Articles Posted in Mesothelioma Case

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Toward the end of the Obama administration, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) added asbestos to a list of dangerous or hazardous chemicals.  The significance of this new law was the EPA would be able to allocate more money toward the prevention of asbestos-related illnesses, such as malignant mesothelioma.

asbestosWhile asbestos is not used anywhere as near is much as it once was, it still poses a significant danger, and the number of asbestos cases are actually going up each year, according to recent statistics.  As it stands now, there are thousands of deaths from mesothelioma each year in the U.S. alone. Continue reading

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There is no cure for mesothelioma. Sadly, when most people first learn they have malignant mesothelioma, they are often told they only have a very short time left to live.

nurseWhile there is nothing close to a cure, there are several treatment options available. However, there is often somewhat of a mixed bag, and many patients may elect not to undergo these treatment procedures.  The reason for is because they are not very effective in terms of stopping or reversing tumor growth, and they can be very invasive. Continue reading

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According to a recent news article from Mesothelioma Research News, a new study involving what is known as the WT1 protein has been shown to have promising results in the treatment of malignant mesothelioma using chemotherapy drugs. There is a big focus on improving the efficacy of chemotherapy drugs, because surgical alternatives are very invasive and often result in significant complications for patients who undergo these procedures.

lungsThis study focused on malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM).  MPM is the type of cancer where the malignant tumors first appear in the lungs as oppose to the patient’s abdomen or chest.  However, it is important to understand that, while the tumor may start in the lungs, the cancer can and often does quickly spread to other areas of the body where it does a tremendous amount of damage. Continue reading

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Boston and the surrounding towns in Massachusetts are filled with old buildings. Some of these are three-deckers, offices that have not been renovated in decades, and others are old industrial buildings, such as factories that are not in good enough shape to occupy without major renovations.

construction siteIf these old buildings were fully renovated, they would be beautiful and could be used for years to come as condos, offices, and even mixed use residential and commercial.  However, it is very costly to fully make these repairs, because the buildings were built at a time when asbestos was used in virtually every aspect of the construction process, and now it is in a crumbling state, and that is what is known in the asbestos industry as friable asbestos. Continue reading

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While companies in the asbestos industry worked hard for more than a century to keep the fact that asbestos exposure causes malignant mesothelioma from the general public, this is not the only serious and potentially deadly illness asbestos exposure can cause. One of the lesser known, but still fairly common asbestos related illnesses is known as asbestosis.

asbestosAsbestosis occurs when the deadly fibers are inhaled and become embedded in the lungs. These fibers are very sharp and can cut and scratch the tissue lining the lungs.  Over time, these cuts can form scar tissue that gets progressively thicker as it keeps opening and healing time and time again. Once this scar tissue is allowed to build, it can obstruct the victim’s airway making it very difficult to breath.  This causes chronic shortness of breath and other serious medical conditions.  Asbestosis is similar to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is seen most often in smokers.  While a victim can be treated and will likely have to use an oxygen tank, it is not curable and can be deadly. Continue reading

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When a property owner knows or has reason to suspect that asbestos is present in their property, they must have an asbestos inspection prior to doing any renovation work. If they fail to do so, demolition may result in workers being exposed to the deadly fibers or the asbestos fibers contaminating public areas.

asbestos dustAsbestos inspections must be completed by a certified and properly-trained professional who will wear proper protective equipment when taking samples.  Even if the inspector is pretty sure he or she has located asbestos material, there is a requirement under state and federal law to send those samples to a lab that is equipped to examine the material under a microscope in a safe environment. The lab will not only confirm the presence of asbestos, but will also be able to determine the specific type of asbestos. This is important, because, while all types of asbestos pose a serious hazard to humans, some are more likely to be inhaled than others. Continue reading

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Over the years, we have seen many articles in the media about problems in prisons related to poor conditions and overcrowding.   There is no question that many of the prison systems in the United States are in need of money, and many inmates are housed in very old buildings that are falling apart.

gavel7One problem that is not talked about much is the fact that many of these old prisons and jails were built a time when asbestos was used in virtually every aspect of the construction process. These buildings are now crumbling, and the dust is a hazard to staff, corrections officers and inmates alike. One inmate sued the corrections department for asbestos exposure during a renovations project at the prison library.

His asbestos lawsuit was initially dismissed because he did not file the required complaint form within 10 days of being exposed to asbestos, according to a recent article from CJ Online. However, upon review by the Kansas Supreme Court, his case will be allowed to continue. Continue reading

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In the United States and much of the world, asbestos was used very heavily in most aspects of construction. It was also used in a wide variety of consumer, commercial and industrial products.  The reason it was so prevalent was because it’s a cheap, naturally-occurring substance that has a remarkable ability to resist heat, fire, caustic chemicals and electricity.

xrayanalysisHowever, in addition to all of these helpful properties, it also causes cancer.  These days, most people are aware that exposure to asbestos causes malignant mesothelioma, but this was a closely guarded secret for much of the last century.  Those in asbestos industry were well aware of the dangers of asbestos, but since they also knew it would take between 20 and 50 years for people to get sick, they were willing to take that chance and pay later if necessary.  Continue reading

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In Rost v. Ford Motor Company, plaintiff originally filed a mesothelioma lawsuit against the various companies that manufactured asbestos products.  Claimant alleged these companies manufactured the asbestos to which he had been exposed that ultimately caused him to develop malignant mesothelioma.  He filed his original complaint in October 2009.

hospitalroomPrior to trial, plaintiff settled his claims against all other asbestos makers except for the automaker named in the lawsuit. At this point, the case was set for trial, along with two other mesothelioma lawsuits.  While it does not happen all the time, judges in certain cases, particularly those involving toxic torts or products liability, have the power to combine cases in the interest of judicial economy. Continue reading

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In 2014 the Denver Broncos were in the National Football League (NFL) and played two of their games at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.  As these games were going on, the United States Attorney’s Office has alleged that the owners of a nearby apartment complex were doing a large renovation project that was putting dangerous levels of asbestos in the ambient air.  They further allege that this was putting Denver residents and those at the playoffs games at risk for inhaling those deadly fibers, according to a recent news article from the Denver Post.

shingleThe U.S. Attorney’s Office has just filed federal criminal charges against the company that owns the apartment complex and the director of the company in his personal capacity.  While it seems strange, a corporation can have criminal charges against it, because it is a considered a “jural person,” meaning that is treated as a real person within the context of being a defendant or plaintiff in a criminal or civil case.  While the company will obviously not go to jail, it can be fined, and people at the company who are named in the indictment could go to prison upon a conviction. Continue reading

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