Chris Placitella Blog » Mesothelioma

Asbestos On Broadway- Mesothelioma Preview

Chris — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 19:13:32 +0000

A number of years ago the famous actor Steve Mcqueen died from mesothelioma a form of cancer only caused by exposure to asbestos. At the time there was much speculation about the source of his exposure. Was it the snow that was used as a prop that was really asbestos? Was it the theater curtains he moved around? Several years later I was visiting London with my family and attended a play in the London Theater district. I was fortunate to sit close to the stage. As the band was warming up I noticed what appeared to be asbestos curtains. I knew this from my experience representing mesothleioma victims. So I went for a closer look. Sure enough the tag was still on the curtains indicating they were in fact made from asbestos and manufactured by a company known as Amatex. I thought to myself how primitive. These Brits obviously dont worry about these things the way we do. The show was great and the people in London could not have been nicer.

This week I learned that there is a case pending in NY City of a person who claims to have developed mesothleioma from theater curtains. My first response was that this must have been a result of exposure to curtains removed long ago. Asbestos curtains must have been reomoved from Broadway long ago? Well apparently that is not the case. Apparently asbestos curtains will be removed from Broadway in 2011 in accordance with the following schedule:

Schoenfeld Theater – 236 West 45th Street New York, NY – January 7 at 10 am.

· Music Box Theater – 239 West 45th Street New York, NY – January 21 at lOam.

Here is a portion of the letter from the asbestos defense lawyer:

Now everyone is on notice.

Hmm. Those Americans-how primitve!

Shame on Canada- Is the money really worth the cancer?

Chris — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 13:30:12 +0000

For years the Canadain asbestos mining companies have refused to pay fair compensation to US citizens whom they have poisoned for decades. They hide behind the laws of Quebec and tell US mesothleioma victims come chase us in Canada if you want just compensation. This is despite the fact that these Canadian mining companies pumped millions of tons of asbestos into the United States responsible for the death of tens of thousands of US citizens. The proof is quite clear that these companies knew about the dangers of asbestos going back to the 1930s and were actively involved in a cover up to prevent workers from learning about the true dangers assocated with these products. The story below is but another example of how money in Canada has surpassed the concern for people.

LONDON – A medical journal is criticizing Canada for exporting asbestos to poor countries, joining others who have condemned the practice as hypocritical.

A report in the journal Lancet on Thursday notes that Canada virtually bans the use of asbestos. But, unlike other rich nations, it remains a major exporter of chrysotile, or white asbestos.

The Canadian Minister of Natural Resources office said its practice has a “sound scientific basis.”

Asbestos is a natural mineral which can be processed for use in rooftops, piping, or building materials. Inhaling its fibers scars the lungs and can lead to respiratory diseases, including cancers.

The World Health Organization says all types of asbestos cause cancer and more than 50 countries have banned it. About 100,000 people die every year from asbestos-related diseases and 125 million people remain exposed to the deadly substance worldwide.

Canada is the world’s fourth biggest exporter of asbestos, after Russia, Kazakhstan and Brazil. Last year, Canada shipped 150,000 tons to countries including India, Indonesia and the Philippines, where few laws exist to protect people from asbestos.

In Canada, the government has spent millions of dollars removing asbestos from buildings across the country, including its Parliament.

Numerous Canadian organizations, including the Quebec Medical Association, Canadian Cancer Society and the Canadian Medical Association have labeled Canada’s asbestos exportation as deplorable, shameful and unethical. They describe it as Prime Minister “Stephen Harper’s killer legacy.”

“Canada should not be exporting asbestos to developing nations where there are few or no workplace regulations,” Richard Horton, editor of the Lancet, said in a statement.

He called for an end to “this immoral export of asbestos-related death and disease to some of the most vulnerable people in the world.”

The report was written by the Lancet’s Tony Kirby.

With asbestos deposits dwindling in Quebec, where Canada’s asbestos is mined, the industry appeared doomed. But an international consortium proposed converting a closed mine into a new operation that could produce about 260,000 ton of white asbestos a year. Quebec is considering providing a $57 million loan guarantee for the project, according to previous published statements by the provincial government.

The international consortium that wants to reopen the mine claims Canadian asbestos is only sold to manufacturers with responsible use practices in place. Developers said all the mined asbestos would be sent abroad, with about half of it going to India. The consortium also said they would use pictures to instruct people on the safe and responsible usage of asbestos.

The office of the Canadian Minister of Natural Resources said they believe the risks linked to asbestos can be managed.

“Canada’s policy of controlled use has a sound scientific basis and is a responsible approach,” said Paul Duchesne, a spokesman for the minister in an e-mailed statement.

“Through the enforcement of appropriate regulations to rigorously control exposure to (white asbestos), the health risks associated with processes and products can be reduced to acceptable levels,” Duchesne said.

The Canadian government says the risks from white asbestos can be managed in controlled conditions, like if the substance is covered by another material so the asbestos layer is not releasing dust.

Kathleen Ruff, a senior human rights adviser to the Rideau Institute, an independent research and advocacyorganization in Ottawa, said that exporting asbestos and refusing to alert poor countries to its dangers, Canada is intentionally doing harm.

In 2006, Canada led an effort to block a United Nations convention that would have made it mandatory to warn countries of hazardous substances like asbestos, she said.

“Canada has blood on its hands,” Ruff said. “What we are doing is unconscionable. The whole world should condemn us.”

Protesters plan to hit the street this week in Asia, London and Quebec, to demand a global ban on asbestos in any building materials.

