Families Fight For Justice Over Asbestos Lawsuits And Alleged Buyback Agreements
Four women are taking a number of insurance companies to court who they feel acted as buyback companies to a business that lost several asbestos lawsuits.
Buffalo News reports that Joe Muir, who worked at Durez Plastics Corporation during the summers as a high school and college student, died from mesothelioma at the young age of 57. He passed in 2015 from complications with the illness, numerous years after he worked at Durez, but before his passing, he was able to prove that his illness stemmed from asbestos exposure from his summer work. A jury awarded Muir $5.6 million, with more than half of the amount for lost income and medical expenses. Yet, months after he won his lawsuit, his family still hasn’t been paid.
According to Nancy Muir, Joe Muir’s widow, who joins three other widows and a sister of a mesothelioma who are all fighting for their family’s compensation, insurance companies want them to give up on trying to get their compensation. To make that happen, the women think that Hedman Resources, the business that manufactured the raw asbestos used at Durez, initiated and carried out undisclosed “buyback agreements” with insurance companies.
“Their hope is you’ll give up. They just carry on and snub their nose at you while you sit back and confront death.”
An asbestos attorney for one of the victim’s family, indicated that in 30 years, he has never heard of buyback agreements between asbestos companies and insurance companies. Yet, that’s because these deals were made in confidence, according to the lawyer.
“We’ve never come across it in 30 years. These were secret confidential deals. And they don’t pass the smell test.”
According to the plaintiff’s lawsuits, the buyback agreements were negotiated in 2012 with Hedman Resources and Lamorak Insurance, Seaton Insurance and One Beacon America Insurance. The agreement would help the insurance companies buy their way out of any liabilities that result from the asbestos lawsuits losses. In return, Hedman allegedly received $6 million. Seaton Insurance claims that there was nothing secret about the agreement, but that the buyback agreement happened after a dispute over insurance liabilities in the Hedman lawsuits. According to an attorney for the insurance company,
“Seaton disputes that it adopted a ‘cut and run’ strategy. To the contrary, Seaton and Hedman entered into the buyback agreements at issue following hard-fought, arm’s-length negotiations.”
Yet, four men ( Joe Muir, Hubert A. Peace, Arthur E. Neilson and Paul J. Mineweaser) all won their mesothelioma lawsuits against Durez and their families are owed a combination of $13 million. None of the families have been paid.
The Muir family has now taken their fight to federal court. U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder Jr. will decide whether the insurance companies are still liable for the asbestos lawsuits, as Hedman ended its asbestos mining business numerous years ago.
An asbestos attorney who now represents all the families stated that he’s “in it for the long haul,” and that he’s confident justice will win out in the end.
“We’re in it for the long haul.”
Meanwhile, Nancy Muir doesn’t understand how or why a judge would rule that the insurance companies aren’t liable since her husband clearly won his lawsuit.
“I push forward for him. I don’t know how a judge can make a decision and not have it carried out.”
Additional Help and Resources for Asbestos Victims
If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestos-related lung cancer, you may be eligible for substantial compensation. There is currently over $30 billion in asbestos trust funds, set up for those who are victims to asbestos-related diseases. Use our free Asbestos Attorney Locator Tool today to find a leading mesothelioma attorney in your area. For additional assistance, contact us at 800-694-4856.
Iowa School District Faces Possible Asbestos Lawsuit
A Cedar Rapids, Iowa school district faces a possible asbestos lawsuit after officials found that a contractor broke state and federal laws while performing an asbestos abatement project last year at Washington High School.
The Gazette reports that earlier this month, the Environmental Protection Commission (EPC) determined that while a contractor worked on an abatement project between 2014-2015 at Washington High School, off of Forest Drive, they failed to follow numerous rules mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA). Violations included:
- Failure to adequately wet down asbestos while working,
- Failure to remove asbestos prior to starting the abatement and demolition project
- Failure to keep asbestos levels low after renovation
- Failure to properly seal asbestos in seal-tight containers
So far, it’s uncertain how many workers, students, and school staff members were exposed to asbestos, but according to Geoff Greenwood, the communications director for the Iowa Attorney General, the district may face up to $10,000 per day for each day the contractor and district violated asbestos rules. Greenwood also stated that it will take time before they proceed with a lawsuit against both the school district and the contractor who sent employees to work at Washington High School.
“Could be a matter of months or even a year.”
