Mesothelioma Lawyer Blog

During the bankruptcy proceeding of a company that provided valves, gaskets and other products coated in asbestos for the U.S. Navy, a $75 million trust was established to help those who were exposed to asbestos and have mesothelioma.

Our mesothelioma lawyers for years have been helping our U.S. veterans, who have suffered the effects of exposure to asbestos, which was once a popular material used in all kinds of residential and commercial construction, as well as naval uses and car parts. Companies that used this natural mineral found that it was dangerous to employees, but too often ignored those risks.

Researchers and doctors eventually discovered that exposure to asbestos was harmful to employees and others who may have been nearby. Asbestos is a flaky mineral that can easily become airborne and ingested.

A frustrating aspect of asbestos exposure that results in mesothelioma is that it can linger for years or decades inside a person without any outward symptoms. As the asbestos forms tumors and mesothelioma, the person may discover some of the symptoms -- heavy coughing, fluid build-up and chest pain. By then, the cancer is typically in its later stages.

So, even though the cancer can take decades to form, once a person is diagnosed with mesothelioma, they live only an average of 12 months. For such a long-working form of cancer, it can kill quickly, once discovered. Researchers have been trying to develop treatment options that may result in a cure or at least a prolonging of life, but thus far haven't found one.

As our Mesothelioma Lawyer Blog has reported recently, scientists are looking at many options to determine if there is a potential cure for this deadly cancer.

This is the situation that many of our veterans are in today. They served our country faithfully for years or decades, only to face a life-threatening health crisis later in life. Now, in retirement, they are suffering from illnesses that resulted from that service time.

Because of laws that are designed to protect the government from lawsuits, suing the Navy can be pointless due caps on damages. But companies that contracted with the Navy have been exposed to litigation.

In this case, it involves Leslie Controls, which provided gaskets, valves and other products containing asbestos between the 1940s and 1980s for the Navy. The company has been slammed with lawsuits, causing it to file for bankruptcy protection. As part of a recent reorganization plan, the company dedicated $75 million, placed into a trust, for victims who were exposed to asbestos.

Asbestos has been linked not only to mesothelioma, but other respiratory illnesses as well. The company is protected from lawsuits while the bankruptcy proceeding is taking place, but experts believe the lawsuits will continue once the bankruptcy is completed.

This company understands that its products have harmed many people and killed others. Exposure to asbestos is dangerous and companies that regularly used it have been facing lawsuits from sick people and families of those who have died as a result. If you or a family member was exposed to asbestos during service in the armed forces, it is time to seek legal representation.

Continue reading "Longtime Navy Supplier Sets Up $75 Million Trust For Veterans With Mesothelioma" »

As U.S. troops are getting settled in statewide after a long and deadly eight-year war in Iraq, it's a good time to talk about the risks that troops and veterans have of being diagnosed with mesothelioma.

This deadly and incurable form of cancer is more common in veterans, but it remains to be seen whether this current generation of soldiers will be exposed to asbestos and other materials that cause this form of cancer.

Our mesothelioma lawyers have seen many examples of older veterans who served our country faithfully for decades, only to have a frustrating end of their lives because of exposure to asbestos. In decades past, asbestos was commonly used in Navy shipyards.

Because it was a natural mineral and was flame-retardant, it was useful in making sure fires didn't break out aboard the ships. It was used domestically in insulating homes, coating pipes and in common products, such as car parts, ceiling tiles and ceramics.

But years later, as researchers found people were getting sick, exposure to asbestos was determined to be the root cause. In many cases, corporate bosses found out about the risks, but did little to address them. Many people were left to suffer.

When a person is exposed to asbestos, even a small amount or for a short period of time, the fibers can create tumors years later. They don't necessarily create noticeable symptoms, but can linger for years or decades before people are diagnosed. In some documented cases, people have been exposed to asbestos 50 years earlier before they are diagnosed with mesothelioma. By the time they are diagnosed, they usually only live another 12 months.

In other countries where military members may be deployed, the same restrictions on asbestos may not be in place. In the United States, asbestos is not officially banned, but it is no longer used. Presumably, the same rules apply to U.S.-owned military bases worldwide, as well. But cities and towns in other parts of the world likely have less stringent guidelines.

Mesothelioma is a constant issue because new forms of dangerous material that can cause it are being discovered every day. While older generations may be more likely to get this form of cancer from deacade-old exposure to asbestos, younger generations may not be any safer. Our veterans, who have put their lives on the line for our freedom, should be especially taken care of when they return home from duty. As troops continue come back from combat, our mesothelioma lawyers hope they don't come back to discover they are ill.

