Asbestos News Roundup: 10.11.12 – Veterans Asbestos Risk

October 11th, 2012. By AbiK

A roundup of recent asbestos-related news and information that you should be aware of. An ongoing list of reported asbestos hot spots in the US from the Asbestos News Roundup archive appears on our asbestos map.

US Veterans and Merchant Marines at Risk for Asbestos Disease

Beginning in the 1930s, nearly all ships built by the US Navy—including submarines—contained insulation or other machine parts containing asbestos. From that time, until the 1970s, when the US Navy stopped using asbestos in shipbuilding, thousands of US Navy Veterans and former Merchant Marines who served during World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and other conflicts were exposed to harmful levels of asbestos, placing them at risk of developing mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis or other asbestos diseases. Shipyard workers, boiler mechanics, electricians and pipefitters who handled asbestos products are also at risk of developing asbetsos-related diseases.

Because of the long latency period of the disease, it may take up to 30 years—or more—before Veterans who were exposed to asbestos begin to develop the first symptoms of mesothelioma or other asbestos related cancers.

Many Veterans who were exposed to asbestos during their time in the military have filed lawsuits against the companies who manufactured asbestos products and the equipment that utilized these products on board US Navy and Merchant Marine ships. In their lawsuits, the Veterans’ alleged they were not warned about the risks of asbestos exposure, even when the companies who manufactured these asbestos products were fully aware of the danger they posed. Both the lawsuit filed by James Mahan, and the settlement for William LaParl, below, are reminders of the reality of asbestos disease.

Asbestos Lawsuits

St. Clair County, IL: James Mahan has filed an asbestos lawsuit naming 48 defendant corporations, which he alleges should have known of the harmful effects of asbestos, but failed to exercise reasonable care and caution for his safety. As a result, Mahan claims the defendant companies caused him to develop lung cancer after his exposure to asbestos-containing products throughout his career.

In his lawsuit, Mahan states he was employed as a submarine maintenance worker from 1954 until 1957 and as a nursing assistant at the VA Hospital from 1958 until 1980. Between 1980 until 1983 he worked as a maintenance man for the North Little Rock Housing Authority. It was during his working life that he was exposed to asbestos-containing products.

As a result of his asbestos-related disease, Mahan has become disabled and disfigured, incurred medical costs and suffered great physical pain and mental anguish, the complaint says. In addition, he became prevented from pursuing his normal course of employment and, as a result, lost large sums of money that would have accrued to him, he alleges. (Madisonrecord.com)

St. Clair County, IL: Lynn Torres filed an asbestos lawsuit naming 33 defendant corporations, which, he alleges, caused him to develop lung cancer after his exposure to asbestos-containing products throughout his career.

According to his lawsuit, Torres worked as a welder at Kaiser Aluminum from 1966 until 1975 and at the Carpenters District Council for an unspecified amount of time. The lawsuit also contends that the defendants should have known of the harmful effects of asbestos, but failed to exercise reasonable care and caution for the plaintiff’s safety.

As a result of his asbestos-related disease, Torres became disabled and disfigured, incurred medical costs and suffered great physical pain and mental anguish, the complaint says. In addition, he became prevented from pursuing his normal course of employment and, as a result, lost large sums of money that would have accrued to him, he claims. (Madisonrecord.com)

Asbestos Settlements

Mt. Pleasant, SC: A $3.9 million jury’s verdict has been awarded to the family of deceased Merchant Marine, William LaParl of Michigan, who lost his life to asbestos mesothelioma.

On Friday, September 7, 2012, an eight-member jury found defendants Oglebay Norton Company, Columbia Transport Co., Interlake Steamship Company and Pringle Transit Company liable for “substantially contributing” to the death of William LaParl, who was 78 when he died in August 2006. Mr. LaParl retired from the Merchant Marines after 35 years of service and was diagnosed with mesothelioma in July 2006.

The suit alleged, among other claims, that negligence on the part of the defendants caused LaParl’s mesothelioma and ultimate death. The case, Delores A. LaParl, Personal Representative of the Estate of William S. LaParl, deceased v. Columbia Trans. Co., et al, No. CV-08-667485, was tried before Judge Harry Hanna in the Court of Common Pleas in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Civil Division. (Redorbit.com)

Tags: Asbestos, Asbestos Exposure, asbestos lawsuit, Asbestos Mesothelioma, Asbestos Settlement

This was posted on Thursday, October 11th, 2012 at 2:54 pm and is filed under Asbestos Mesothelioma . Feel free to respond, or trackback. Read our comments policy.