Asbestos Mesothelioma Lawyer
Asbestos and Mesothelioma
Asbestos Lawsuit Results In $868,000 Plaintiff's Verdict
Category: Asbestos News
A San Francisco Superior Court jury recently returned an asbestos related verdict of $868,000 for the family of a drywall taper that died as a result of his prolonged exposure to asbestos containing products and mixes. Douglas Ivance spent his entire adult life as a dry wall taper where he used asbestos containing products, including joint compounds and sprays manufactured by Rich-Tex, Inc. a Richmond, California based supplier. The compounds and sprays utilized asbestos in their manufacture and when mixed and applied as directed, asbestos fibers and dust particles were released into the air which Ivance breathed. In April of 2003 Ivance, died on Easter Sunday from complications of severe asbestos-related pleural disease and asbestoses. The jury awarded $368,787.64 in economic damages and $500,000 in non-economic damages after determing Rich-Tex could have took precautions to prevent this unfortunate result.
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Mesomark-A New Test For The Early Detection Of Mesothelioma
Category: Mesothelioma News
For those affected by the deadly cancer of mesothelioma after prolonged exposure to asbestos containing fibers and products, Mesomark might just be the newest aid in monitoring and controlling the fatal disease. Since its approval for humanitarian use in the United States by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in January of this year, many all over the world have already benefited from it use. Manufactured by Fujirebio Diagnostics, (FDI) Mesomark is a new blood testing kit designed to detect Soluble Mesothelin-Related Peptides (SMRP) in human serum. When evaluated over time, it is said to be useful in determining who might develop mesothelioma and further monitor the condition in those that already do.
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"Ban Asbestos in America Act of 2007"-A Good Start To An Old Problem
Category: Asbestos News
Recent debate has sparked the necessary movement toward an outright ban of asbestos use in the United States as of late and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) has now taken these efforts one-step further through the introduction of her legislation, "Ban Asbestos in America Act of 2007." The legislation, which has gained the support of many renown doctors and civic organizations alike, is geared toward mandating a reduction of asbestos containing products and materials over time with the eventual goal of achieving a total ban of the deadly product within the next few years. The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation and Dr. Harvey Pass of the NYU School of Medicine see this as a great step toward eliminating a product that has caused the death of thousands and is expected to cause thousands more in the future.
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Asbestos Lawsuit Filed After Kansas City Man Dies From Mesothelioma
Category: Mesothelioma Lawsuits
On February 28, 2007 the estate of Robert Briggs filed an asbestos lawsuit in Madison County Circuit Court after claiming his death was wrongful and should have been prevented. Briggs, who worked for Owens Corning and Jay Wolfe Pontiac in Kansas City for many years, died from Mesothelioma on March 21, 2005. In the complaint, 94 defendant corporations have been named as responsible parties as it is believed that many of them knowingly exposed Briggs unnecessarily to asbestos containing products and fibers.
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Fundraiser Promotes Asbestos And Mesothelioma Awareness
Category: Asbestos and Mesothelioma
In a recent fund raiser concerned with the promotion of asbestos exposure and the effects of mesothelioma, the Pacific Heart, Lung & Blood Institute raised $250,000 for asbestos cancer research last week in an effort to promote further exposure to the deadly disease and health condition. The fund raiser included performances by the Grammy Award- winning jazz trumpeter Chris Botti and the 2006 Tour de France winner Floyd Landis who gave their support in an effort to bring awareness and support to the worthy cause.
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Money Drives Continued Use Of Asbestos With No End In Sight
Category: Asbestos and Mesothelioma
If you think asbestos and the deadly disease of mesothelioma is a thing of the past you better think again. Yes it would make perfect sense that no one in the United States would still use the deadly fiber but many industries both here and abroad still refuse to use other safer alternatives. Why would any company or facility use asbestos containing products in this day and time knowing full well what its deadly effects are (mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung scarring, respiratory problems, etc.)? The answer is really quite simple: money. It is still much cheaper material to use for a varity of reasons which is the only reason many corporations and entities need to justify their answer. They do not care what it does to its employees and/or the deadly effects it can have on their loved ones. It is a shame in this day and time that this is the case but for those of us who deal with companies and manufacturers on a regular basis, I can not say that it surprises me. Dr. Barry I Castleman, one of the world's formost experts on asbestos, discusses his thoughts on the continued use of asbestos here.
Why Are Mesothelioma Verdicts And Settlements So Large?
Category: Asbestos and Mesothelioma
For anyone that has not fully experienced the effects of asbestos or seen the devastating effects mesothelioma can have on a family it might be difficult for them to understand why so many juries decide to give such large awards in jury trials around the United States and the world abroad. The simple reason is, more times than not, that a company or manufacturer knowingly decided it was more important to save company funds by using asbestos containing products rather than other safer products which would not have exposed its employees to the caner causing materials. In essence, the companies and/or manufacturers actively chose to put profits over people. The large awards given in cases where such actions and decisions have taken place is societies way of saying these entities should not have put profits over people.
To better unerstand the devastating effects these profit driven decisions can have you have to look no further than Rick Erickson's story who grew up in Libby, Montana.
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Settlement Fund Approved For Asbestos Exposed Victims
Category: Asbestos News
A settlement fund has been approved for Owens Corning, a building material manufacturer and producer, that will compensate over 2,000 Puget Sound residents after being exposed to and suffering from asbestos related fibers and materials.