The Cedar Rapids school district responded to the lawsuit, indicating that safety was its first priority.
“The District hired an architect and abatement contractor for the Washington High School project that had successfully worked on and completed other similar projects. The District addressed issues that were brought to its attention and made sure that remedial measures were implemented as soon as possible. The District looks forward to working with the Iowa Attorney General’s Office in resolving this matter.”
Asbestos Laws While Working at Schools
The EPA states that around 132,000 schools in the United States contain asbestos. If asbestos isn’t the disturbed in the buildings, then students, staff members, and visitors are generally safe. However, if a school is undergoing maintenance or renovation, workers must follows rules set forth by the Asbestos School Hazard Abatement Reauthorization Act (ASHARA) of 1990. When workers do a poor job during maintenance or renovation projects, everyone in and around the school buildings are at risk of asbestos exposure.
ASHARA requires that school districts to “develop, maintain and update asbestos management plans” for all schools that contain asbestos. In addition, when renovation and/or demolition is needed, all workers must follow the rules set forth by the Asbestos National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP). NESHAP mandates that workers must:
- Have someone on the job site who’s trained and certified to handle asbestos
- Notify the state before the abatement project begins
- Thoroughly inspect the building prior to starting the abatement project
- Put all asbestos-containing waste material into a seal-tight container that’s clearly labeled as “asbestos”
- Dispose of all seal-tight containers in proper disposal areas that are designated for asbestos-containing waste materials
- Wet down all asbestos prior to sealing and disposing it (which minimizes the release of asbestos fibers into the air)
In addition to federal laws regarding asbestos, each state may have their own set of laws that all asbestos abatement workers must adhere to.
Help and Resources for Asbestos Victims
If you or a loved one were diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestos-related cancer, you may be entitled to substantial compensation. Use our free Asbestos Attorney Locator Tool to find a top mesothelioma attorney in your area. With over $30 billion currently in asbestos trust funds, now is the right time to take the first step in determining what you may qualify for. For additional assistance contact us at 800-694-4856.
Mesothelioma Tissue Bank to Get $5.5M Grant
The National Mesothelioma Virtual Bank (NMVB) is scheduled to receive $5.5 million in grant funding to help it continue to fight for a cure for mesothelioma.
According to Grants.gov, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) plans to provide the fund, which will last throughout 2021. The grant comes at a much-needed time for NMVB as it will allow scientists and researchers the funding to continue to develop and test novel medications to help mesothelioma patients. According to the associate director of NIOSH, Dr. Ainsley Weston,
“It’s often difficult to pull enough material together for [researching] a disease like this. This project provides access to the tools that researchers need to make progress.”
With additional funding, not only can NMVB continue to test novel drugs, but it can also continue to develop advanced diagnostic tools and therapies that can be shared with mesothelioma researchers and physicians around the world.
So far, there are thousands of biospecimens and mesothelioma cases as NMVB. With the additional funding, the organization plans to:
- Enroll more patients in the tissue bank and enter them into the virtual registry
- Conduct additional studies
- Maintain an accurate record of requests from other researchers and scientists who requests samples from the tissue bank
- Record all presentations and publications
- Seek out collaborations with other medical facilities and researchers who have the same of goal of trying to cure mesothelioma
Mesothelioma Funding
There still remains limited funding on finding a cure for mesothelioma, which is why the news is so uplifting for NMVB that they received the grant. In addition, since it’s still considered a rare disease, it’s often difficult for researchers to recruit enough participants to help out during clinical trials and other studies. This problem may be solved with the funding from NIOSH as it will help researchers develop new, innovative ideas. Dr. Weston indicated that the research doesn’t necessarily always need additional patients with mesothelioma, as long as the researchers are dedicated to the cure.
“A researcher with a great idea but no direct access to these types of tissues can get them here. This promotes the research.”
More about NMVB
Established in 2006, NMVB is a a virtual biospecimen registry that helps researchers have advanced understanding of mesothelioma. NMVB researchers work to discover new preventative measures, novel treatment options for mesothelioma, and accelerating the discovery the preventative measures. The research is then put into a virtual database, using a Model-Driven Development framework, which allows other researchers from across the world to tap into it and get information on:
- Histiopathic type and grade
- Stages of mesothelioma
- Vital status and nodal status
- Recurrence information, and much more
Additional Help and Resources for Asbestos Victims
If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestos-related lung cancer, you may be eligible for substantial compensation. There is currently over $30 billion in asbestos trust funds, set up for those who are victims to asbestos-related diseases. Use our free Asbestos Attorney Locator Tool today to find a leading mesothelioma attorney in your area. If you need additional assistance, contact us toll-free at 800-694-4856.
