Asbestos News Roundup: 12.24.10

December 24th, 2010. By LucyC

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

Asbestos Lawsuits

St Clair County, IL: Recently widowed Claudia Gail Shreve has filed an asbestos complaint on behalf of her late husband Kenneth L. Shreve. The suit names 68 companies as defendants.

In her complaint, Mrs. Shreve alleges the defendant companies caused her recently deceased husband to develop lung cancer after his exposure to asbestos-containing products throughout his career.

According to the complaint, Kenneth Shreve worked as a member of the Plumbers Local 653 and worked as a pipefitter at Shell Oil, as a pipefitter at Hartford Refinery from 1988 until 1994 and as a pipefitter at Exxon-Shell from 2000 until 2002.

As a result of his asbestos-related disease, Mr. Shreve incurred medical costs and suffered great physical pain and mental anguish, his widow alleges. Further, Mr. Shreve became prevented from pursuing his normal course of employment and, as a result, lost large sums of money that would have accrued to him. And, because of Mr. Shreve’s asbestos-related illness and subsequent death, his family members have been deprived of their companionship, society and services, according to the complaints.

In her 10-count complaint, Claudia Shreve is seeking economic damages of more than $200,000, a judgment of more than $150,000, compensatory damages of more than $100,000 and unspecified punitive and exemplary damages. She also seeks punitive damages in an amount sufficient to punish the defending companies and to deter them from repeating their actions. (madisonrecord.com)

St Clair County, IL: Harold Webster, brother to recently deceased Gerald Webster, has filed a complaint against 65 defendant companies on behalf of his late sibling.

Harold Webster alleges in his complaint that the defendant companies caused his brother to develop lung cancer after his work through the Ironworkers Local 167 from 1969 until 2002. The suit also alleges that the defendants should have known of the harmful effects of asbestos, but failed to exercise reasonable care and caution for Gerald Webster’s safety.

Consequently, Gerald Webster incurred medical costs, suffered great physical pain and mental anguish, and lost large sums of money that would have accrued to him because his asbestos-related illness prevented him from being able to work.

In his 10-count complaint, Harold Webster is seeking economic damages of more than $200,000, a judgment of more than $150,000, unspecified punitive and exemplary damages and compensatory damages of more than $100,000. He also seeks punitive damages in an amount sufficient to punish the defending companies and to deter them from repeating their actions. (madisonrecord.com)

Asbestos Settlements

New York, NY: The family of a man who died after he was exposed to asbestos has been awarded a $1 million asbestos settlement by a New York jury. The family of Richard Schuderer filed a wrongful death lawsuit, after Schruderer died as a result of mesothelioma in June 2009.

Schruderer worked on tugboats for approximately 35 years and was exposed to asbestos when he repacked valves and fabricated gaskets. A jury found that John Crane, Inc., the company that manufactured the gaskets, was 60 percent responsible for Schruderer’s death. Other defendants had already settled with the Schruderer family. (lawyersandsettlements.com)

Asbestos Law

Denver, CO: Forty-six year old Michael Merit, who posed as a Colorado certified asbestos inspector, has been sentenced to 40 days in jail and ordered to pay $5,000 for faking lab results and deliberately misleading state officials.

The sentence follows on from his having pled guilty in September to causing or contributing to a hazardous substance incident. The Colorado State grand jury indicted Merit in April, saying he triggered an emergency asbestos incident in Elizabeth.

Merit had been hired by the Resource Center, a local a demolition company, to do asbestos testing on mobile homes in Elizabeth. Merit represented himself to the company as a fully certified told asbestos inspector.

However, once on site, Merit incorrectly took air samples and falsified lab results stating no asbestos was present in any of the mobile homes, the Denver Post reported.

However, three of the mobile homes were demolished before the Colorado Department of Public Health put a stop the demolition. The department had received a tip that the homes did in fact contain asbestos. An inspection by bona fide certified state inspectors revealed that the mobile home park contained more than 160 square feet of asbestos-containing material and 260 linear feet of asbestos-containing material. “The discovery was classified as an “emergency circumstance” involving the sudden discharge of a hazardous substance.” (denverpost.com)

Winsted, CT: According to air quality consultant, Mystic Air Quality Consultants Inc, in Groton, Pearson Middle School has significant problems with asbestos. The company has apparently written town officials recommending that all floor tile and mastics in the entire school, totaling 68,000 square feet, be removed and replaced.

Following the evaluation, two classrooms were sealed off until the asbestos can be removed. In areas with damaged tiles, throw rugs have been used to cover things up.  The consultant said this is not an acceptable method of asbestos abatement.

The estimated cost to remove the asbestos is $390,000 and replacement of tiles and flooring an additional $100,000.

The Board of Selectmen have subsequently voted unanimously to authorize the School Building Committee to spend $175,000 to get rid of as much of the asbestos as possible. The money was initially set aside two years ago for the reconfiguration of classrooms at the school. The town will pursue a 70 percent reimbursement from the state for the project. (rep-am.com)

Tags: Asbestos, Asbestos Mesothelioma, asbestos_mesothelioma

This was posted on Friday, December 24th, 2010 at 11:24 am and is filed under Asbestos Mesothelioma . Feel free to respond, or trackback. Read our comments policy.