Asbestos News Roundup: 12.15.11

December 15th, 2011. 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 Alert for Christmas Decorations

Often people store Christmas decorations out of the way and the loft or attic space may seem like the perfect option. Many homeowners are not aware of the asbestos which may be present in their homes and that they could have unknowingly disturbed it when using loft or attic space as storage. Homes built before 2000 may contain asbestos as this was a very popular building material.

If you are unsure if asbestos presents a risk within your property, you should obtain a survey to identify its presence, and seek advice on any asbestos containing materials which they suspect may be present in your home. (industrytoday.co.uk)

Asbestos Law

Charleston, WV: A couple from Ravenswood have named 69 companies as defendants in their asbestos lawsuit, alleging the companies are responsible for Marcine Law’s lung cancer diagnosis.

Mr. Law was diagnosed on October 19, according to the lawsuit. Law and his wife, Mary Law, claim the 69 defendants failed to warn them of the dangers of asbestos exposure.

The defendants are being sued based upon theories of negligence, contaminated buildings, breach of expressed/implied warranty, strict liability, intentional tort, conspiracy, misrepresentations and post-sale duty to warn, according to the lawsuit.

The 69 defendants named in the suit are: A.W. Chesterton Company; Atlas Industries, Inc.; Aurora Pump Company; BWIP, Inc.; Catalytic Construction Company; Caterpillar, Inc.; Clark Equipment Company; Cleaver-Brooks Company, Inc.; Columbus McKinnon Corporation; Copes-Vulcan, Inc.; Crane Company; Crown, Cork & Seal Co., Inc.; DeZurik, Inc.; Dravo Corporation; Eaton Electrical, Inc.; F.B. Wright Company; Flowserve US, Inc. F/K/A Durco International, Inc.; Flowserve US, Inc. F/K/A Flowserve FSD Corporation; FMC Corporation; Foster Wheeler Energy Corporation; General Electric Company; George V. Hamilton, Inc.; Goulds Pumps, Inc.; Grinnell Corporation; Hercules, Inc.; Honeywell International F/K/A Allied Signal, Inc.; Honeywell, Inc.; Howden Buffalo, Inc.; I.U. North America, Inc.; IMO Industries, Inc.; Inductotherm Industries, Inc.; Industrial Holdings Corporation; Ingersoll-Rand Company; ITT Corporation; Joy Technologies, Inc.; Lockheed Martin Corporation; McJunkin Corporation; Metropolitan Life Insurance Company; Morgan Engineering Systems; Ohio Valley Insulating Company, Inc.; Owens-Illinois, Inc.; P&H Mining Equipment, Inc.; Pettibone/Traverse Lift, LLC; Pneumo Abex Corporation; PPG Industries, Inc.; Premier Refractories, Inc.; Reading Crane and Engineering Company; Riley Power, Inc.; Rockwell Automation, Inc.; Rust Constructors, Inc.; Rust Engineering & Construction, Inc.; Schneider Electric USA, Inc.; State Electric Supply Company; Sterling Fluid Systems, LLC; Sunbeam Corporation; Surface Combustion, Inc.; Swindell Dressler International Company; Tasco Insulations, Inc.; the Alliance Machine Company; the Gage Company; UB West Virginia, Inc.; United Engineers & Constructors and Washington Group International; Viacom, Inc.; Viking Pump, Inc.; Vimasco Corporation; West Virginia Electric Supply; Yale Materials Handling Corporation; Yarway Corporation; and Zurn Industries, Inc. (WVRecord.com)

Asbestos News

Edwardsville, IL: Madison County Circuit Judge Barbara Crowder has said she will return $30,000 in campaign donations—donations which resulted in her being removed from her assigned asbestos cases in south-western Illinois.

Crowder was relieved of the asbestos cases Tuesday, and her cases were given to Associate Judge Clarence Harrison. The county’s chief judge, Ann Callis, says she transferred the cases away from Crowder, in consultation with circuit judges, “to maintain the public trust in a fair and unbiased judiciary.”

Crowder has denied any association between the contributions made by asbestos law firms and her decisions as the asbestos judge. (therepublic.com)

Asbestos Obituary

Sydney, Australia: Harold Hopkins, who appeared in several important Australian movies including Gallipoli, The Year My Voice Broke, Don’s Party, and The Club, passed away on December 10. According to reports, Hopkins had asbestos-related mesothelioma which caused his death.

Hopkins, who was 67, is supposed to have been exposed to asbestos right after finishing high school, while working as an apprentice carpenter sheeting asbestos in Queensland in the early 1960s. (altfilmguide.com)

Tags: Asbestos, asbestos lawsuit, Asbestos Settlement, asbestosis, asbestos_mesothelioma, mesothelioma

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