Asbestos News Roundup: 3.19.10

March 19th, 2010. By LucyC

A roundup of recent asbestos-related news and information that you should be aware of.

Asbestos Lawsuits

Kansas City, MO: An asbestos lawsuit has been filed by a woman who worked as a judicial administrative assistant at the Jackson County Courthouse, alleging she developed asbestos mesothelioma as a result of exposure to asbestos where she worked. Nancy R. Lopez worked at the courthouse from 1975 until 2007. The suit alleges that there is asbestos dust in and around the heating and air-conditioning systems in the building.

A second lawsuit—a class action—has been filed on behalf of anyone who has worked or spent time in the courthouse on a daily basis since 1983, and who may have been exposed to asbestos dust. The lawsuit seeks damages for to help pay for medical expenses for those people who have suffered illness as a result of exposure to asbestos at this property. (KMBC.com)

Los Angeles, CA: The widow of Merlin Olsen, Susan Olsen will be assuming responsibility with respect to the lawsuit her late husband had filed against his former employer NBC and other media companies over allegations that they exposed him to asbestos. Olsen was diagnosed with asbestos mesothelioma roughly one year ago. 

Merlin Olsen was a TV sportscaster and actor, and in his suit he reportedly alleges that NBC, NBC Universal and 20th Century Fox Film Corporation improperly exposed him to asbestos during his TV career. This led to his developing asbestos related cancer, and his untimely death at the age of 69, on March 11, 2010. He also alleges that he was exposed to asbestos as a child and later as a drywaller when he worked in construction.

Olsen was a Hall of Fame defensive tackle with the Los Angeles Rams. He also starred on the NBC television series “Little House on the Prairie” and “Father Murphy.” (Dailybreeze.com)

Asbestos Hot Spots

Harrisburg, PA: Asbestos fibers have been found in floor tiles recently removed from St. Catherine Laboure School in Derry Township, Dauphin County. According to news reports, workers removed the floor tiles to install new carpeting on March 12, 2010. The school has been closed for the week, and a cleanup is underway. (ABC27 News)

Asbestos Law

St. Louis, MO: Joseph L. Washington, ex-chief of the Northeast fire district, has been sentenced to one year’s probation for his role in the removal of asbestos materials from a fire district building, which resulted in a felony violation of the Clean Air Act.

The charge stemmed from the removal in late 2008 of asbestos-laden tiles from the Northeast Ambulance and Fire Protection District’s administration building in Beverly Hills. (St. Louis today.com)

Tags: Asbestos, Asbestos Mesothelioma

This was posted on Friday, March 19th, 2010 at 9:50 am and is filed under Asbestos Mesothelioma . Feel free to respond, or trackback. Read our comments policy.