U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulators and W.R. Grace & Co. executives are reportedly scrambling to come up with a plan to stop further contamination of several Montana rivers after EPA tests showed that many of the waterways contain dangerous levels of asbestos. However, because much less is known about the dangers to people, animals and wildlife from asbestos that is ingested than from asbestos that is inhaled, it will likely be some time before a solution is found.
North Dakota workers at increased risk of erionite exposure
Earlier this week, we wrote about the increasing awareness of the risk of mesothelioma as a result of exposure to erionite, a mineral that is found in the soil of at least 12 states in the western U.S. Recently, officials with the federal National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommended that employers take a series of steps to protect their employees from the dangers of erionite exposure.
Officials recommend safety procedure for dangerous mineral
Last month, we wrote about a mineral that was recently proven to be much more carcinogenic to people who were exposed to it than asbestos and asbestos products. However, many people were, and still are unaware of the dangers of exposure to the mineral, causing an increase in mesothelioma diagnoses in the region in which it is prevalent.
Should asbestos lawsuits be heard in special 'science courts'?
Knowing what we now know about the dangers of asbestos exposure, it seems pretty unbelievable that asbestos were widely used in construction, plumbing, and several other industries within just the last 50 years, causing high instances of mesothelioma among former workers in these fields. Although researchers and medical professionals are hard at work to find a cure for mesothelioma, there is still much that remains to be discovered about the disease. This can lead to a significant amount of back-and-forth in court, as personal injury attorneys debate the merits of various scientific claims.
Breathalyzer test may help diagnose Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a serious cancer that attacks the ultra thin membrane that lines the chest and abdomen. Mesothelioma is caused by long term exposure to asbestos fibers that are breathed into the body. The most common type of the cancer is Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma or MPM which affects the lungs and often requires drastic surgical treatment or painful radiation or chemotherapy.
Court: release bars recovery for later lung cancer diagnosis
In 1995, a former employee of CSX Transportation Inc. signed a release agreement which discharged the company from all liability for injuries or diseases he acquired as a result of being exposed to asbestos during his employment with the company. In exchange for signing that release, the company paid the former employee $12,000.
Plaintiff's letter to asbestos witnesses was 'unfair and improper'
More than a dozen potential witnesses to an asbestos lawsuit may not be able to testify after the presiding judge ruled that a letter sent to those witnesses by the plaintiff's attorney was an "unfair and improper tactic." Now, the prejudicial effect of that letter on each witness will be established by the judge on a case-by-case basis, which will determine whether or not the witness can testify in court.