After 17 Years, Libby Asbestos Cleanup is Almost Complete
Earlier this month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that after almost 17 years, the asbestos cleanup project in Libby, Montana is nearly complete.
On February 8, the EPA announced that in connection with the state of Montana, the final cleanup work in Libby, Montana, a town associated with some of the highest rates of asbestos-related deaths and illnesses ever, is being scheduled with a projected finish date within two to three years. According to health officials, the Libby asbestos mines is more than likely responsible for at least 400 asbestos-related deaths and more than 3,000 asbestos-related injuries.
So far, cleaning up the site has costed more than $540 million, and by the time the project is finished, it’s estimated that another $64 million will be spent. Per the manager of the Lincoln County Asbestos Resources Program, Nick Raines,
“There’s not a lot of ground-breaking news in it, but it is a fairly big milestone for both the EPA, and I think the community here. I think it’s the first big step in wrapping things up in Libby as far as the asbestos Superfund program goes.”
Once the project is finished, the EPA is scheduled to develop a plan to control the Amphibole asbestos that might still be around in Libby following the cleanup. The old vermiculite mine, as well as the forested areas that contain asbestos, will be dealt with as well, but under a different scheduled project.
During the final plan, the EPA will continue replacing soil that’s contaminated with asbestos with clean soil. The organization will also continue to properly dispose of any remaining products found inside any building that still stands in the area. Additionally, they’ll create a detailed plan to ensure that residents remain as safe as possible.
Last year, an EPA risk assessment noted that despite the high price of cleanup costs, which included 2,300 properties in Libby and in the nearby town of Troy, the risk of asbestos exposure has decreased significantly in the area.
Libby and Asbestos History
Asbestos pollution in Libby can be traced all the way back to 1919, when several companies started pulling vermiculite asbestos out of the town’s mines. Vermiculite was once a popular type of asbestos used in a myriad of construction materials. This type of mining went on for decades, which left not only the mine workers exposed to asbestos, but also the residents of Libby who had nothing to do with the mines.
In 1963, W.R. Grace & Co. took over the mining operations in Libby, and although the company knew that asbestos was dangerous to both workers and anyone else exposed to it, they didn’t bother warning the public. This ensured that the mining could continue to bring the company profits. In turn, hundreds of people began dying and even more injured by asbestos.
The usually high amount of deaths in Libby caught the attention of the national media in the 1990s. Once the EPA learned about it, the organization stepped in and in 2002, Libby was named as a Superfund site designation. Since then more than 1,500 businesses and homes have been cleaned up, and more than 950,000 cubic yards of hazardous materials have been removed.
Help and Resources for Asbestos Victims
If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestos-related lung cancer, you may be eligible for substantial compensation. There is currently over $30 billion in asbestos trust funds, set up for those who are victims to asbestos-related diseases. Use our free Asbestos Attorney Locator Tool today to find a leading mesothelioma attorney in your area.
Ford Motor Company Spent $40M in Attempt to Change Asbestos Science
An investigative study conducted by VICE News and the Center for Public Integrity has uncovered that automobile giant Ford Motor Company paid out close to $40 million in an attempt to change the science of asbestos after losing lawsuits to employees and contractors over asbestos in brakes.
Vice News reports that in 2001, board-certified toxicologist and industrial hygienist and former VP of Exponent, Dr. Dennis Paustenbach, received a call from Darrell Grams, a then attorney for Ford, who explained that he’d been hired after the automobile company began losing lawsuits worth substantial amounts, filed by former workers who developed asbestos-related diseases. Grams asked the toxicologist if he’d like to make a business deal and help research asbestos in order to find other causes that may have caused the workers to develop toxic illnesses.
Paustenbach agreed and set out researching asbestos, a topic that up until that point, he was unfamiliar with.
“I really started to get serious about studying asbestos after I met Mr. Grams, that’s for sure. Before that, the topic wasn’t interesting to me.”
As the business relationship continued, Exponent made around $18.2 million for its research into asbestos. Cardno ChemRisk, a company that Paustenbach created in 1985, gained another $21 million through its business dealings with Ford, equaling a total of close to $40 million spent by Ford to fund testimony by experts that asbestos in the company’s brakes and other products didn’t cause workers to develop fatal diseases.
