Asbestos Mesothelioma Archive

Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Linked to Asbestos?

March 24th, 2010. By janem

My close friend was recently diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma-a cancer that began as a tumor in his stomach. Denys just turned 50; he’s a non-smoker and fitness freak. Not even two months after his diagnosis Denys barely has the energy to buy groceries from the corner store-although that could also be due to the chemotherapy kicking the hell out of him.

The doctors can’t explain how or why he has this type of cancer, but his gastrointestinal specialist said that these types of tumors are often seen in people who have worked with asbestos years ago.

“From 1980 to 1995 I worked in home renos, ripping out walls and replacing vermiculite insulation in ceilings with fiberglass,” says Denys. ” Back in those days people weren’t aware; we had no idea.”  (Although mining stopped near Libby, Montana in 1990, The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health reports that vermiculite is still used throughout the world. It was contaminated with asbestos and asbestos-like fibers. Workplace exposure to these fibers caused-and is still causing– a serious health problem.)

According to asbestos.com, there have been several studies that have suggested a connection between lymphoma and exposure to asbestos, but it also says that no studies have produced conclusive evidence Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Asbestos Mesothelioma | 25 Comments »

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
Posted in Asbestos Mesothelioma | No Comments »

Asbestos News Roundup: 3.11.10

March 11th, 2010. By LucyC

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

Asbestos Lawsuits

Among the many asbestos lawsuits filed in the past month are:

Madison County, IL: David Lee Worthington and Doris Ann Wilkey of Florida who allege that Mr. Worthington developed mesothelioma as a result of his work as a laborer for Griffin Construction from 1959 until 1961, as an electrical apprentice for A&W Wiring from 1962 until 1965, as an electrician for IBEW Local 1701 from 1965 until 1985, as an electrician for Progress Energy from 1985 until 2000 and as a home improvement worker from 1943 until 1959. (Madisoncountyrecord.com) 

Madison County, IL: Robert and Kathie Highland of Arkansas claim Robert Highland developed mesothelioma resulting from exposure to asbestos through his work as a welder and pipefitter at Farmland Industries from 1966 until 2003, and as a welder and pipefitter at Koch Industries from 2003 until 2006. (Madisoncountyrecord.com)

Madison County, IL: Geraldine and Forrest Blazer of Ohio, allege that Geraldine developed mesothelioma as a result of secondary or ‘take home’ asbestos exposure from her father’s work clothing. He worked as a shipbuilder for Bethlehem Steel from 1940 until 1943. She also claims exposure through her husband’s work as an asphalt worker for Brewer and Brewer and as a construction worker for V.N. Holderman. (Madisoncountyrecord.com)

Asbestos Hot Spots

San Francisco, CA:  Construction work at a large development project located on the old Hunters Point Naval Shipyard was temporarily halted due to higher than acceptable levels of airborne asbestos fibers detected on the site. Asbestos occurs naturally in the SF Bay Area serpentine soils, including the ground at the 63-acre site where 1,600 homes are scheduled to be built this April. (San Francisco Examiner)

Asbestos Law

Natchez, MI:  Two Mississippi lawyers have been found guilty of fraud against a railroad company named as a defendant in an asbestos lawsuit. The attorneys, William Guy and Thomas Brock, had given false information in a pair of questionnaires submitted by Illinois Central Railroad while settling with two of their clients, a federal jury ruled. Additionally, the jury found that both lawyers had not disclosed that their clients, Warren Turner and Willie Harried, were previously involved in an asbestos mass action. Turner had received a $120,000 settlement from Illinois Central, while Willie Harried had been awarded $90,000.

The jury ruled for the settlement funds to be returned, plus another $210,000 in punitive damages. (WV Record.com)

Tags: Asbestos, Asbestos Mesothelioma
Posted in Asbestos Mesothelioma | No Comments »

Asbestos News Roundup: 3.4.10

March 4th, 2010. By LucyC

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

Asbestos Lawsuits

Kanawha County, WV: CSX Transportation is facing an asbestos lawsuit filed by three women, two of whom allege they lost immediate family members as a result of asbestos exposure, and a third woman who claims she developed asbestosis and lung cancer while working for CSX. 

