Annually, out of the 3,000 mesothelioma cases diagnosed and 10,000 deaths, approximately 30 percent are veterans; veterans who were never warned that being exposed to asbestos was deadly and who are now not able to receive the care they so desperately need from the VA.
How does asbestos product exposure make people sick?
This blog has included many posts about the acute health hazard for people in North Carolina, and other states, posed by the continuing presence of asbestos-containing materials in older buildings. We have also written about the hazards of asbestos product exposure faced by people who have worked in the construction, steam-fitting, ship-building and heating industries since the end of World War II. In this post, we want to return to the basics: what is asbestos and how does it make people sick.
Family recovers $14M in mesothelioma case
Mesothelioma is a terrible disease that impacts the lungs of individuals throughout the nation, including North Carolina. It is fatal and often tied to asbestos exposure that may have occurred decades before the disease is diagnosed. When that exposure is tied to an occupation someone once had, it may be possible for the person who is ill to recover damages in a lawsuit. The family of a man with mesothelioma, who lived in another state, recently succeeded in that endeavor.
Preemption of state court claims in asbestos litigation
When it comes to seeking compensation in asbestos litigation, determining the appropriate avenue for doing so is not always a straightforward matter. In asbestos litigation, determining the right avenue for compensation is important in order to ensure that an exposure victim or his or her estate is properly compensated. In some cases, a victim of asbestos exposure may run into problems seeking compensation. One such possibility is when an asbestos claim is blocked due to federal preemption.
Danger of asbestos product exposure still lurks
Despite decades of awareness in North Carolina, and elsewhere, about the health hazards created by the use of asbestos as a construction and insulation material, the mineral continues to pose problems for the owners of older buildings that are undergoing renovation. This phenomenon has been once again illustrated by an order issued by a state environmental protection agency fining a building owner for using improper techniques to remove asbestos-containing products from an old mill building.
Workers' comp deemed exclusive remedy in mesothelioma case
There is no question that mesothelioma is a serious medical condition. Sadly, many people who contract the disease do so as a result of conditions they encountered while working to make a living to support themselves and their families. It has impacted many people who in the course of their jobs were exposed to asbestos. Fortunately it may be possible for those impacted by the condition to recoup damages related to contracting the disease.
N.C. attorneys can identify sources of asbestos exposure
The following scenario is far too common. A person living in North Carolina who has worked diligently in the construction industry receives a diagnosis that he is suffering from mesothelioma, an especially lethal form of lung cancer. The doctor tells the patient that exposure to asbestos fibers is the likely cause of the disease and suggests that damages may be recovered from responsible parties. The patient had no idea that he had been exposed to asbestos fibers and, more importantly, he could not identify the makers of the various asbestos-containing products. With no way of identifying the makers of these hazardous products, the patient is about to give up. Can anything be done?
Asbestos: Safe removal is as important as safe handling
People who are familiar with asbestos likely know that they should not handle it without proper protection, from adequate clothing to a strong understanding of asbestos handling laws and procedures. But protecting yourself from asbestos isn't just about how you should or should not handle it directly. You also need to know how to get rid of materials contaminated with asbestos.
What are the rates of survival for those with mesothelioma?
When a North Carolina resident is diagnosed with mesothelioma, some might believe that it is just another form of cancer that can be treated and lived with, at least for a period of time. Unlike other cancers, mesothelioma can be hard to treat and have a short survival time for those who receive the disease diagnosis. To compound the issue, mesothelioma is often the result of unsafe workplace factors and the use of certain substances like asbestos, which were either downplayed as to their danger, or the victims were not even informed of its presence at home, at work or at school.
Skin rashes could be a sign of asbestos exposure
Readers of this blog are likely aware of the fact that people with asbestos-related illnesses often experience few or no symptoms of their condition until the disease has already done considerable damage. Additionally, the symptoms that do arise can easily be mistaken for signs of other illnesses and patients are misdiagnosed.
ExxonMobil accused of 'gross neglect' in worker's death
In our last blog post, we discussed the damages that may be awarded in wrongful death lawsuits. Recently, the surviving spouse of one man filed a lawsuit seeking these types of damages.