According to John Dement, an asbestos researcher and professor at Duke University’s Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Ford used the findings they funded numerous times over the years in countless trials, yet despite spending nearly $40 million, there isn’t any way to change the science of asbestos and what it does to people who come into contact with it.
“They’ve published a lot, but they’ve really produced no new science. Fifteen years ago, I thought the issue of asbestos risk assessment was pretty much defined. All they’ve accomplished is to try to generate doubt where, really, little doubt existed.”
Some of the research played a part in innocent victims of asbestos losing their lawsuits. For example, a Wayne County, Michigan judge wrote that he’d never seen an argument in which “the science was not there” associated with brakes, until he recently heard a witness of Exponent testify about it. The argument over the science of asbestos is beginning to stir controversy as more and more companies are beginning to use it as a defense to their own cases.
Yet, over the past decade, hundreds of doctors, scientists, and researchers from 17 countries who have spent countless hours studying asbestos have confirmed many times over that asbestos from brakes can indeed cause toxic illnesses such as mesothelioma and asbestos-related lung cancer. Many established organizations, such as the American Cancer Society (ACS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the World Health Organization have stated that there are no safe levels of asbestos, no matter how small.
Ford Motor Company Violates the Law
In 2013, Ford was was cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for eight asbestos and respiratory protection standards after the organization found that Ford’s Lakeshore Road plant in Buffalo allowed its employees to work around asbestos in extremely unsafe situations without proper safety protection. Some of the infractions included allowing an employee to work around an asbestos-filled steam line without any safety protection and failing to put up the proper warning signs around areas that contain asbestos.
According to OSHA’s Buffalo area director, Art Dube,
“Workers deserve to perform their duties in a safe environment knowing they are protected from unsafe exposure to asbestos and other hazardous materials. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that proper and effective safeguards are in place and in use at all times.”
Yet, Ford continues to defend its stance that asbestos as seen in a 2014 annual report in which the company said,
“We are prepared to defend these cases, and believe that the scientific evidence confirms our long-standing position that there is no increased risk of asbestos-related disease as a result of exposure to the type of asbestos formerly used in the brakes on our vehicles.”
Ford is “Muddying the Waters”
Regardless of how much Ford spends in attempt to change the science of asbestos in an attempt to win mesothelioma lawsuits, the majority of physicians and researchers who study the mineral in-depth state that Ford is simply muddying the waters by attempting to get experts to formulate overly-broad conclusions, which is having a negative effect on the years of scientific research that’s went into the study of the mineral and its effects on humans. Dement summed it up best by stating,
“In the asbestos area the whole literature has been so warped by publications just supporting litigation. It has a real negative impact on pushing the science forward.”
Assistance and Resources for Asbestos Victims
If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestos-related lung cancer, you may be eligible for substantial compensation. There is currently over $30 billion in asbestos trust funds. Use our free Asbestos Attorney Locator Tool today to find a leading mesothelioma attorney in your area. If you have questions or need additional assistance, contact us toll-free at 800-694-4856.
Investigative Series Uncovers ‘Rented Professionals’ Who Helped Deny Asbestos Dangers
An investigative series, published jointly by VICE News and the Center for Public Integrity, has uncovered “rented white coats,” better summed up as professionals who were paid to help companies cover up the dangers of asbestos.
Evan Nelson, a former attorney of Tucker Ellis & West, once defended many companies that used asbestos in products and on job sites. The companies, fearing the threat of being sued by workers who developed asbestos-related diseases, hired the lawyer to defend them.
Nelson couldn’t readily find enough evidence to suggest that asbestos did not cause illnesses, and in turn, decided that tobacco was the culprit. To prove his theory, he needed a professional, such as a scientist, to help back him up.
In 2008, Nelson sent an email to former Harvard School of Public Health, professor, Peter Valberg, asking him to help prove that tobacco’s radioactive particles caused more instances of mesothelioma than asbestos.
“We can collaborate to publish several key, revolutionary articles that you will see unfold as I present this stuff to you. It is amazing that no one has pout [sic] this together before me, but I am confident that you will agree it is solid science that proves tobacco smoke causes mesothelioma — you just have to look at the tissue [sic] through the proper lense [sic].”