2.4 million verdict against Union Carbide

Chris — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 17:17:57 +0000

The day before Thanksgiving a Baltimore jury returned a verdict of $2.4 million in a mesothelioma case against Union Carbide. The plaintiff in the case worked for national gypsum and was exposed to asbestos fiber manufactured and sold by Union Carbide. This was extremely difficult case for the plaintiff and a well-deserved victory. Congratulations to my friends at the law office of Peter Angelos who represented the plaintiff.

14 Million Dollars Awarded in Miami Mesothelioma Trial Involving Union Carbide

Chris — Wed, 19 May 2010 20:33:17 +0000

Today a Miami jury handed Union Carbide a major loss in a mesothelioma asbestos case. Union Carbide is a supplier of asbestos that is incorporated into other products like Spackle or joint compound. In this case, the jury assessed Union Carbide with 46%of the verdict. The other defendants in the case settled before trial. Congratulations to our friend Juan Bauta of The Ferraro Law Firm who did such a great job representing the family.

Mesothelioma News

Chris — Thu, 13 May 2010 15:49:16 +0000

Press Releases

DuPont Corporation Representative Admits at Deposition That Company’s and Contractors’ Employees Were Potentially Exposed to Asbestos at DuPont Facilities. (May 18, 2010)

$17 million verdict against Honeywell & Abex

Chris — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:48:01 +0000

Yesterday an Illinois jury handed down a surprising verdict against two former asbestos product manufacturers. According to the attorneys involved in the case, the verdict was returned on the novel liability theory of corporate conspiracy. Typically this means that the factfinder determined that the defendants acted in concert with one another and caused the plaintiffs injury. This is different than a typical mesothelioma product liability case where the verdict is based upon a failure to warn about a particular product manufactured or sold by the defendant.

In this case, the plaintiff,Jayne Menssen, is 65 years old, widowed, and has no children. She was exposed to asbestos from 1967-1969 when she worked as a secretary at the UNARCO plant in Bloomington, IL. The jury returned the following verdict:

$3,500,000 compensatory
$4,370,000 punitives against Abex
$10,000,000 punitives against Honeywell

Congratulations to my friends ,Lisa Corwin & Jim Wydler, who represented the plaintiff for this extraordinary result.

9.5 Million Dollar Verdict in Take Home Mesothelioma Case

Chris — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 13:23:28 +0000

Today a Baltimore jury returned a verdict of $9,985,000 against ATTRANSCO on behalf of LeRoy J. Conway, Jr. and his wife, Yolanda. Leroy’s father worked for ATTRANSCO beginning in the early 1960s through the 1970s as a merchant mariner in the engine rooms of ships with steam equipment and exposed his son to asbestos when he came home from work. Leroy’s claim was for his exposure in the 1970′s. Leory was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma when he was 44 years-old and underwent the removal of his lung shortly thereafter. Congratulations to my friends and co counsel Scott Frost, Demetrios Zacharapoulos, and George Tankard of Waters & Kraus on their well deserved victory.

For more information on recent mesothelioma verdicts see http://www.mesotheliomalegalblog.com/mesothelioma-litigation/verdictsandsettlements.html.

Mesothelioma Plaintiff Offers Proof of RT Vanderbilt Knowledge of Asbestos in Talc

Chris — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 18:51:18 +0000

In the courts rages a major debate as to whether the talc in various products actually contains asbestos. RT Vanderbilt says no. Here is the proof submitted by one plaintiff with mesothelioma who alleges that Vanderbilt talc caused mesothelioma.

http://www.mesotheliomalegalblog.com/index.cfm/2010/1/24/Mesothelioma-Plaintiff-Proves-that-RT-Vanderbilt-Knew-of-Asbestos-in-Talc

Cohen Placitella & Roth Force Numerous Asbestos Executives to Admit Knowledge of Asbestos Dangers, No Testing & No Warnings

Chris — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 14:48:43 +0000

Hundreds of thousands of working men and women were unwittingly exposed to asbestos both during the course of their employment and as consumers. The law imposes on the manufacturers the duty to warn and the duty to test. Despite these obligations and extensive knowledge of the dangers posed by asbestos exposure, warnings were not provided and people as a result became sick. Tens of thousands of people have died. Recent statistics demonstrate that the incidence of asbestos related mesothelioma has not even peaked as of 2010.

In representing people who have contracted mesothelioma, we have taken the depositions of numerous asbestos company representatives as well as executives from industrial facilities where asbestos was a known contaminant. You can read these depositions and draw your own conclusions as to whether the companies acted properly under the circumstances. All you need to do is to click on this link http://www.mesotheliomalegalblog.com/mesothelioma-litigation/depositions.html

Asbestos & Mesothelioma Pioneer Research Doctor Irving Selikoff Testifies in Landmark Case

Chris — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 23:31:25 +0000

The dangers of asbestos exposure were known to scientists and industry by the early part of the 20th century. The relationship between asbestos exposure and cancer was known and acknowledged by at least the early 1940s. In the 1950s, Dr. Irving Selikoff began his research at the Mt Sinai School of Medicine. While Dr Seikoff certainly did not discover the dangers of asbestos, he did more than any other human being living or dead to publicize the information on asbestos and disease and as a result changed the landscape of occupational medicine forever.

I had the privilege of getting to know Dr Selikoff personally and was able to proudly call him my friend. I spent may hours with Dr. Selikoff at his home and at his office discussing the need to educate and protect workers and the public from the ravages of asbestos exposure. The last project we worked on together was to obtain funding for molecular biological research on the cause of environmentally induced cancer.

Although Dr. Selikoff is acknowledged at the preeminent expert on asbestos related disease, he avoided working as an expert witness because it took time away from his research. By clicking on the following link you can read the rare testimony provided by Dr. Selikoff in the landmark case of Claude Tomplait.

http://www.mesotheliomalegalblog.com/mesothelioma-litigation/documents.html