Asbestos News Roundup: 3.22.12 (Aircraft Mechanics Asbestos Risk)

March 22nd, 2012. 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 Workers at Risk

Wichita, KS: Aircraft mechanics and metal workers who were involved in the manufacture and maintenance of airplanes at Boeing and other aircraft manufacturing facilities in the state of Kansas may have been exposed to asbestos and as such at risk for asbestos-related diseases.

Up to the 1970s, asbestos was used in aircraft brakes. Boeing began phasing out asbestos-containing products in the 1970s, and by the 1990s Boeing was nearly asbestos-free. However, people who worked as aircraft mechanics prior to this could have been exposed to asbestos and as such at risk for developing asbestos mesothelioma and asbestosis.

To date, companies which have exposed their employees to asbestos have faced thousands of lawsuits and settled hundreds of millions in damages.

Asbestos Lawsuits

Charleston, WV: Following his diagnosis of asbestos-related lung cancer, Ward T. McFadden and his wife, Margaret E. McFadden, have filed an asbestos lawsuit naming 85 companies as defendants.

McFadden was diagnosed with lung cancer in October 2011, according to his lawsuit. The couple claim Ward was exposed to asbestos during his working career and that the exposures were a substantial contributing factor in his development of lung cancer. They also claim that the defendants either failed or omitted to provide Ward with knowledge of the dangers of asbestos and what would be reasonably safe and sufficient clothing and protective equipment. As a consequence, McFadden was unnecessarily exposed to and to inhale dust and asbestos fibers, which caused his lung injury, the asbestos lawsuit states.

The 85 companies named as defendants in the suit are A.O. Smith Corporation; Ajax Magnethermic Corporation; Allied Glove Corporation; American Optical Corporation; Aqua-Chem, Inc.; Armstrong International, Inc.; Armstrong Pumps, Inc.; Atlas Industries, Inc.; Beazer East, Inc.; Brand Insulations, Inc.; Cashco, Inc.; Catalytic Construction Company; CBS Corporation; Certainteed Corporation; Champlain Cable Corporation; Copes-Vulcan, Inc.; Crane Co.; Crown Cork & Seal Company; Dravo Corporation; Durametallic Corporation; E.W. Bowman; Eaton Corporation; Eichleay Corporation; Electrolux Home Products; Emhart Inc.; F.B. Wright Company; Fairmont Supply; Flowserve U.S., Inc.; Flsmidth, Inc.; FMC Corporation; Gardner Denver, Inc.; George V. Hamilton, Inc.; Goulds Pumps, Inc.; Greene Tweed & Company; Grinnell Corporation; Honeywell, Inc; Howden North America, Inc.; Hunter Sales Corporation; I.U. North America, Inc.; IMO Industries, Inc.; Industrial Holdings Corporation; Ingersoll-Rand; ITT Corporation; Joy Technologies; Kentile Floors, Inc.; M.S. Jacobs & Associates, Inc.; Mallinckrodt US LLC; Marley Cooling Tower; McCann Shields Paint Company; McCarls, Inc.; McJunkin Red Man Corporation; Metropolitan Life Insurance Company; Milwaukee Valve Company; Minnotte Contracting Corporation; Mueller Steam Specialty; Nagle Pumps, Inc.; Nitro Industrial Coverings, Inc.; Ohio Valley Insulating Company; Owens-Illinois, Inc.; Plotkin Brothers Supply, LLP; Powell Valve Company; Power Piping; Premier Refractories, Inc.; Riley Stoker Corporation; Safety First Industries, Inc.; Saint-Gobain Abrasives, Inc.; Sealite, Inc.; Spirax Sarco, Inc.; Square D Company; Stockham Valves & Fittings; Sundyne Corporation; Surface Combustion, Inc.; Tasco Insulation, Inc.; the Sager Corporation; Treco Construction Services, Inc.; UB West Virginia, Inc.; Unifrax Corporation; Union Carbide Corporation: United States Steel Corporation; Vimasco Corporation; Warren Pumps LLC; Washington Group International; WMX Technologies, Inc.; Yarway Corporation; and Zurn Industries, Inc. (wvrecord.com)

Galveston, TX: The family of the late Robert Bage has filed an asbestos lawsuit alleging he died from lung cancer which resulted from his exposure to asbestos.

Bage worked as a boilermaker at the Union Carbide facilities in Texas City from 1955 to 1993. According to the original petition, he was exposed to asbestos dust and fibers prior to 1980.

“As a result of his exposure to asbestos dust and fibers while employed by defendant Union Carbide or while working on the defendant’s premises, Robert Bage contracted asbestos-related lung cancer which ultimately took his life,” the lawsuit says.

Mr. Bage died on March 12, 2010. His surviving family claims it was the defendants’ negligence that caused his injuries and subsequent death.

“The defendants knew, or in the exercise of ordinary or reasonable care should have known, that the asbestos containing insulation and/or machinery they manufactured, sold, designed, supplied, distributed, mined, milled relabeled, resold, processed applied or installed was poisonous and highly harmful to Mr. Bage’s health,” the suit says.

Robert Bage’s widow, Velma Bage, and the couple’s five children filed suit against Union Carbide Corp., Cleaver-Brooks Inc., Foster Wheeler Energy Corp., Riley Power Inc. and Trinity Construction Co. Inc. (setexasrecord.com)

Marshall, TX: Kansas City Southern Railway Co is facing an asbestos lawsuit filed by several of former railroad workers who allege they received occupational exposure to asbestos for decades and now have lung injuries as a result.

The plaintiffs, Bobby W. McElhannon, Curnell Clark, Cleandrew Sowls and James E. Shepherd, claim that the railroad was aware of the health hazards associated with occupational exposure to hazardous dusts, yet failed to provide them with a safe place to work. As a result, they were unnecessarily exposed to asbestos and/or silica-containing dusts, and subsequently sustained injuries to their lungs.

McElhannon was employed by the defendant from 1973 until the present. Clark worked for the railroad from 1971 until 1983. Sowls was employed by KCS from 1973 until 1983. Shepherd was employed by the defendant from 1974 until 2006.

According to the suit, Kansas City Southern Railway Co is accused of negligence under the Federal Employers’ Liability Act and for violations of the Locomotive Boiler Inspection Act for continuing to purchase, install and use asbestos-containing materials, for failing to inspect its cars, engines, appliances, machinery and other equipment for the presence of asbestos-containing materials, for failing to remove the asbestos-containing material, and for failing to warn the plaintiffs regarding the presence of asbestos-containing materials.

The plaintiffs are seeking awards for medical expenses, mental anguish, physical pain and suffering, fear of cancer, physical impairment, court costs and interest. (setexasrecord.com)

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

This was posted on Thursday, March 22nd, 2012 at 1:24 pm and is filed under Asbestos Mesothelioma, Emerging Issues, lawsuits . Feel free to respond, or trackback. Read our comments policy.