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New Second Hand Mesothelioma Lawsuit Filed In Madison County
Category: Mesothelioma Lawsuits
A retired Florida man recently filed a lawsuit in Madison County Circuit Court after being diagnosed with mesothelioma. The diagnosis was linked to years of exposure to asbestos products and fibers in his home and at various worksites. Louis Holzworth worked as a factory worker, warehouse foreman, and molder among others for a period in excess of 40 years. His wife Joan worked as an inspector with Amphenol Corporation and was believed to have brought home particles of asbestos dust on her work clothing that subsequently became airborne in the family home.
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Asbestos Exposure Linked To All States
Category: Asbestos News
Unfortunately for those affected by prolonged exposure to asbestos, the efects can be deadly. Prolonged exposure can lead to the development of mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, and/or other debilitating conditions. Based on current information and evidence, asbestos has been shown to affect those who reside in the following states: Alabama (AL); Alaska (AK); Arizona (AZ); Arkansas (AR); California (CA); Colorado (CO); Connecticut (CT); Delaware (DE); Florida (FL); Georgia (GA); Hawaii (HI); Idaho (ID); Illinois (IL); Indiana (IN); Iowa (IA); Kansas (KS); Kentucky (KY); Louisiana (LA); Maine (ME); Maryland (MD); Massachusetts (MA); Michigan (MI); Minnesota (MN); Mississippi (MS); Missouri (MO); Montana (MT); Nebraska (NE); Nevada (NV); New Hampshire (NH); New Jersey (NJ); New Mexico (NM); New York (NY); North Carolina (NC); North Dakota (ND); Ohio (OH); Oklahoma (OK); Oregon (OR); Pennsylvania (PA); Rhode Island (RI); South Carolina (SC); South Dakota (SD); Tennessee (TN); Texas (TX) ; Utah (UT); Vermont (VT); Virginia (VI); Washington (WA); Washington DC; West Virginia (WV); Wisconsin (WI); and Wyoming (WY).
As asbestos and mesothelioma attorneys, based in Atlanta, Georgia, we have both the knowledge and resources to help just about anyone anywhere who needs legal representation or advice. If you have questions, send me a request or question and I will be happy to see what we can do to help. As always, all consultations and questions are completely FREE to you.
Early Detection Is Key With Mesothelioma
Category: Asbestos and Mesothelioma
Early detection and diagnosis of mesothelioma is key in surviving its tragic effects. If detected in its early stages which consists of only limited growth on the pleural lining, the tumor may still be surgically removed and curable. When this is the case, many go on to live out otherwise healthy and fulfilling lives. When the tumor is not found during stage 1, additional treatment and other precautions must be taken to reduce the further advancement of the cancer in otherwise normal structures. Stages II, III, and IV are deemed the advanced stages of mesothelioma. More information will follow on these advanced stages of mesothelioma in following posts.
Early Symptoms of Mesothelioma
Category: Asbestos and Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma, once contracted, usually takes a long time to become apparent in the carrier and to fully develop. In many instances, those who contract mesthelioma will not even know they have the disease for up to 15 to 50 years after exposure. The early symptoms associated with mesothelioma usually start out as chest pains or shortness of breath. Other symptoms may include weight loss, fever, blood clots, and/or abdominal pains. Because of these early symptoms, it is understandable to see why so many people are initally misdiagnosed with asthma or other respiratory related problems.
Whatever the symptoms, only a doctor can officially diagnosis someone with mesothelioma. A diagnosis usually occurs after a serious of diagnostic tests and a careful review of the patients history and potential exposure to asbestos.
How Rare Is Mesothelioma?
Category: Asbestos and Mesothelioma
The number of diagnosed Mesothelioma patients has increased over the last 20 years but the number of incidences remains very low with approximately 14 new cases per million people per year. According to the National Cancer Institute, that amounts to about 2,000 new cases of Mesothelioma each year in the United States. Due to the nature of the work and products that typically expose people to asbestos, most of the new cases these days are found in middle aged males. There have been however a few cases of women who develop Mesothelioma as well. Many of these of which have been related to second hand exposure of asbestos.
Understanding The Mesothelium
Category: Asbestos and Mesothelioma
The mesothelium is double-layered membrane that protects the internal organs of the body including the heart, lungs and reproductive organs of both males and females. The visceral membrane layer surrounds the organ itself while the other outer layer called the parietal membrane forms a sac around both the organ and visceral membrane collectively. A lubricating fluid is produced by the mesothelium that aids in the glide like movement of the organs such as when a lung expands after taking a breath or when a heart beats in order to pump blood throughout the rest of the body. Depending on its location in the body, the mesothelium has different names: the most common ones are the pleura (surrounds the lungs and chest wall linings), the pericardium (surrounds the heart) and the peritoneum (tissue that covers most the organs in the abdomen).
Asbestos: What is it?
Category: Asbestos and Mesothelioma
Asbestos is the common name for a group of fibrous silicate minerals that is primarily used for thermal insulation and stability in many industrial products including, but not limited to, flooring products, textiles, cement, brake linings, fire proofing materials, insulated products, and various other building materials. Once these Asbestos containing materials are disturbed or damaged, usually during the manufacturing process, microscopic bundles of fibers are released into the air. Once airborne, these fibers can be inhaled or swallowed by those near and around them ultimately causing serious health problems and concerns. The most notable health problem associated with Asbestos is its link to a deadly form of cancer called Mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma: What is it?
Category: Asbestos and Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a rare but progressive form of cancer that commonly develops in the mesothelium. It is commonly referred to as "cancer of the mesothelium". The mesothelium is a protective membrane to most of the body's internal organs and cavities that allows moving organs, such as the heart and lungs, to function properly. Most people who ultimately develop Mesothelioma have had some form of continued exposure to a naturally occurring group of minerals called Asbestos.