Continue reading "U.S. Troops and Veterans At Risk For Mesothelioma" »

The Department of Defense is dedicating $16 million to research certain types of cancers, including mesothelioma.

This is critically important because many of our military veterans are suffering from mesothelioma after years of dedicated service to our country. Our mesothelioma lawyers are aware that this form of cancer can date back decades and many service men and women were exposed to asbestos before it became unpopular due to health risks.

The United States military was one of the largest users of asbestos, especially in Naval ships and shipyards. This natural mineral, which has a resistance to fire, was used in ships and in buildings on military bases and bases throughout the world.

While many veterans may have been exposed to asbestos decades ago, they are just now feeling the effects. Common symptoms of mesothelioma are trouble breathing, chest pain and fluid build-up, which are similar symptoms to lung cancer.

This is part of the reason mesothelioma is so dangerous. Many people tend to ignore the symptoms, assuming they are related to a different, already known illness or just a sign of old age. By the time a person goes to a doctor, who usually refers them to other specialists -- all of which takes time -- it's typically too late; the median life expectancy after diagnosis is 12 months.

Mesothelioma is incurable and it is 100 percent fatal. Usually, the lungs are the target of the asbestos-forming cancer, but also the heart or lining of the abdomen can be affected. This is a serious form of cancer unlike others because the treatment options are very limited. Operations are rarely a good idea in an older patient near a vital organ. Once it's discovered, it's typically well-developed.

But the Department of Defense is dedicating $16 million to researching cancers other than breast, prostate, lung and ovarian cancer programs that are already in place. The funds are to be used to research:

• Mesothelioma


• Blood cancers


• Colorectal cancer


• Genetic cancer research


• Kidney cancer


• Listeria vaccine for cancer


• Melanoma and other skin cancer


• Pancreatic cancer


• Pediatric cancer


• Radiation protection utilizing nanotechnology

Researchers are required to meet certain requirements in order to get funding to do the research. Information is available through the Congressionally Directed Medication Research Programs website.

This is a great opportunity for mesothelioma to get more attention and hopefully for more research to be done in order to find a cure or better early detection. Our mesothelioma lawyers are dedicated to keeping up with the latest research and most up-to-date information regarding this awful form of cancer.

The negligence of companies has caused the pain and suffering of many of our clients. We are dedicated to fighting on behalf of those whose lives have been cut short because of this preventable illness.

Continue reading "Department of Defense to Spend $16 Million to Research Mesothelioma, Other Cancers" »

With Veterans Day having passed in November, it is important that all of our military veterans be lauded for their efforts to keep us safe from harm -- which makes the freedoms we enjoy as Americans possible.

Sadly, however, many older veterans are struggling in the last years of their lives because after years of service, they were exposed to asbestos and now have been diagnosed with mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma lawyers have seen how service in the military has turned into a struggle to breath and we worry about the future for many of our veterans. Many ships and shipyards and other military installations used asbestos for decades.

Asbestos is a natural mineral that was used for insulation on buildings, coating for pipes, in brake pads, floor and ceiling tiles and other products. It was used extensively in the United States from the early 20th Century until around 1991, when studies conclusively showed that the effects of asbestos are life-threatening.

Asbestos exposure can lead to cancerous tumors forming on the walls and lining of major organs. After years of developing, they can spread throughout the body like other forms of cancer.

Mesothelioma has no cure. Researchers know that it is caused by exposure to asbestos, but they don't know how to cure people who have it. In fact, it's deadly 100 percent of the time. And given that a person can be exposed to a small amount of asbestos and live with the cancer for 30 years without knowing it, linking sickness to exposure can be challenging.

National Public Radio recently interviewed a veteran suffering from mesothelioma. Frank Currie, a Navy veteran who was stationed at Pearl Harbor, witnessed the attacks aboard the USS Tennessee.

He said he saw the USS Arizona get hit with a bomb and shoot 12 to 15 feet in the air. He said he wishes he could forget the death he witnessed that day, but he can't.

And along with suffering haunting memories of one of the darkest days in U.S. history, Currie suffers from mesothelioma. The article doesn't say whether his mesothelioma was a result of his service in the U.S. Navy, but many Navy veterans have made the link.

No segment of the population has been hit harder from mesothelioma than our veterans. The Navy was one of the largest consumers of asbestos, using its fire-resistant nature to ensure that large fires didn't break out in ships, causing them to sink.

