Boston Mesothelioma

May 15, 2012

Boston Asbestos Exposure From Improper Removal Leads to Charges

Asbestos exposure in a Boston suburb has resulted in criminal charges, and our Boston mesothelioma Lawyers understand that the 59-year-old landlord is accused of violating the MassLive.com, the incident happened in Grafton, about one hour west of Boston.

The woman is reportedly charged with three violations of the state’s Clean Air Act, and was specifically accused of improperly having asbestos removed from her property.

The defendant in this case purchased a property back in the late summer of 2007. Shortly after her purchase, she sent a formal notice to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. In that notice, she informed them of asbestos that was found in the roofing components, as well as in the wall board. Now unfortunately, many older structures in Boston still contain asbestos, despite the fact that the federal government barred its further use in U.S. products beginning in the 1970s.

But because its use was so prevalent throughout the first and middle part of the 20th Century, asbestos is still being found in a number of residences – especially in older, more established cities, like Boston.

Asbestos exposure can be deadly when it’s inhaled, causing fatal cancers, like mesothelioma. However, exposure doesn’t mean immediate demise. In fact, people may go many years before ever realizing they’ve been put at risk. By the time they are diagnosed with mesothelioma, their life expectancy is significantly reduced.

So when a property owner becomes aware of the asbestos, there are very specific procedures they have to follow in order to remove it. For instance, they have to a hire a contractor who is certified to handle the asbestos removal.

What allegedly happened in this case was that the property owner, back in the autumn of 2009, started paying two prospective tenants to begin renovation work on the property. That renovation work included removal of the siding.

The property owner knew of the existence of asbestos, as evidence by the letter she sent to the DEP back in 2007. And yet, the state contends she did nothing to warn the tenants that the work they were doing was putting them at serious risk for asbestos exposure – and all the illnesses that come along with that.

To make matters worse, the prospective tenant’s CHILDREN were also helping with the work. The landlord knew this too, and yet, stayed mum. These were individuals who had no training in dealing with asbestos, and they didn’t have the proper equipment to protect either themselves or those in the surrounding neighborhood.

In addition, she didn’t give the DEP a heads-up that the work was being started on, as she was required to do by law.

The DEP didn’t become aware of the situation until the landlord hired a private company to dispose of the asbestos-laden material, which was piled up at her property.

The landlord has pleaded innocent to the charges, which include failing to follow proper procedures, improper asbestos storage and failing to give notice of an asbestos-related project.

As of yet, there is no indication that the tenants who did the work have filed a personal injury suit against their landlord, though it appears in this case, they certainly could.
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May 11, 2012

Boston Mesothelioma Attorneys: Educate Yourself on Trusts & Transparency Bill

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Boston mesothelioma attorneys have been closely following the developments regarding asbestos trust funds and government attempts to increase transparency and reduce fraud.

Those who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma in Boston have probably heard of these trusts. If not, it’s time to educate yourself.

Back in the late 1970s, Congress recognized the extreme dangers associated with asbestos exposure, which lead to a myriad of lung diseases, including the rare and deadly mesothelioma cancer, which attacks the lining of internal organs. Legislators realized that even after the dangers of asbestos exposure became widely known, many companies continued to use this fibrous, organic compound in everything from insulation to car parts. Even though inhalation of the fibers was known to make people seriously ill, they continued to use it because it was cheaper. Greed, plain and simple.

May 8, 2012

Boston Mesothelioma: Red Wine May Hold Key to Treatment

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Boston mesothelioma attorneys know that this disease is brutal.

As of yet, there is no known cure for a patient dealing with a mesothelioma diagnosis. However, there is encouraging research that was recently published in the International Journal of Molecular Medicine recently, suggesting that red wine – of all things – may actually hold the key to treatment.

It seems somewhat far-fetched, and of course, we’re a long way from any sort of a cure. But we’re happy that research is ongoing, and that scientists continue to explore the possibilities, as mesothelioma is an acute and fatal disease and a diagnosis is a death sentence. Our Boston mesothelioma lawyers work tirelessly to fight for justice on behalf of those who were sickened by asbestos exposure that resulted from the negligence of corporations that produced this material, long after the impacts to health were widely-known.

Here’s what we know of this research so far:

While the health benefits of drinking red wine have long been touted, researchers have discovered that an element called resveratrol could suppress high levels of the Sp1 protein and has shown to kill mesothelioma cancer cells.

The experiment was conducted on laboratory mice in Korea at the Soonchunhyant University.

Resveratrol, which is an antioxidant found in the skin of red grapes, has been shown in previous studies to reduce high cholesterol and halt damage to blood vessels. It’s an organic compound, and it’s well-known to have other health benefits.

This new study was conducted on laboratory mice that had mesothelioma.