However, decades of research has already been poured into researching cigarette smoking and its affect on people. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a long list of comprehensive research done painstakingly by scientists, physicians, and researchers who gave blood, sweat, and tears to determine to understand the impact of smoking, and none of the findings show that it can cause mesothelioma.
Yet, instead of refusing Nelson’s offer, Valberg wrote him back and said that the information was “intriguing.” He also agreed to publish the information in peer review journals for a 10% discount off of his usual $330.00 an hour rate. Valberg also agreed to support Nelson’s information as an expert witness during mesothelioma lawsuits.
As government-funded science declines, more and more scientists are willing to oblige to this kind of immoral behavior. Per Bruce Lanphear, a Simon Fraser University professor, scientists such as Valberg, who currently works with the risk science consulting firm Gradient Corporation, are incredibly dangerous, as they are debunking true evidence and defending their clients even when they know their client’s evidence isn’t credible.
Gradient never participates in conducting animal or human studies. Instead, the scientists focus on criticizing work that goes against their clients.
“They truly are the epitome of rented white coats,” said Lanphear.
Fortunately, Nelson’s underhanded ways were discovered. He ended up losing his job after the law firm he worked for learned of his email exchange with Valberg. Now living at home with his parents at age 51, Nelson insists that he didn’t want any scientist at Gradient to do anything that science did not support.
“I get that trying to say that radiation from tobacco smoke causes mesothelioma, that’s on the fringe. In all my conversations with Gradient, I was always very clear that I wanted them to look at the science and I didn’t want them to do anything that the science didn’t support,” said Nelson.
Resources and Help for Asbestos Victims
If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or any other illness related to asbestos, you may be eligible for substantial compensation. There is currently over $30 billion in asbestos trust funds, set up for those who are victims to asbestos-related diseases. Use our free Asbestos Attorney Locator Tool today to find a leading mesothelioma attorney in your area. For additional assistance, contact us 800-694-4856.
Mesothelioma Lawsuit: San Francisco Family’s Case Reinstated
A San Francisco state appeals court reinstated a previously dismissed mesothelioma lawsuit on Monday, filed by the family of a man who served in the military and worked at a Navy construction center where he was allegedly exposed to asbestos, and subsequently died.
According to court records, Gene Lepore worked as a civilian trainer for the Naval Construction Battalion Center at Port Hueneme from 1974 to 2000, where he visited the CED vehicle repair shop to oversee mechanics’ job duties while they worked on brakes. His job required him to identify personnel training needs, including those in the repair shop. Prior to 1986, there weren’t regulations in the vehicle repair shop that enforced safety protections from dangerous minerals, such as asbestos, as well as other toxins.
Although Lepore wasn’t a mechanic nor did he work on automobiles or trucks, he was, just as the workers, reportedly exposed to a large amount of asbestos each time he went to the CED. A number of cars and trucks were repaired at the CED, with replacement parts for the vehicles coming from both the original manufacturers, as well as aftermarket manufacturers,
According to Lepore’s attorney, Lepore constantly faced a clouded asbestos-filled repair shop each time he visited. In turn, he developed mesothelioma. In 2009, Lepore filed a mesothelioma lawsuit against the makers of the brakes and its parts, Ford, Navistar and Kelsey-Hayes (and others), but passed away from the illness in 2010, before the court case was concluded. In 2012, a San Francisco judge dismissed the case, stating that the plaintiff and his witnesses didn’t provide enough proof to substantiate the claim.
On February 8, the the First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco disagreed with the judge’s assessment after the family filed an appeal against the decision after adding additional evidence to the case. According to the appeals court, there was indeed enough information provided for the case to continue. The appeals court determined that a jury should be able to decide if the case provides proof enough to show the defendants were responsible for Lepore developing malignant mesothelioma.
In the case against the Ford Motor Company, Lepore and others stated that it was Ford brake products being worked on when asbestos was released into the air. A colleague of Lepore confirmed that Lepore would stand in the repair shop and oversee brake repairs while workers used Ford brake products. The appeals court decided that there’s enough to “conclude Lepore was exposed to asbestos released from products manufactured or distributed by Ford.”
Lepore’s wife, Geraldine Bierner Lepore, and his children,Kristin Marie Reinholz and Michael Lepore, are now carrying on the lawsuit in his behalf, hoping to get justice for the pain and suffering he endured for many years, as well as his medical expenses.
