Asbestos News Roundup: 1.2.14 – Asbestos Fire Damage

January 2nd, 2014. By LucyC

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.

Asbestos Fire Damage

During the holiday season, there are always news stories of fires caused by unattended candles, tree decorations, and faulty electronics. If asbestos-containing products are involved, there is a risk for inhaling asbestos fibers, and consequently asbestos disease.

Exposure to extremely high temperatures, around 1000°C, can cause asbestos fire damage, such as charring, spalling and loss of structural strength. (Spall are flakes of a material that are broken off a larger solid body). Asbestos fire damage can also be seen in asbestos containing materials where thermal expansion has occurred even though no direct exposure to fire has taken place.

The major issue with asbestos fires is the debris left behind, which can spread to a large area as a result of spalling. Asbestos contamination can be found within ash and dust during and after an asbestos fire.

In the event of asbestos fire damage, the following steps should be taken:

• Avoid entering the asbestos fire contaminated area to reduce the risk of disruption, exposure or cross contamination.

• Seek professional opinion from an asbestos remediation expert.

• Use appropriately licensed asbestos removal contractors to remove asbestos fire debris and dispose of in a safe and controlled manner.

• Use independent asbestos analysts to conduct asbestos atmospheric testing before/ during/ after the removal of asbestos fire debris.

Asbestos Lawsuits

St. Clair County, IL: James L. Hays and Carol Hays have filed an asbestos lawsuit naming 113 defendant corporations, which, they allege, caused Mr. Hayes to develop lung cancer as a result of exposure to asbestos-containing products throughout his career.

Mr. Hays worked as a laborer at a pipeline company in Texas, as an apprentice at Ross School and Tool Company from 1961 until 1966 and as a tool inspector at Abco Corp. from 1966 until 1968, according to the Hays complaint. They allege the defendants should have known of the harmful effects of asbestos, and failed to exercise reasonable care and caution for the plaintiff’s safety.

The Hays allege that as a result of his asbestos-related diseases, James L. Hays became disabled and disfigured, incurred medical costs and suffered great physical pain and mental anguish. further, he was prevented from pursuing his normal course of employment and, as a result, lost large sums of money that would have accrued to him.

The Hays are seeking a judgment of more than $100,000, economic damages of more than $150,000, compensatory damages of more than $100,000, punitive and exemplary damages of more than $150,000 and other relief the court deems just.(madisonrecord.com)

New Orleans, LA: Following the death of his father, Lance Vincent Ford has filed an asbestos lawsuit naming numerous defendants as being responsible for his father’s asbestos disease and subsequent death. Carl Ford allegedly contracted malignant mesothelioma from repeated environmental and occupational asbestos exposure, the lawsuit claims.

The lawsuit states that Carl Ford, who was born in 1938, was exposed to injurious levels of asbestos, both through environmental exposure while living on the West Bank since birth, near residences and areas contaminated with asbestos-containing scrap metal, as well as occupational exposure while working for National Gypsum at its Westwego facility.

The lawsuit alleges that prior to and during Carl Ford’s exposure period, each of the defendants designed, tested, evaluated, manufactured, packaged, furnished, stored, handled, transported, installed, supplied and sold asbestos-containing products.

The defendants include the Asbestos Corporation Limited, Taylor-Seidenbach Inc., Eagle Inc., Union Carbide Corporation, Burmaster Land and Development Co LLC, Zurich American Insurance Company, Owens Illinois Inc., Uniroyal Inc., The United States Rubber Company Inc. and Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in the Orleans Parish Civil District Court.

The defendants are accused of the mining, manufacture, sale, supply, distribution and use of products that are unreasonably dangerous and that have high potential for causing serious injury such as respiratory disease, cancer and other health problems.

Additionally, Ford alleges the defendants failed to warn, failed to provide safety instructions, failed to adequately test the products for defects, failed to truthfully report or adequately report the results of product testing, failed to recall the products and being otherwise negligent. The International Hygiene Foundation and its members are also accused of fraud and conspiracy.

The plaintiff requests a trial by jury, and seeks an unspecified amount in damages for the conscious physical pain and suffering sustained by the plaintiff and his now deceased father, the physical impairment and disfigurement suffered by the plaintiff’s father, reasonable and necessary medical expenses, funeral and burial expenses, lost earnings, loss of quality of life, and loss of consortium, love, affection, services and society and other damages. (louisianarecord.com)

Retna, LA: The husband and son of a woman who died from asbestos mesothelioma on May 19, have filed an asbestos lawsuit, naming several defendant corporations as being responsible for her death.

Mark Hennessey and Jude Gattuso name Burmaster Land & Development Company LLC, Zurich Insurance Company, Asbestos Corporation and Southern Talc as defendants, alleging Betty Hennessey contracted mesothelioma due to direct exposure to asbestos groundfill material mined and milled by Asbestos Corp. and delivered by Burmaster Land and Development LLC in areas near the home in Gretna from 1950 to 1961.

They further claim that during the period that Betty Hennessey was a resident in the area, Burmaster Land and Development LLC crushed concrete pipe containing asbestos to make ground fill material that was used in area driveways and that asbestos-laden dust inside was spread throughout the neighborhood and into her home. Hennessey and Gattuso claim that Betty Hennessey’s exposure to asbestos directly related to her death. The defendants are accused of failing to warn, product liability and selling unreasonably dangerous materials.

An unspecified amount in damages is sought for physical pain and suffering, physical disability, mental pain and suffering, loss of benefits and loss of enjoyment of life. (louisianarecord.com)

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

This was posted on Thursday, January 2nd, 2014 at 6:28 pm and is filed under Asbestos Mesothelioma . Feel free to respond, or trackback. Read our comments policy.