Archive for category Exposure
Widespread asbestos violations in Massachusetts schools
Posted by Marc@SokoloveLaw in Exposure on July 28, 2010
We’ve got another story out of Sokolove’s home state of Massachusetts — this time not quite as heartwarming.
Home of the original settlement from Europeans, many towns here in Massachusetts were founded in the early 1600s. While few of the buildings in this state date back that far, it is safe to say Massachusetts is home to many more aged structures than most other states.
This includes schools — many of which were built in the early twentieth century. With these aging structures comes the threat of widespread asbestos exposure for thousands of students, and a recent press release from the group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) highlights just how dangerous this problem really is.
PEER described non-compliance with federal asbestos regulations as “widespread” and recommends the Federal Government intervene to coordinate mass-abatement procedures.
Australian couple defies warnings to leave contaminated town
Posted by Marc@SokoloveLaw in Exposure on July 6, 2010
In a story a bit out of left field, an Australian news outlet profiles a couple who have decided to continue life in a former asbestos mining town that has been all but quarantined by the Australian government.
Mario Hartmann and Gail Malcom are one of only eight remaining residents in the barren Western Australian town of Wittenoom. Once a booming mining town in the 1950s and 1960s, Wittenoom attracted new residents to fill high-paying mining jobs. But the closure of the mine in 1966 amid concerns of asbestos’ toxicity commenced the town’s slow demise into its current state.
The town is no longer recognized by the government, after a massive cleanup attempt failed to lower asbestos levels in the area. Maps and road signs now warn travelers to keep windows closed and to stay in one’s vehicle when passing through, and the government has eliminated all basic services in the area – essentially rendering Wittenoom a ghost town.
But these dire warnings don’t seem to bother Hartmann and Malcom, the latter being the first person to move to the town in decades and subsequently meeting her future husband when everyone else seemed to be moving out. For them, it seems leaving the town they met was unthinkable – as they turned turn a government offer of $43,000 to move out.
California students unknowingly exposed to asbestos
Posted by Marc@SokoloveLaw in Exposure, Legal on June 15, 2010
In an incredible story out of Merced, Calif., the District Attorney announced charges have been filed against three construction workers for deliberately exposing teens to asbestos at a local construction site five years ago.
The group of high school students signed up for a hands-on experience to learn more about construction. However, instead of the usual hammer-and-nail or measure-and-cut exercise, the students were told to work on removing asbestos from a building being renovated on the site of the former Castle Air Force Base in Merced.
It is unclear from the video whether students were told they would be handling asbestos, but it is likely they were not – as supervisors neglected to give warn them of the dangers of what they were doing and failed to provide protective gear for the students.
A spokesperson for the District Attorney’s office said seven students have come forward, but more have been unknowingly exposed and need to be tracked down. Six more have called the office back since the story has gone public, yet more need to be found.
Family of Miami Mesothelioma Victim Awarded $14 Million
Posted by Colin@SokoloveLaw in Exposure, Financial, Legal, Mesothelioma on June 15, 2010
The family of a former Miami construction firm owner has just received $14 million in compensatory and punitive damages from a mesothelioma settlement. The Miami Dade jury concluded that William Aubin’s family should receive the sum from chemical manufacturer Union Carbide after Aubin passed away from mesothelioma cancer. Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer caused almost exclusively by exposure to asbestos. The disease can take 15-40 years to appear and often starts in the lungs (pleural mesothelioma) or the abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma). Victims only average about 1 year of life post-diagnosis.
Mr. Aubin suffered his asbestos exposure from operating his construction firm that used asbestos-laden Union Carbide products for over 40 years, said his mesothelioma attorney, Juan Bauta. Because many asbestos manufacturers knew the potential hazards yet concealed this information from the public, the area of mesothelioma law has evolved to help compensate victims. In this particular case, the jury awarded the $14 million because Union Carbide was found negligent for selling their asbestos-containing products without any warning labels that the dangerous material was present. Union Carbide was not the only defendant and four of the compound manufacturers selling UC’s products were also found liable.
If you may have been exposed to asbestos, you may be entitled to financial compensation. To learn more about legal options, please contact us for a free, no-obligation evaluation of your potential claim.
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