Not all of the companies filed in the lawsuit, however, were overturned. Gibbs International Inc. wasn’t overturned after the appeals court decided there wasn’t enough evidence to support that Lepore was affected by asbestos via the company’s products. Regardless, the family is happy with the appeal court’s decision
Companies included in the lawsuit haven’t comment on the decision to overturn the lawsuit.
Additional Help and Resources for Asbestos Victims
If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or any other illness related to asbestos, you may be eligible for substantial compensation. There is currently over $30 billion in asbestos trust funds, set up for those who are victims to asbestos-related diseases. Use our free Asbestos Attorney Locator Tool today to find a leading mesothelioma attorney in your area. If you need additional assistance, contact us toll-free at 800-694-4856.
Florida Firefighters Face Asbestos By Their Own Department
Firefighters in Orlando, Florida claim their own department placed them in harm’s way after ordering them to work in an asbestos-filled abandoned apartment, that was scheduled to be used as a burning building for training.
WFTV ABC 9 reports that the Orange County Fire Department allegedly didn’t inform their firefighters that an apartment building on Orlando’s Mercy Drive was contaminated with asbestos before they sent orders for the firefighters to enter the building and start scraping it down. The news station states that the firefighters were only ordered to leave the property after news reporters began asking questions.
According to Orlando firefighter Anthony Donohoe, many people had worked in the building for weeks, increasing their chances of developing a toxic disease each time they entered the building.
“It’s not just me. They’ve been out there working this for weeks, doing demo on the floors for weeks. It’s not just me. It’s who knows how many other firefighters.”
Donohue also said that the firefighters were ordered to scrape the building, yet were never offered any type of protective gear, a direct violation of Florida laws and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) laws on asbestos handling.
“We were scraping, literally using scrapers, some of us were on our hands and knees scraping it. I know you’re supposed to wear like Tyvek suits, respirators (and) we didn’t have any of that. We’re out there in plain clothes.”
Although a Tampa company who performed a pre-demolition survey on the building clearly stated that numerous parts of the building contain asbestos, it seems as if the details were ignored by the Orange County Fire Department, something that greatly concerns Donohue.
“There’s a chance that I will not come home one day, there is a chance. I understand that. But to bring it home to my family, to get in my car with all that asbestos dust. To get in my car and bring it home to my family, I just don’t think it’s right.”
Unfortunately, the Orange County firefighters represent only a small portion of firefighters who constantly face the dangers of asbestos exposure. Firefighters across the nation, generally the first responders to a fire and other similar emergencies, are quick to help diffuse the situation as soon as possible, putting their own safety on the line. When entering an older, fire-damaged home, firefighters are at risk of asbestos exposure via numerous different parts of the home, which may include:
- Shutters
- Pipes
- Duct insulation
- Roof materials
- Old appliances
- Vinyl, and more
In other cases, similar to the Orange County incident, asbestos exposure could have been prevented. In 2007, an Everett County, Washington team of firefighters were ordered to train in a building contaminated with asbestos. The firefighters were told that the building was asbestos-free, yet within the first week of training, asbestos was discovered throughout the building.
The firefighters filed a $9 million mesothelioma lawsuit against the city of Everett afterwards, which was eventually settled in 2011, after the city offered the firefighters a lifetime of medical care and checkups, along with an increase of twice their base pay.
For additional information on firefighters and asbestos, including safety measures to take and information about litigation, refer to our article, Asbestos and Firefighters.
Additional Help and Resources for Firefighters Exposed to Asbestos
If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or any other illness related to asbestos, you may be eligible for substantial compensation. There is currently over $30 billion in asbestos trust funds, set up for those who are victims to asbestos-related diseases. Use our free Asbestos Attorney Locator Tool today to find a leading mesothelioma attorney in your area. If you have questions and need assistance, contact us toll free at 800-694-4856.
Asbestos Myths Exposed
Although most people today understand that asbestos is a dangerous mineral, there are still some misconceptions about just how dangerous it is and how easy it is to unknowingly come into contact with it.
I’ll avoid asbestos because I know what it looks like
Many pictures online (and older movies) portray asbestos as a white, snow-like substance, that crumbles easily. While asbestos does look like this in some instances, there are many different forms, including brown, blue and green, aren’t easily to identify. Additionally, it’s almost impossible to detect asbestos that’s been mixed into equipment, building, and structures. Asbestos fibers are tiny, odorless, and undetectable to the human eye. People can unknowingly ingest these fibers without ever knowing they are even around asbestos.
