Asbestos News Roundup: 8.30.12 – Asbestos Drilling Mud

August 30th, 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 Drilling Mud puts Oil Industry Workers at High Risk for Asbestos Disease

Drilling mud is widely used in the oil industry, both onshore and offshore, to help cool the drill bit and flush debris from the well hole during drilling. Many oilfield workers may have been exposed to toxic asbestos products without knowing its harmful, and often lethal, effects.

Drilling mud composition contained asbestos, which led to mud engineers being exposed to asbestos drilling mud, and the potential to develop asbestos-related disease such as asbestos mesothelioma. The two drilling mud brands that were mainly used were Flosal and Visbestos: both products were packaged in 50 lb. bags and were used for sweeping the hole as a viscosifier.

Asbestos Lawsuits

Pasadena, CA: Raul Rodriguez and Jose Juan Gonzalez have filed an asbestos lawsuit alleging they were misled into buying asbestos-contaminated property in Pasadena.

Filed in District Court against Betesda Iglesia Hispana International and Ruben Perez, of Pasadena, the lawsuit alleges fraud, conspiracy to commit fraud and breach of contract.

In their lawsuit, Rodriguez and Gonzalez say on March 23, 2011, the defendants tricked them into buying asbestos-contaminated property, located at 600 Walter St. in Pasadena. In addition to hiding the asbestos, the lawsuit claims the defendants also failed to disclose that they were leasing the property and collecting rent, even after the sale was final. The plaintiffs are seeking attorney’s fees, court costs and damages. (ultimateclearlake.com)

Asbestos Settlements

Los Angeles, CA: A California man who contracted the lung disease mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos at work has won an important ruling that prevents Lorillard Tobacco Company from further delaying a civil damages trial by attempting to get the case transferred to federal court.

Doctors for Dimitris O. Couscouris have told him that he may have only months to live, but the Simi Valley resident and his wife have continued to pursue their claims against Lorillard and other defendants as part of a lawsuit originally filed in December of last year. The lawsuit alleges the companies exposed Mr. Couscouris to asbestos, which led to his developing asbestos mesothelioma.

In May 2012, Lorillard attempted to have the case removed to federal court, claiming that Mr. Couscouris could not have been exposed to products manufactured by the defendants that were based in California. However, U.S. District Court Judge George H. King denied Lorillard’s motion and remanded the case to state court. The company then attempted to remove the case to federal court a second time, but Judge King denied the second attempt on Aug. 1, 2012.

Lorillard then appealed Judge King’s ruling to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and filed a motion to stay all the proceedings in state court during the appeal. On Aug. 21, 2012, Judge King denied Lorillard’s motion to stay, finding that “Lorillard has failed to establish that it is entitled to a stay of all state court proceedings,” and that “Lorillard is not likely to succeed on the merits of its appeal.” (PRNewswire.com)

Bellingham, WA: Schools in Bellingham must be tested for asbestos – the state Department of Labor Standards (DLS) declared this week. The DLS claims the school district has not followed its regulations.

Under the Asbestos-Containing Materials in School requirements, enacted in 1986, schools have to develop an asbestos-management plan and designate a person trained to handle it. That person must test for asbestos every three years following the plan’s implementation.

Maintenance Director Roger Oakley, who was hired this summer, said he could not find evidence that the district had ever created a plan or appointed someone to look for asbestos: he estimated that it has not tested for asbestos in nearly 20 years. (milforddailynews.com)

Tags: Asbestos, Asbestos Drilling Mud, asbestos lawsuit, Asbestos Mesothelioma, Asbestos Settlement

This was posted on Thursday, August 30th, 2012 at 7:21 am and is filed under Asbestos Mesothelioma . Feel free to respond, or trackback. Read our comments policy.