It has been known for decades that exposure to asbestos fibers can dramatically increase a person's chances of developing mesothelioma. This illness is devastating; it can take several years to diagnose and it is often very aggressive which means that sufferers get sick very quickly and can die soon after a diagnosis. While there are some treatments that may effectively ease the symptoms, there is no cure for mesothelioma.
Beware of these asbestos-containing products
Exposure to asbestos can be deadly. The fibers, when breathed in, can do irreparable damage to a person's lungs and other organs. Sadly, the symptoms of the illnesses that are caused by asbestos exposure can take decades to start showing up. By the time a person is diagnosed, it may seem impossible to trace back to what the source of the exposure might be.
Twelve million dollar asbestos product exposure verdict affirmed
A recent state court appellate decision offers encouragement for persons in North Carolina who have suffered from asbestos product exposure. The court affirmed a $12 million jury verdict in favor of the families of men who died from mesothelioma caused by their exposure to asbestos-containing products.
Negligence lawsuit filed by former shipyard worker
Shipyard workers have been disproportionately affected by the devastating effects of asbestos for decades. Men and women who worked on military ships or in the yards were commonly exposed to asbestos on the job without being informed of how dangerous breathing in asbestos can be. Now, years later, many of these workers and their families are being diagnosed with mesothelioma and other terrible illnesses as a result of that exposure.
North Carolina asbestos lawsuit tossed out
A case regarding asbestos has come to an end in North Carolina, resulting in a summary judgment for the companies that were acting as defendants. A woman was attempting to bring the case against those companies because she claimed that the products that they made caused a man, for whose estate she has been set up as the representative, to pass away due to asbestos exposure. She said that exposure led him to develop mesothelioma, which was found in 2012. The man in question was in the military, and he served on vessels for the United States Navy. The claims were that parts on those ships used asbestos and that his exposure while serving led to the mesothelioma.
Company fined for asbestos-removal violations at family home
Owning a home is something that many people hope to do. Homeowners take a lot of pride in their homes and will often go to great lengths to make sure their home is a safe and happy place to be. However, this can require third parties to complete work on the home. If that third party is reckless and irresponsible, a homeowners dream can quickly turn into a nightmare.
Removal of Kilby Hotel rubble waiting for asbestos removal plan
The historic Kilby Hotel in High Point, N.C., collapsed on June 11, 2014, and is now a heap of rubble. Unfortunately, the hotel's remains cannot be hauled away until the state approves a plan for preventing the release of fibers from the numerous asbestos-containing products used to construct the hotel.
Lack of asbestos testing leads to $56,000 settlement
Most North Carolina residents don't worry about asbestos exposure nowadays, but the substance is still found in older buildings. Those who are exposed to it can become seriously ill and suffer from mesothelioma and other cancers. Inmates hired to remove flooring from a maintenance shop in 2013 were inadvertently exposed to asbestos. They receive $56,000 in settlements for the lack of testing.
Mesothelioma victim pursuing additional damages from Ford
The legal process of pursuing compensation for asbestos-related illnesses can be complicated and overwhelming, especially considering the fact that people are already dealing with devastating health conditions.
Woman files lawsuit after husband's mesothelioma death
Many North Carolina residents may have been exposed to asbestos in the early- to mid-1900s. Those who worked in factories, shipyards and other places where sheet metal was prominent often found out decades later that their exposure to asbestos led to mesothelioma, a deadly cancer. A union sheet metal worker who also served for several years as the union president died from asbestos exposure in June 2013, and his wife recently filed a wrongful death lawsuit against more than two dozen companies.
Judge awards $90.5 million for asbestos-related deaths
In a ruling that could have a significant impact on asbestos product liability lawsuits in North Carolina, a judge in another state awarded $90.5 million dollars to 11 families who lost members to lung cancer caused by inhalation of asbestos fibers. The ruling is striking for two reasons: first, the defendants were not manufacturers of asbestos-containing products, but instead supplied asbestos to Johns-Manville Company for use in manufacturing insulation and, second, several of the victims did not work at a Johns Manville plant.
Child endangerment case includes asbestos litigation
A plumber in New England has been convicted of child endangerment after he exposed a teenage employee to asbestos during a construction project in 2008. According to prosecutors, the 43-year-old plumber violated numerous workplace safety and environmental regulations by ordering the teenager to dispose of two boilers that were insulated with asbestos. The teen worker was ordered to do so without appropriate steps to ensure his safety and protect him against asbestos exposure.
Scientists may have found key to early mesothelioma diagnosis
Danish scientists recently announced findings that may lead to an early and definitive diagnosis of mesothelioma. No such test currently exists and, sometimes, mesothelioma victims must wait for doctors to definitively identify their cancer before aggressive therapy can be started. The tests could provide a significant benefit for anyone in North Carolina who has been exposed to asbestos fibers and may have contracted mesothelioma.