But those who were around the flaky mineral may have survived their tour of duty only to realize decades later that nights working in boiler rooms or around other equipment inside a ship may have led to their death.

Our veterans should be honored all year, not just on one designated holiday. And they certainly deserve to be able to live healthy lives after serving, unlike many who have mesothelioma as a result of their service.

Continue reading "U.S. Veterans Should Be Applauded and Not Victimized by Mesothelioma" »

A New York jury recently awarded a Kentucky man $32 million because he was exposed to asbestos while he was enlisted in the U.S. Navy, WSAZ News reports.

U.S. military veterans may have been exposed to asbestos in New York and throughout the country and that can lead to a mesothelioma diagnosis. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is both incurable and fast moving once a person has been diagnosed.

Our military personnel should be treated especially well because of the sacrifice they make for our safety and our freedom. But for many older veterans, spending time on war ships and in Navy shipyards has left them suffering many years later.

The military was once one of the largest users of asbestos, as the material was used to fireproof and was good for insulation. But over time, researchers found that exposure to asbestos in heavy doses leads to many illnesses, such as mesothelioma.

After attaching to the body, they can develop for years and even decades -- some people have reported being exposed to asbestos 30 or 40 years earlier -- before a person experiences the typical symptoms that come from mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses. Typical symptoms include coughing, chest pain, fluid build-up and others. Because those symptoms are often typical of other illnesses and aging, some people don't get checked right away. Sadly, the median time to live after diagnosis is only 12 months.

In the case of the sailor from Kentucky, an eight-week trial ended with the man getting a $32 million jury award. He was a U.S. Navy boiler tender and the jury found that companies failed to adequately warm him about the dangers of asbestos exposure that led him to developing mesothelioma. While asbestos was used for insulation, it was also used on boilers, furnaces, brake pads, ceiling and floor tiles and many other commonly used products.

Of the $32 million, $16 million is for past pain and suffering and $16 million for future pain and suffering. The man served 28 years in the Navy, working his way from a fireman to boiler tender and to Master Chief Petty Officer. His exposure to asbestos happened during the 18 years he spent on various ships.

Jurors found that he developed pleural mesothelioma as a result of asbestos exposure while serving on ships between 1960 and 1977. He worked in the boiler and fire rooms of each vessel. He repaired Crane Company valves, which included changing pads, valves and gaskets.

He may have also been exposed to asbestos while working with Elliot Turbomachinery Co. Inc. produced feed tanks on one of the ships, according to the news article.

Many of our veterans were exposed to asbestos unknowingly, even when companies knew their products contained the dangerous material. Leaving people to get sick is unlawful and deserves justice, especially for our military veterans who have given us so much.

Continue reading "Navy Veteran Wins $32 Million in Asbestos Exposure Case" »

Veterans with mesothelioma comprise a significant portion of the victims of this terrible cancer, having been exposed to asbestos while serving in the military, either in shipyards, aboard ships, in military housing or overseas.

In the unfortunate event that they receive a positive diagnosis, our mesothelioma attorneys urge veterans to consult with an experienced law firm right away. Time is of the essence and fighting for the financial well-being of your family and loved ones is critical.

Mesothelioma is typically defined as cancer of the lining surrounding the lungs or abdominal cavity. In the United States, it has been linked almost exclusively to asbestos exposure. Because diagnosis typically occurs 30 to 40 years after exposure, many fail to connect the cancer with their military service. Others at high risk include automotive mechanics, drywall workers, shipyard employees, those who worked in power plants and oil refineries, utility workers, miners, and railroad employees.

But veterans are among the most at risk -- particularly those who served in the U.S. Navy. This year, approximately 3,000 citizens will be diagnosed. The average victim is in their early 70s. About one-third of those diagnosed are veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reports there are 25 million living veterans, and hundreds of thousands, if not millions, were exposed to asbestos during their military service.

Asbestos was widely used because of its heat-resistant and fireproof properties -- it was not phased out of use until the 1970s or in some cases the 1980s. Every Navy ship built before the mid 1970s had asbestos widely used during its construction. In particular, the material was used below deck and in engine rooms -- sailors who routinely worked in these areas are thought to be at increased risk.

While the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs recognizes mesothelioma as a service-related medical condition, disability claims are routinely denied for various reasons.

Continue reading "U.S. Veterans Among those at High Risk for Mesothelioma from Asbestos Exposure" »