Asbestos & Mesothelioma Law Blog

From World War II to the 1980s, workers in all facets of the steel industries were unknowingly exposed to high levels of asbestos. Instead of enjoying their “golden years,” many of those men and women are now facing the ordeal of mesothelioma or disabling lung disease.

Mesothelioma is an asbestos-related cancer that invades the mesothelium – the lining of tissue that surround vital organs.  The most common is pleural mesothelioma or cancer of the lining of the lungs.  Approximately 3000 Americans are diagnosed with mesothelioma per year and symptoms of mesothelioma generally occur approximately 20 to 30 years after the asbestos exposure.

Because of its insulation and fireproofing qualities, asbestos was widely used in steel foundries, mills and metal works:

NYU researchers presented a study at the 102^nd American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting that led to a new test that detects early-stage, asbestos-related pulmonary cancer.  The NYU Langone Medical Center investigated a protein test to detect early stage malignant pleural mesothelioma where the test was 80 percent sensitive to accurately identifying the pulmonary cancer proteins caused by asbestos exposure.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is an aggressive, asbestos related cancer that invades the lining of tissue that surround the lungs.  Approximately 3000 Americans are diagnosed with mesothelioma per year and symptoms of mesothelioma generally occur approximately 20 to 30 years after the asbestos exposure.  The disease can be fatal with 12 months following the diagnosis because of its aggressive nature and it typically is diagnosed in the advanced stages of the cancer.

The lead researcher, Harvey I. Pass, MD, director of the division of Thoracic Surgery and Thoracic Oncology at NYU, said the goal of the new diagnostic test is to find the asbestos-related cancer early enough to effectively treat.  Dr Pass went on to say that “the only patients that seem to benefit from therapy in mesothelioma are those that are found in Stage 1, and this is only 10 to 15 percent of patients,” reasoning that the “magnitude of the operation necessary to reduce the burden of disease may be less, making the patient better able to cope if the disease recurs and the patient needs more aggressive therapy.”

The American Thoracic Society (ATS) will hold their annual international symposium on pulmonary care scheduled for May 13-18, 2011 in Denver, Colorado.  The ATS conference is titled “Where today’s science meets tomorrow’s care in pulmonary, critical care & sleep medicine” and will feature topics from bioengineering to genetic technologies.  The ATS conference brings researchers in pulmonary care together to develop new treatments for lung diseases such as mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is an asbestos-related cancer that invades the mesothelium – the lining of tissue that surround vital organs.  The most common is pleural mesothelioma or cancer of the lining of the lungs.  Approximately 3000 Americans are diagnosed with mesothelioma per year and symptoms of mesothelioma generally occur approximately 20 to 30 years after the asbestos exposure.

The ATS Scientific Breakthroughs of the Year session will focus on advances in lung tissue bioengineering.  “Lung tissue bioengineering has become an exciting area in lung research,” according to Angela Panoskaltsis-Mortari, PhD, co-chair of the session.  She also added “Rapid advances in tissue engineering have demonstrated the potential of developing functional tissue, which could be used in place of whole-lung transplants.”   Although there continues to be breakthroughs in the areas of bioengineering and genetics, there, nevertheless, needs to be more studies and clinical trials to bring new treatments to mesothelioma patients.

Construction workers are often involved in the renovation and upgrading of buildings or industrial complexes.  As a result, construction workers may be at a high risk of asbestos exposure.  Asbestos is a mineral fiber linked to mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis.  Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that attacks the lining of the organs caused asbestos exposure.

There were a number of products manufactured and used in the construction industry that contained asbestos and exposed construction workers to the hazardous mineral.  Examples of the construction products that contained asbestos were:

• Shingles,

Mesothelioma trial results in a $90 million jury award to a former pipefitter.  A jury in Bloomington, Illinois awarded $90million to 59 year-old Charles Gillenwater who is suffering from mesothelioma.  Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that attacks the protective lining of the heart, lungs and abdomen that is caused by asbestos exposure.  The pipe fitter was exposed to asbestos during the 1970s while working at a several job sites including Bridgestone-Firestone, The Eureka Company and Illinois State University.

Mesothelioma cancer invades the mesothelium – the lining of tissue that surround vital organs.  The most common is pleural mesothelioma or cancer of the lining of the lungs.  Mesothelioma also attacks the lining of either the heart, abdomen, or testicles.  Symptoms of mesothelioma generally occur approximately 20 to 30 years after the asbestos exposure and include shortness of breath, chest pain and a persistent cough.  In most instances, mesothelioma is diagnosed in the advanced stages leaving the victim with 8 months to 18 months to live.  Mesothelioma is treated with chemotherapy, surgery and radiation in an effort to extend the patient’s life.

