Asbestos News Roundup: 9.27.12 – Second-Hand Asbestos Risk

September 27th, 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.

“Take Home” – or Second Hand Asbestos Exposure

Recently, the medical profession has begun to recognize that people can be affected by asbestos-caused diseases through secondary or passive exposure.

Also known as second-hand asbestos exposure or “take home” asbestos exposure, passive exposure refers to exposure to asbestos fibers that become embedded on a person’s clothing or in their hair—from either another person who has been in direct contact with asbestos or from indirect circumstantial exposure to asbestos.

For example, cases of second-hand asbestos exposure were recently been reported by wives and children of men who worked in the shipyards in World War II. The workers were exposed to large amounts of damaged or “friable” asbestos while on the job, and their wives became came ill following exposure to asbestos fibers that had become lodged in the workers’ clothing. Over the years, the constant inhalation of these fibers resulted in the development of asbestos-related diseases. Case in point, the recently filed asbestos lawsuit concerning Gladys W. Williams, highlighted below.

And there have been asbestos lawsuits filed by children of men who worked around asbestos, and who developed asbestos-related illnesses.

Secondary asbestos exposure is also possible by living in a community or area located near an asbestos mine or a company that manufactures asbestos or products containing asbestos. Many older buildings may also contain asbestos insulation, including schools.

Asbestos Lawsuits

Galveston, TX: Jerry Mapp, son of the recently deceased Sam Billy Mapp, has filed an asbestos lawsuit alleging asbestos-related illness claimed his father’s life. The named defendants in the lawsuit include BP and Pharmacia Corp.

According to the lawsuit, Sam Billy Mapp—who died from cancer on September 23, 2010—worked as an operator from 1947 to 1952, and was exposed to asbestos dust and fibers prior to 1980. The lawsuit claims that 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 the plaintiff’s health.

The lawsuit further claims that the defendants failed to adequately warn Sam Billy Mapp of the dangers associated with the asbestos containing products and/or machinery. Jerry Mapp is seeking unspecified damages. (setexasrecord.com)

St. Clair County, IL: Thirty-three defendants companies have been named in an asbestos lawsuit filed by Lynn Torres, who alleges he developed lung cancer as a result of asbestos exposure on the job.

Torres worked as a welder at Kaiser Aluminum from 1966 until 1975 and at the Carpenters District Council for an unspecified amount of time. The lawsuit contends that the defendants should have known of the harmful effects of asbestos, but failed to exercise reasonable care and caution for the Torres’ safety.

The lawsuit alleges that as a result of his asbestos-related disease, Torres became disabled and disfigured, incurred medical costs and suffered great physical pain and mental anguish. Further, Torres’ became prevented from pursuing his normal course of employment and, as a result, lost large sums of money that would have accrued to him.

Torres is seeking a judgment of more than $50,000, compensatory damages of more than $100,000, punitive and exemplary damages of more than $100,000 and punitive damages in an amount sufficient to prevent the defendants from performing similar conduct in the future, plus other relief the court deems just. (madisonrecord.com)

St. Clair County, IL: James Mahan has filed an asbestos lawsuit naming 48 defendant corporations that, he alleges, caused him to develop lung cancer.

Mahan worked as a submarine maintenance worker from 1954 until 1957, as a nursing assistant at the VA Hospital from 1958 until 1980 and from 1980 until 1983 as a maintenance man for the North Little Rock Housing Authority, according to the lawsuit. It was during this time and through his work that he was exposed to asbestos.

In his complaint, Mahan alleges the defendants should have known of the harmful effects of asbestos, but failed to exercise reasonable care and caution for the plaintiff’s safety, the lawsuit states.

As a result of his asbestos-related disease, Mahan became disabled and disfigured, incurred medical costs and suffered great physical pain and mental anguish, the complaint says. In addition, he became prevented from pursuing his normal course of employment and, as a result, lost large sums of money that would have accrued to him, he claims.

Mahan is seeking a judgment of more than $50,000, compensatory damages of more than $100,000, punitive and exemplary damages of more than $100,000 and punitive damages in an amount sufficient to punish the defendants, plus other relief the court deems just. (madisonrecord.com)

Tags: Asbestos, Asbestos Exposure, asbestos lawsuit, Asbestos Mesothelioma, Asbestos Settlement

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