Scientists believe that Sp1 plays a significant role in the development of certain cancers – namely, mesothelioma. If scientists can figure out how to minimize the explosion of Sp1 proteins in cancer patients, they may be able to lengthen the lifespan of those who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma.

Of course, the researchers note that while this is a breakthrough, it’s not the end of the line as far as mesothelioma treatments. More research needs to be done to determine how these findings will translate for human patients.

And while it may seem a shot in the dark, it’s not uncommon that mesothelioma patients are willing to try almost anything, given the bleak prognosis for their condition. In most cases, the condition is treated with some combination of radiation, chemotherapy and surgery. In most cases, the sooner the cancer is caught, the more effective those treatments will be.

Yet, as there is no cure, many patients view it as a prolonging of the inevitable.

Often, doctors will encourage their mesothelioma patients to try alternative treatments, particularly if the side effects are expected to be minimal. In this case, it seems patients require little convincing to try it.
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May 2, 2012

Boston Asbestos Exposure Watch: Police in D.C. Allege Risk

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Often, we think of Boston mesothelioma patients as construction workers or rail workers or those who have been in some other type of building-related industry.

However, our Boston mesothelioma lawyers know that because asbestos exposure – the main cause of mesothelioma – most often occurs through airborne exposure, almost anyone is vulnerable. This was proven once again in an asbestos exposure complaint filed by police officers in Washington D.C.

Individuals who are members of the Capitol Police union have filed a complaint against the department, saying administrators didn’t protect them from on-duty asbestos exposure.

April 30, 2012

Boston Mesothelioma Watch: Defense Stall Tactics

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Our Boston mesothelioma attorneys know that anytime we take on a case, there’s the real and tragic possibility that our client may not survive the proceedings.

Generally, that is the harsh reality of a Boston mesothelioma diagnosis – once it’s identified, patients only have a few months to maybe a year or so left. And the fact is, litigation takes time. That leaves devastated survivors to carry on with the case and our Boston mesothelioma attorneys are dedicated to battling their case every step of the way.

What we find morally reprehensible, however, are the tactics often used by defendants in these cases – the companies who sought to cover up their continued use of asbestos products, even after they became aware of the immense danger. They covered it up because asbestos was cheaper and because they didn’t want to be sued.

April 25, 2012

Boston Mesothelioma Watch: Possible New Radiation Treatment

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Our Boston mesothelioma attorneys are reticent to raise the hopes of individuals suffering from this devastatingly swift diseaseas it has been notoriously unresponsive to treatment.

On the other hand, when there is potentially encouraging news for Boston mesothelioma patients, we want them to be aware of it. And it’s in that spirit that we wanted to share with you the latest news out of Australia: The possibility of increased survival rates through a certain kind of radiation treatment.

Here’s what we’ve been able to cull from the various news reports regarding this latest treatment:

Doctors and researchers in Melbourne conducted a small study, involving some 45 patients between the ages of 45 and 74.

Those patients were given a high dose of radiation treatment, called hemithoracic radiation. This involves “intensity modulated radiotherapy,” (IMRT) and something known as 3D conformal radiation. These are highly technical procedures, but the first works by allowing doctors to deliver a high radiation dose to a certain target – say, a tumor in the lungs – without damaging the tissue around it. The 3D conformal radiation is similar, but it works by allowing the radiation to match the shape of the tumor and target the cancerous cells. That means that higher doses of radiation can be delivered specifically to the tumor, reducing the risk of harm to the good tissue.

The results weren’t groundbreaking, but they were encouraging.

Of those 45 patients, about 80 percent were already in the advanced stages of mesothelioma. Two had previously had either surgery or chemotherapy.

The study found that the median survival rate was 12.4 months from the time treatment began. That may not sound like much at all, but that’s compared to patients who survived 7.9 months using other, more conventional forms of treatment.

This is significant because it was previously believed that mesothelioma, unlike other forms of cancer, was totally unresponsive to radiation treatments unless the levels were so high as to be fatally toxic.

Researchers here though have said there were no fatal or life-threatening side effects from the treatment itself.

Mesothelioma has historically been extremely difficult to diagnose and to treat. Usually, by the time someone is given a diagnosis, they have less than a year to live. In almost all cases, mesothelioma is caused by swallowing or inhaling dust from asbestos. That dust becomes embedded in the lining of the lungs, stomach and other vital organs, though problems aren’t usually detected until many years or decades after the initial exposure.

The research should not end here – this should only be considered the beginning. This is a relatively small study, compared to the estimated 3,000 Americans who are diagnosed with the disease every year. But it’s one step in the right direction.

Of course, it doesn’t release those responsible for asbestos exposure from liability, so it’s important if you are diagnosed to contact an experienced Boston mesothelioma attorney.
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