Mesothelioma Lawyers Blog

Our Boston mesothelioma injury lawyers understand that many factory workers exposed to asbestos were also heavy smokers, and defendants may try to exploit this fact.

Carter v. Wallace & Gale Asbestos Settlement Trust, an appeal from the Maryland Court of Appeals, ruled on multiple legal issues. Some of them were pertaining to an asbestos litigation settlement trust. This is a common situation, due to the fact that many asbestos installers have gone bankrupt. After a bankruptcy, the court can set up a trust to assume liability for any asbestos-related liability that may arise.

However, one of the more interesting rulings in this case dealt with the issue of a worker who died of lung cancer, who suffered from mesothelioma, but who also smoked at least two packs of cigarettes a day for most of his life.
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Our Boston Mesothelioma lawyers know that naturally occurring asbestos must be removed in a safe manner so as not to expose people to the deadly fibers.

According to a recent article in the Las Vegas Sun, naturally forming asbestos has caused delays in road construction projects. Scientists from the University of Nevada at Las Vegas were asked to examine a bluish-gray mineral that was found on rocks at the construction site of a planned highway bypass.

Researchers used sample collection tape to extract the mineral and examined it under a microscope. Under magnification, they saw what they know as telltale white fibers in the shape of drinking straws, which form asbestos.
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Our Boston mesothelioma lawyers understand that heath consequences of asbestos exposure are a global concern.

When thinking of asbestos and the profoundly devastating effects mesothelioma has had on hundreds of thousands of people, we often think of the later half of the 20th century. A brief review of the history of asbestos will show that it is a naturally occurring mineral that has been mined around the world for thousands of years.

It was during the industrial revolution in the later half of the 19th century that it was being used to make heat and chemically resistant textile for building. Asbestos also acts as an insulator to electricity. It has been used as insulation material, floor tiles, fire blankets, and various other consumer and industrial products. One of the reasons for its popularity was the low cost to refine the mineral.

Asbestos has been used around the world, and a recent article in the Accrington Observer describes the tragic result its use has caused in the town of Hyndburn, England. According to reports, 40 people died from mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure between 1981 and 2011. To put these figure in context, the town coroner sees a total of 15 to 20 deaths in a given year.
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Our Boston mesothelioma plaintiff lawyers understand that asbestos-related illness cases can involve complex litigation to determine which of many possible defendants are responsible for the plaintiff’s injuries.

In Bostic v. Georgia-Pacific Corp., an appeal from the Supreme Court of Texas, the plaintiff was diagnosed with mesothelioma. He was diagnosed with the disease in 2002 and died the following year. Mesothelioma is a form of lung cancer that is most often caused by breathing in asbestos fibers.

According to the record, the plaintiff was exposed as a child to asbestos in the form of a drywall compound manufactured by the named-defendant. The case went to trial and the jury found that the defendant was liable for the injuries to the plaintiff.

The jury was also asked to make a determination of causation between numerous companies. This is common in asbestos litigation. It is often impossible to determine who manufactured the actual asbestos that injured a particular plaintiff. In fact, there were many companies who made asbestos during its heyday, when it was marketed as a sort of miracle insulation material.
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Before the dangers of asbestos became apparent, the fibrous material was used in a variety of construction applications, including pipes. Unfortunately, many asbestos pipes still exist in buildings throughout Boston today.

Asbestos pipes can present significant dangers to workers who install them or who repair them. If the pipes become damaged, the homeowners or people in the building may also be at serious risk of exposure. Those who are affected and who develop mesothelioma, asbestosis or other health conditions should consult with an experienced Boston mesothelioma lawyer as soon as possible for help.
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