It’s OK if I am around safe levels of asbestos
This is one of the biggest misconceptions because United States laws currently have “safe” levels of asbestos that can be used in products. However, there are no truly safe levels of asbestos. Those who work around the legal amount of asbestos generally always wear face masks and other safety geared as outlined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Although the risks are not as high as being exposed daily and for prolonged periods, breathing in asbestos fibers just once can lead to life-threatening illnesses. Never enter abandoned buildings unless you’re sure they weren’t built with asbestos, and never start home renovations if you live in a house built before the early 1980s unless you’ve had it thoroughly inspected for asbestos beforehand by a professional. In addition, never attempt to repair old appliances that may have been built with asbestos-containing products.
Asbestos is banned in the U.S., so I shouldn’t have to worry
As mentioned earlier, asbestos remains legal in the U.S. as long as manufacturers keep the amount at so-called safe levels. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is constantly fighting to get asbestos completely banned in the U.S., but efforts so far have been unsuccessful.
I’m a female, so my chances of developing an asbestos illness are slim
While it’s true that more men develop asbestos-related diseases compared women, this doesn’t mean that women have a slimmer chance of developing an asbestos-related disease if they are exposed to asbestos. In the past, more men worked at occupations that used asbestos, resulting in a much higher rate of males developing asbestos illnesses. Yet, women can just as easily develop illnesses through work, second-hand asbestos exposure, and any other way that men can develop diseases.
Children can’t develop asbestos diseases
Children are just as much at risk as anyone else of developing an asbestos disease if they are exposed to asbestos. It’s important to take measures to protect your child, such as never allowing them to play in abandoned buildings, around old furnaces, or in the attics of older homes (until you know for sure that the home is asbestos-free). Some studies suggest that children may be at a heightened risk of developing asbestos due to their faster breathing patterns.
Assistance and Resources for Asbestos Victims
If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or any other illness related to asbestos, you may be eligible for substantial compensation. There is currently over $30 billion in asbestos trust funds, set up for those who are victims to asbestos-related diseases. Use our free Asbestos Attorney Locator Tool today to find a leading mesothelioma attorney in your area. If you have questions or need additional assistance, contact us at 800-694-4856.
Can a New Blood Test Predict Mesothelioma Surgery Outcomes?
The risks vs. the benefits of surgery for mesothelioma patients has the medical community torn. While some studies show that surgery is the best option for longer survival, other studies suggest otherwise. Researchers think they may have found a solution to the problem, and it all comes down to a simple blood test.
According to a study published in the Journal of Thoracic Disease, researchers from Canada and Japan developed a “scoring system” taken from blood samples of mesothelioma patients. The test, which measures the ratio between blood platelets and lymphocytes, is said to determine which patients will respond best to mesothelioma surgery.
What is Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR)?
Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) is an effective way to measure the patient’s immune system, which in turn will help doctors determine which patient is the most suited to handle surgery. When the body’s immune system is attacked, it becomes inflamed it produces more lymphocytes, the medical name for white blood cells. Inflammation usually indicates a poor outlook after surgery.
PLR Studies
Physicians at Canada’s Toronto General Hospital tested PLR on 65 mesothelioma patients who underwent the most invasive type of surgery for mesothelioma: extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP). Each patient had a PLR test done prior to surgery, and were then divided according to gender and their PLR score. There were no major difference in age or histology among the patients.
Results show that the patients who had the highest PLR score had the poorest prognosis, with a survival rate that averaged between 19 to 32 months. Patients with the lowest PLR scores had a highever survival rate that averaged a little over 45 months. According to the study’s lead researcher, Tetsuzo Tagawa of Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan,
“The new prognostic score using PLR is simple and useful for predicting the prognosis of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma undergoing EPP.”
EPP Surgery
EPP has been the most widely used type of surgery for mesothelioma for the past two decades. Part of the reason it’s used the most is due to another type of surgery pleurectomy/decortication (P/D) showing a poor prognosis. Yet, according to the new study, there was never a trial that compared EPP to P/D, which is why the type of surgery performed still remains controversial in the medical world. Yet, with the new PLR test, physicians are hoping that it provides a way to test patients for both types of surgeries.
More information and testing and still needed to determine the maximum effective of PLR, but the studies indicate that it may be a powerful way to determine which patients will fare the best with undergoing invasive surgery, as well as those who probably will not.
Additional Resources and Helpful Information for Mesothelioma Patients
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