Asbestos News Roundup: 3.26.10

March 26th, 2010. By LucyC

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

Asbestos Lawsuits

St. Clair County, IL: Three more asbestos lawsuits were filed recently in this county. Among them is a suit filed by a couple who allege that the husband, James Keller, developed pleural plaques as a result of exposure to asbestos through his work. Mr. Keller worked as a lifeguard at a YMCA from 1969 until 1971; as an assistant team manager at Roadway Express until 1977; as an assistant terminal manager in 1978; as a laborer, estimator and vice president at James A. Keller Inc. from 1969 until 1994; and as the vice president and owner of Grayhawk from 1994 until now, and during his time at these various positions he was exposed to asbestos containing product. The asbestos-related suit names nine defendants. 

A second couple, the Brocks, filed an asbestos-related complaint naming 10 companies as defendants. Susan Brock developed lung cancer after her work as a kitchen server at Lutheran Hospital from 1966 until 1969, as a packer and assembler at General Electric Co. from 1969 until 1974, as a machine operator at Harvester from 1976 until 1981, as a painter at Rosener Decorating from 1983 until 1986, as a truck driver and loader at Purolator Courier from 1986 until 1989, as a package handler and courier at Fed Ex from 1989 until 1997, as a driver for Statewide Medical from 1998 until 1999 and as a truck driver from 1999 until 2007. Mrs. Brock is now disabled and disfigured as a result of her asbestos illness. 

Finally, Mr. Weir has filed an asbestos-related lawsuit after developing asbestos mesothelioma and suffering disability and disfigurement. In his suit he names 13 defendant companies, and alleges to have developed lung cancer after his work for the U.S. Army from 1973 until 1974, as a boiler builder at Mike Russo Plumbing in the 1970s, as a worker coating pipes with asbestos for Weinstein in the 1970s and as an insulator at J.A. Croson from 1984 until 1986. (Madison, St. Clair Record)

Asbestos Hot Spots

Montreal, PQ: A new lobby group made up of 15 organizations heavily invested in the asbestos industry is working to make sure Canada’s dying asbestos industry stays alive. “Partners for the Use of Asbestos”, as they call themselves, is made up of several Quebec business groups and unions as well as the government-funded Chrysotile Institute, which promotes the use of asbestos and includes representatives from industry, labour and government,” the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported today. (CBC.ca) 

San Jose, CA: The search for victims in the rubble of a massive two alarm fire that occurred in a historic San Jose church has been postponed because of the suspected presence of asbestos in the rubble.  Firefighters don’t know what caused the blaze which happened early in the morning of March 23. The church, located in the 200 block of Delmas Avenue near Park Avenue, was abandoned. Clean-up will resume once testing for asbestos has been completed. (mercurynews.com)

Long Island, NY: 2000 Syosset High School students were evacuated from their school on March 25, following the discovering of planking that contained asbestos. The planks were lying next to a dumpster on the school grounds and had come from the boiler room which was undergoing refurbishment. (newsday.com)

Tags: Asbestos, Asbestos Mesothelioma

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