Mesothelioma Lawyers Blog
New cases of mesothelioma in Boston are diagnosed every single day. 
Our Massachusetts mesothelioma lawyers understand that while many of these cases are the result of asbestos exposure that occurred over long periods of time many years ago and primarily in the industrial sector, an ongoing concern is the asbestos that is still inside the structures we use today.
Now there are very strict rules about how this material has to be disposed of. While very necessary, it’s not fast and it’s not cheap.
Thankfully, the Environmental Protection Agency, which oversees this whole process, is lending financial assistance to make sure this is accomplished – at least in one location.
In Worcester, about an hour west of Boston, state EPA officials have announced a $200,000 grant to help revitalize the downtown area. It was given directly to the Worcester Business Development Corporation, which is seeking to eradicate the asbestos in the older buildings located in the city’s center.
Without this extra funding, the project would have come to a screeching halt.
Use of asbestos in the construction and manufacturing fields has tapered off dramatically over the last 30 years or so. But in buildings that were erected prior to 1980, it’s still a huge issue.
Asbestos, which is a mineral that was used extensively during much of the 1900s for everything from insulation to fireproofing, was widely known to be toxic by the 1970s. Prior to that, there is evidence that a number of companies realized the toxicity and danger of it, and yet continued to use it anyway because it was cheap. That resulted in the illness of countless workers and consumers, and has led to a slew of mesothelioma litigation across the country.
Yet even given all we know of the dangers, some companies still flout the rules. Failure of contractors or companies to take proper action to remove the material can result in dangerous exposure levels to both workers and nearby residents. Ultimately, this may be the basis for a personal injury lawsuit. However, the full impact of that exposure may not be revealed for decades to come.
That’s part of what makes these cases so challenging. Think about it like a murder case gone cold. If you’ve ever watched any popular crime shows, you know that the first 48 hours are crucial to solving the case. Beyond that, your chances of catching the killer dwindles, and the case goes cold.
In mesothelioma cases, we know who the killer is, but we then tasked with proving it.
Other personal injury lawyers don’t have the same breadth of knowledge upon which to lay a solid foundation for these cases.
Because the EPA recognizes the severity of the risk of asbestos exposure, it’s laudable that they took decisive action in assisting this municipality in pushing forward with their revitalization project.
Now not every contractor or company is going to be handed help by the EPA when they start to renovate and discover asbestos. However, that does not negate their responsibility to do so properly.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with mesothelioma in Boston, call for a free and confidential appointment at (617) 777-7777.
Additional Resources:
EPA Provides Grant for Asbestos Cleanup, Should Spark Worcester Development, By tim Povtak, The Mesothelioma Center
More Blog Entries:
Betz v. Pneumo Abex llc. – A Blow to New England Mesothelioma Cases, June 10, 2012, Boston Mesothelioma Cases