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Massachusetts and New England were once the home to many operating mills.  These are large factories and warehouse buildings that have not been used in many years.  As they now sit abandoned and in a growing state of disrepair, the question becomes what to do with them.asbestos

There has been a growing trend over the last couple of decades to re-purpose old buildings like these and use them for mixed-use residential and commercial space.  In the past, people would simply put minimal dividers up and use the spaces as large loft apartments and artist studios.   However, in recent years, development companies have been buying these properties and turning them into buildings that host large numbers of luxury apartments and also have a few commercial lease spaces on the ground floor for restaurants and other commercial properties. Continue reading

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Many of the schools built in Boston and surrounding suburbs were constructed at a time when asbestos was heavily used during the construction process.  The reason asbestos was used is because it is a cheap naturally occurring mineral that has a tremendous ability to withstand heat, fire, electricity, and caustic chemicals.

schoolAsbestos was used as insulation in walls, ceilings, roofing tiles, around pipes and boilers, and it was also used for its ability as a chemical bonding agent.  This means it was used in most construction cements and joining compounds.  It was very dangerous to the miners extracting asbestos from the ground and everyone who worked in transporting it and processing it into building materials.  It was also very dangerous to the workers who were installing the materials in the schools when they were originally constructed. Continue reading

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There is no question that being diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma is essentially a death sentence.  The vast majority of patients who are diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma will be dead with a year or two of learning they are victims of this almost exclusively asbestos-related cancer.

x ray analysisThere is no cure for mesothelioma, and many researchers do not know if there will ever be due the fact that it is almost always in a very advanced stage once they receive a diagnosis. This reason for this is because, once a victim is exposed to the deadly asbestos fibers, the fibers can become lodged in a protective layer of tissue known as the mesothelium.  At this point, the body has no way to remove these fibers, and they will start to cause cells to mutate into what will ultimately be classified as malignant mesothelioma.   Continue reading

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According to a recent news article from the Bangor Daily News, an asbestos abatement (removal) project at an old mill location will cost around $16 million to complete.   This location has been tested and is known to contain above-ground asbestos and other toxins, as well as underground toxins.

old buildingThis huge factory was once a very profitable paper mill that produced tissues and bonded writing paper.  However, like many paper mills, it used a large amount of caustic chemicals in the paper making process.  Asbestos was used because of its natural ability to resist caustic chemicals, as well as fire, heat, and electricity. 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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There is a degree of uncertainty over the future of various environmental regulations and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the new Donald Trump administration. Still, the agency recently selected its first 10 chemicals to review under the newly-enacted Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act for the 21st Century.  This was the first major change to the nation’s 1976 toxic materials law since the original bill was enacted nearly 40 years ago.

asbestosThe measure allows the EPA to perform a review on a number of chemicals the agency selects to determine if they should be banned.  For the purposes of this act, asbestos is considered a chemical since it is a naturally occurring mineral made up of six different types of silica elements.  According to a recent news article form the Environmental Working Group, the EPA chose asbestos and the other nine chemicals based upon the fact they are all considered highly hazardous to humans.  Other chemicals on the list include PERC (used in dry cleaning) and TCE (featured in the movie and book “A Civil Action). 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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According to a recent article published by the Los Angeles Times, defendants in mesothelioma lawsuits can now be held liable for what are known as “take-home” asbestos cases.  These are cases where a worker was employed at job that exposed him or her to deadly asbestos fibers during his or her shift and then returned home still covered with the toxic materials.

asbestos bootsThis was a very common occurrence, because the companies that produced and worked with asbestos did not want their workers to know they were being exposed to a toxic substance. Since they were actively trying to hide the fact that asbestos caused malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis and other serious types of respiratory illness, they were not providing the workers with any appropriate safety equipment like protective clothing and respirators. Continue reading

Contact Information
Boston Office
1 International Pl Unit 1810
Boston, MA 02110
Phone: (617) 777-7777Fax: (617) 722-9999
Taunton Office
60 Court St
Taunton, MA 02780
By Appointment Only
Quincy Office
308 Victory Rd
Quincy, MA 02171
By Appointment Only

Worcester Office
43 Harvard St
Worcester, MA 01609
By Appointment Only
Disclaimer – The settlements above are only a sample of cases represented by our office. Each case is different and the amount of a potential resolution of your case will vary considerably depending on a substantial amount of factors. Some case results were worked in conjunction with partnering law firms.

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