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According to a recent news article from the Bangor Daily News, an asbestos abatement (removal) project at an old mill location will cost around $16 million to complete.   This location has been tested and is known to contain above-ground asbestos and other toxins, as well as underground toxins.

old buildingThis huge factory was once a very profitable paper mill that produced tissues and bonded writing paper.  However, like many paper mills, it used a large amount of caustic chemicals in the paper making process.  Asbestos was used because of its natural ability to resist caustic chemicals, as well as fire, heat, and electricity. Continue reading

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Boston and the surrounding towns in Massachusetts are filled with old buildings. Some of these are three-deckers, offices that have not been renovated in decades, and others are old industrial buildings, such as factories that are not in good enough shape to occupy without major renovations.

construction siteIf these old buildings were fully renovated, they would be beautiful and could be used for years to come as condos, offices, and even mixed use residential and commercial.  However, it is very costly to fully make these repairs, because the buildings were built at a time when asbestos was used in virtually every aspect of the construction process, and now it is in a crumbling state, and that is what is known in the asbestos industry as friable asbestos. Continue reading

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While companies in the asbestos industry worked hard for more than a century to keep the fact that asbestos exposure causes malignant mesothelioma from the general public, this is not the only serious and potentially deadly illness asbestos exposure can cause. One of the lesser known, but still fairly common asbestos related illnesses is known as asbestosis.

asbestosAsbestosis occurs when the deadly fibers are inhaled and become embedded in the lungs. These fibers are very sharp and can cut and scratch the tissue lining the lungs.  Over time, these cuts can form scar tissue that gets progressively thicker as it keeps opening and healing time and time again. Once this scar tissue is allowed to build, it can obstruct the victim’s airway making it very difficult to breath.  This causes chronic shortness of breath and other serious medical conditions.  Asbestosis is similar to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is seen most often in smokers.  While a victim can be treated and will likely have to use an oxygen tank, it is not curable and can be deadly. Continue reading

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When a property owner knows or has reason to suspect that asbestos is present in their property, they must have an asbestos inspection prior to doing any renovation work. If they fail to do so, demolition may result in workers being exposed to the deadly fibers or the asbestos fibers contaminating public areas.

asbestos dustAsbestos inspections must be completed by a certified and properly-trained professional who will wear proper protective equipment when taking samples.  Even if the inspector is pretty sure he or she has located asbestos material, there is a requirement under state and federal law to send those samples to a lab that is equipped to examine the material under a microscope in a safe environment. The lab will not only confirm the presence of asbestos, but will also be able to determine the specific type of asbestos. This is important, because, while all types of asbestos pose a serious hazard to humans, some are more likely to be inhaled than others. Continue reading

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There is a degree of uncertainty over the future of various environmental regulations and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the new Donald Trump administration. Still, the agency recently selected its first 10 chemicals to review under the newly-enacted Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act for the 21st Century.  This was the first major change to the nation’s 1976 toxic materials law since the original bill was enacted nearly 40 years ago.

asbestosThe measure allows the EPA to perform a review on a number of chemicals the agency selects to determine if they should be banned.  For the purposes of this act, asbestos is considered a chemical since it is a naturally occurring mineral made up of six different types of silica elements.  According to a recent news article form the Environmental Working Group, the EPA chose asbestos and the other nine chemicals based upon the fact they are all considered highly hazardous to humans.  Other chemicals on the list include PERC (used in dry cleaning) and TCE (featured in the movie and book “A Civil Action). Continue reading

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Over the years, we have seen many articles in the media about problems in prisons related to poor conditions and overcrowding.   There is no question that many of the prison systems in the United States are in need of money, and many inmates are housed in very old buildings that are falling apart.

gavel7One problem that is not talked about much is the fact that many of these old prisons and jails were built a time when asbestos was used in virtually every aspect of the construction process. These buildings are now crumbling, and the dust is a hazard to staff, corrections officers and inmates alike. One inmate sued the corrections department for asbestos exposure during a renovations project at the prison library.

His asbestos lawsuit was initially dismissed because he did not file the required complaint form within 10 days of being exposed to asbestos, according to a recent article from CJ Online. However, upon review by the Kansas Supreme Court, his case will be allowed to continue. Continue reading

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According to a recent article published by the Los Angeles Times, defendants in mesothelioma lawsuits can now be held liable for what are known as “take-home” asbestos cases.  These are cases where a worker was employed at job that exposed him or her to deadly asbestos fibers during his or her shift and then returned home still covered with the toxic materials.

asbestos bootsThis was a very common occurrence, because the companies that produced and worked with asbestos did not want their workers to know they were being exposed to a toxic substance. Since they were actively trying to hide the fact that asbestos caused malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis and other serious types of respiratory illness, they were not providing the workers with any appropriate safety equipment like protective clothing and respirators. Continue reading

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In the United States and much of the world, asbestos was used very heavily in most aspects of construction. It was also used in a wide variety of consumer, commercial and industrial products.  The reason it was so prevalent was because it’s a cheap, naturally-occurring substance that has a remarkable ability to resist heat, fire, caustic chemicals and electricity.

xrayanalysisHowever, in addition to all of these helpful properties, it also causes cancer.  These days, most people are aware that exposure to asbestos causes malignant mesothelioma, but this was a closely guarded secret for much of the last century.  Those in asbestos industry were well aware of the dangers of asbestos, but since they also knew it would take between 20 and 50 years for people to get sick, they were willing to take that chance and pay later if necessary.  Continue reading

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In Rost v. Ford Motor Company, plaintiff originally filed a mesothelioma lawsuit against the various companies that manufactured asbestos products.  Claimant alleged these companies manufactured the asbestos to which he had been exposed that ultimately caused him to develop malignant mesothelioma.  He filed his original complaint in October 2009.

hospitalroomPrior to trial, plaintiff settled his claims against all other asbestos makers except for the automaker named in the lawsuit. At this point, the case was set for trial, along with two other mesothelioma lawsuits.  While it does not happen all the time, judges in certain cases, particularly those involving toxic torts or products liability, have the power to combine cases in the interest of judicial economy. Continue reading

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According to a recent news article from The Louisiana Record, a man with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) has just filed a lawsuit against a factory that produced asbestos products for many years.  He claims in his mesothelioma lawsuit that he was exposed at his residence to the deadly asbestos fibers, which ultimately caused him to develop mesothelioma. He reportedly lived near a factory that used the substance regularly in protduction.

oldfactoryIn his complaint, he said he lived near the plant that used chemicals that contained asbestos during the 1980s.  He was diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma in 2015 and has just filed this suit.  He further claims that they knew of the dangers of their asbestos-filled chemicals and should have warned those in the area and taken steps to make the air around the factory safe.  Having failed to so, he alleges, they are responsible for his fatal disease.  His doctors have told him he doesn’t have long left to live. Continue reading

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Boston Office
1 International Pl Unit 1810
Boston, MA 02110
Phone: (617) 777-7777Fax: (617) 722-9999
Taunton Office
60 Court St
Taunton, MA 02780
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308 Victory Rd
Quincy, MA 02171
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Worcester, MA 01609
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