Crystal Morris claims that her father, Stuart McQuan, who died of asbestos lung cancer, developed the deadly disease as a result of exposure to asbestos on the job. Similarly, Pamela Geary’s husband, Virgil Floyd Geary, died of lung cancer resulting from asbestos exposure.

The third woman, Donna Barber, worked for CSX and claims the she was exposed to asbestos on the job, which has resulted in her developing asbestosis and lung cancer (Mesothelioma.com)

Jefferson County, TX: The representative of Jimmy Brumley’s estate has filed an asbestos lawsuit naming 49 companies as defendants. The suit claims that Brumley developed asbestos-related lung disease as a result of his work as a union insulator from 1953 to 1998 when he retired, and that the defendant companies did not warn Mr. Brumley of the dangers of working with asbestos products. 

The defendants named in the suit are: Azko Nobel Polymer Chemicals, Akzona Inc., Alcoa Inc., American Cyanamid Co., Ametek, AMF Incorporated, Anco Insulations, Ashland Oil, Atlantic Richfield, BP America, BP Products North America, Branton Insulations, CBS/Viacom/Westinghouse, Celanese, Champlain Cable Corp., Citgo Petroleum Corp., Columbian Chemicals Co., Conocophillips Co., Crown Central, CSR Ltd., Dow Chemical Co., E.I. Dupont De Nemours and Co., EA Development and Eagle Inc.

Also named are: ELF Aquitaine, Entergy Gulf States Louisiana, Exxonmobil, Foster Wheeler Energy Corp., Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Asbestos, Asbestos Mesothelioma
Posted in Asbestos Mesothelioma | No Comments »

Asbestos News Roundup: 2.25.10

February 25th, 2010. By LucyC

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

Asbestos Lawsuits

Madison County, IL: A total of 18 new asbestos lawsuits were filed between February 8 and 12. They include a lawsuit filed by Geraldine R. and Forrest Blazer of Ohio. The couple allege that Geraldine developed asbestos mesothelioma as a result of secondary or “take home” exposure to asbestos fibers through her father’s work as a shipbuilder for Bethlehem Steel from 1940 until 1943 and through her husband’s work as an asphalt worker for Brewer and Brewer in 1959, and from 1960 until 1977, and as a construction worker for V.N. Holderman from 1959 until 1960. (madisonrecord.com)

James Charles and Pamela B. Smith of Pennsylvania have also filed one of the 18 asbestos lawsuits. They allege that James developed asbestos mesothelioma as a result of his work, which included being in the U.S. Navy from 1966 until 1969, working as a machinist mate on the USS Soley until his discharge in 1969; working as a salesman and store manager for RCP Electronics from 1969 until 1981; working as a salesman for Homelite Power Equipment from 1981 until 1993; and working as an outside sales representative for Cooper Industries from 1994 until 2009. (madisonrecord.com)

Asbestos Removal

Tampa, FL:  Four men were arrested and charged on February 18^th, with violating environmental laws governing asbestos removal. They were responsible for the conversion of the Indian Pass Apartments to Barefoot Beach Resort, located on Gulf Blvd. 

While the conversion of the apartments actually took place in 2004, the project manager, James Roger Edwards, pled guilty to charges of violating environmental laws on February 14, 2010, and this led to the arrest and conviction of several other individuals. 

The scenario in which the violations occurred involved using drywall to cover up spray-textured ceilings that contained asbestos, rather than spending $300,000 on remediation. Not only did this disturb the asbestos coating, but the men contracted to do the work were not provided with proper protective equipment or disposable clothing, both of which are required by law. (mesotheliomaweb.org) 

The Clean Air Act and Asbestos Removal

Asbestos is classified as a hazardous air pollutant under the United States Clean Air Act (first passed in 1963 and last amended in 1990). Clean Air Act provisions regarding asbestos, specifically its nature, definitions of removal techniques, and removal standards, are all itemized under the National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) regulations. (mesotheliomaweb.org)

Tags: Asbestos, Asbestos Mesothelioma
Posted in Asbestos Mesothelioma | No Comments »