany show contamination from an abandoned saltwater well injection disposal site.

What does a small town have to go through to get clean water to drink?
This case in point, involving Bethany (and DeBerry) was recently reported in the Shreveport Times on June 15, 2007 in an article entitled "Small East Texas community finally will get clean drinking water". It took years, and the determined efforts of Rev. David Hudson of the Church of the Living God near Bethany, to get clean water to drink. Recently, Rev. Hudson announced that the EPA will pay to have a main water line installed. Letters detailing complaints on the well site date back to 1996. It wasn't until 2003 that the EPA deemed groundwater along the road unsafe to drink after high levels of hazardous chemicals such as barium, mercury, and arsenic, showed up in various samplings. The EPA started providing bottled water at no charge in August 2005 and will continue to do so until clean water is flowing.

According to these news reports, Hudson and his neighbors filed their suit against Basic Energy Services, the last user of the disposal site containing the salt water well injection disposal site. The site had been shut down in early 2005. The lawsuit was settled out of court in June 2006.
Then an assessment petition was filed with the EPA, requesting the agency conduct a preliminary assessment of the groundwater contamination. A multitude of water samples taken by a number of agencies over the years from the private water wells, natural springs, and the host of monitoring wells spread across the neighborhood resulting in a laundry list of contaminants being detected.

At this point the public has to wonder how much testing do they need to determine that water is too contaminated to drink?

Finally, samples were studied by labs across the country without bias. This was important because the findings determined that the private water wells only tested positive for fecal bacteria. The natural springs and monitoring wells were contaminated with metals and radioactive materials that exceeded levels considered safe for drinking water such as benzene by-products of oil and gas production.

According to the Shreveport Times article, seven families living on County Road 329 on the Texas-Louisiana line between Bethany and DeBerry, will get immediate relief from a new water line. According to the article, the Railroad Commission of Texas, an oil regulatory agency, kept saying that the water is not contaminated. The residents feel that the RC is not doing their job and needs overseeing. Much of this is also detailed in a federal lawsuit, filed by Longview, Texas, attorney Greg Love, that alleges that the Railroad Commission violated the community’s civil rights by denying clean drinking water while having full knowledge of the violations. Several of his clients have alleged that they ingested the contaminated waste water for years and have cancer.

This waste is mostly oily saltwater used in drilling. The waste contains substances such as sludge from storage pits and tank bottoms, used glycol, amine, and hydrogen sulfide scrubber liquid. There are at least 26 acknowledged chemicals in the waste, including such known carcinogens as benzene and one category listed as – other. Oddly enough, oil and gasoline are not categorized as hazardous waste.

Coming Soon!

2008-03-06T10:32:00.001-08:00