The trial lasted for five weeks and the jury deliberated for two days before awarding compensatory damages of $9.6 million against Honeywell International, Inc., Owens-Illinois, Inc., John Crane, Inc. and Pneumo Abex.  The jury also awarded $20 million in punitive damages against Honeywell International, Inc. and Pneumo Abex and $40 million in punitive damages against Owens-Illinois.

The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) will hold its 7^th Annual Asbestos Awareness Conference in Atlanta, Georgia on April 1-3.  ADAO will honor Billy Ray Cyrus at this conference.  Billy Ray Cyrus will receive an award on behalf of his late father Ron Cyrus who passed in 2006 from mesothelioma.  The artist has been quoted “Hearing the name Ron Cyrus still gives me chills.  He was everything to me, but most of all he was my best friend – and mesothelioma robbed me of that relationship.”  The country star will pay tribute to his father on April 2 in Atlanta, Georgia on receiving the ADAO “Warren Zevon Keep Me in Your Heart” honor.

In addition to honoring Billy Ray Cyrus, the annual ADAO conference titled Asbestos:  Impact on Public Health, Environment, and the Economy will have presentations on asbestos exposure issues, asbestos detection and treatment, environmental and economic impact, national and global policy.  Asbestos exposure causes mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis and other asbestos-related diseases.

Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer linked to asbestos exposure.  Mesothelioma cancer invades the mesothelium – the lining of tissue that surround vital organs.  The most common is pleural mesothelioma or cancer of the lining of the lungs.  Mesothelioma also attacks the lining of either the heart, abdomen, or testicles.  Symptoms of mesothelioma generally occur approximately 20 to 30 years after the asbestos exposure and include shortness of breath, chest pain and a persistent cough.  In most instances, mesothelioma is diagnosed in the advanced stages leaving the victim with 8 months to 18 months to live.  Mesothelioma is treated with chemotherapy, surgery and radiation in an effort to extend the patient’s life.

Homeowners especially those who complete do-it-yourself projects may be at an increased risk of asbestos exposure in tackling their own remodeling jobs in older homes. In doing so, homeowners may encounter old or “friable” asbestos in their homes.  Examples of asbestos products in older homes may include:

• Insulation in attics
• Insulation wrapped around wires or pipes

Homeowners may be at risk of exposure to asbestos due to the insulation either in the attic or wrapped  around wire or pipes.   In addition to the low cost of asbestos insulation, it has insulating characteristics that make it exceptionally useful in home application.  Asbestos insulation is light and can be installed without difficulty into confining spaces such as residential attics.

Asbestos fibers in vermiculite are too small to be seen by the naked eye so only a trained technician with a microscope can see asbestos fibers. Therefore, to be safe, you should assume that vermiculite insulation may be contaminated with asbestos. Make every effort not to disturb the insulation.

Homeowners especially those who complete do-it-yourself projects may be at an increased risk of asbestos exposure in tackling their own remodeling jobs in older homes. In doing so, homeowners may encounter old or “friable” insulation in attics, wrapped around wires or pipes, or elsewhere in their homes such as older boilers. Asbestos containing insulation can lead to the development asbestos related diseases including pleural plaques, asbestosis, and mesothelioma. As such, we strongly recommend that you hire a trained and certified asbestos contractor to remove the insulation and other “friable” asbestos containing products in the home.

Insulation is used in a host of applications and has long been associated with asbestos.  At one time, the workers who installed insulation were often referred to as “asbestos workers” because the majority of insulation produced contained asbestos.  Asbestos was used in insulation because of its unique properties of fire resistance and heat insulation.

Asbestos insulation could be found and is sometimes still found around boilers, generators, furnaces, ovens, pipes and electrical wires.   Construction insulation products that contained asbestos include:

• Blown-in Insulation

The dangers of asbestos were known to the owners of the oil refineries and petrochemical and chemical manufacturing facilities long before they were finally forced to stop using asbestos-containing products and remedy the facilities or replace the contaminated machinery.

Temperature control is key to the efficient operations of these facilities.  As a result, asbestos was used extensively because of its insulation properties.  Refineries and chemical and petrochemical manufacturing plants, for example, typically contain miles of piping insulated in the past with asbestos.  In addition to the insulated piping, cracking coils in refineries as well as boilers and vats in chemical plants were often insulated with asbestos.  Still further, valves and pumps with asbestos gaskets and packing were installed in these facilities.

The construction of these facilities required teams of pipe fitters, plumbers and other outside specialty trades.   The day-to-day maintenance of refineries and chemical plants is typically performed by the full-time staff.  The dismantling of these facilities was typically done by demolition specialists and.  During the construction, maintenance and demolition of these facilities, the refinery, chemical and petrochemical workers were at an increased risk of asbestos exposure.