When you're suffering from the loss of a loved one, it can be difficult to think about doing anything -- even pursuing a lawsuit over someone else's negligent or reckless actions. You might also be uncomfortable with the idea that others may think you are trying to profit from your family member's death.
Does your popcorn ceiling contain asbestos?
Texturized or “popcorn” ceilings used to be a popular way of hiding imperfections and improving acoustics. While this was an incredibly popular design element through much of the 20th century, the primary component of blown-on texture was asbestos up until the Clean Air Act of 1978. Asbestos fibers, when inhaled, are known to cause diseases such as asbestosis and mesothelioma.
Do your child's crayons contain asbestos?
As a parent, you would never expect that school supplies, used as directed, could be hazardous to your child’s health. Unfortunately, too many toys and school supplies contain dangerous substances, such as asbestos. What’s even more unsettling is that some hazardous components are legal, up to a certain level, in children’s products.
What funeral expenses are covered in a wrongful death claim?
Losing someone in a needless accident is tremendously painful and tragic -- and the tragedy can be compounded by devastating financial consequences, including funeral costs.
Early detection of mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos. Fortunately, the amount of asbestos in everyday products has dramatically decreased over the past 50 years. However, there are still many people who are being exposed to the deadly fibers. These people are at risk of developing mesothelioma and other cancers.
More asbestos may be moving into the United States
Asbestos is such a well-known carcinogen that it has now been banned in at least 55 countries around the world. The United States, however, isn't one of them.
New Hampshire looking to curb asbestos exposure in schools
Asbestos can be found in many schools throughout New Hampshire. Builders frequently used asbestos because it was cheap and highly resistant to fire. It is also highly tensile, meaning it can be stretched and woven into other materials to improve that material’s heat resistance. Throughout its peak use in the 50s, 60s and 70s, schools used asbestos-contaminated concrete, roofing, vinyl and numerous other materials.
Asbestos exposure can happen to anyone
A recent pipe explosion in New York City sprayed asbestos onto the street, surrounding buildings and lingering in the air. In Washington state, an asbestos removal company was fined hundreds of thousands of dollars for exposing workers and the public to asbestos dust. In New Orleans, parents confronted charter school administrators for potentially exposing their children to asbestos during an improper removal. This all happened within the last month.
How important are the survival rates for mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that can strike decades after someone is exposed to asbestos fibers in the air. Historically, long-term survival rates for the disease have been poor -- but statistics aren't everything.
Series of asbestos abatement errors result in school closure
When asbestos is identified, significant trust is placed in the hands of the experts hired to remove it. For many parents of children at New Orleans, Lafayette Academy Charter School, as well as the staff who work there, that trust has been broken. Grave errors in the renovation process have resulted in the school’s temporary closure.
Exercise your right to obtain records of asbestos exposure
Because asbestos products were so widely used in multiple industries for decades, there are a lot of former laborers, public works employees, maintenance workers and others who still remain at risk of developing mesothelioma or other asbestos-related lung disorders in their lifetime.