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Asbestos Is Legal and Still Has Its Defenders

June 29, 2014 By

Due to the fact that asbestos has been proven to be extremely deadly to humans many people would likely assume that the substance has probably banned at a federal level. For well over a century both manufacturers and governments in the Western world have known that asbestos exposure can cause such deadly diseases as asbestos related lung cancer and mesothelioma. However, as will be seen in the following video, asbestos is not illegal in the United States.

http://youtu.be/RZm7u6z6tLI

This video shows that, despite the dangers, there are nevertheless those who would continue to have asbestos used in industrial and manufacturing processes. The argument goes that there are several kinds of asbestos – which can be broken down into two categories: asbestos which is safe for humans and asbestos which is unsafe for humans. But, as the doctor at the end of the video duly notes, even those kinds of asbestos which some claim are safe have been linked to asbestos related diseases in the past.

It could be argued that the faulty opinions of many experts continues to contribute to the dangers faced by those who continue to work with asbestos. If you have been diagnosed with any of these conditions, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. To find out how we can help you recover for your asbestos related claim, contact the Law Office of Brayton Purcell, LLP  at  (800) 598-0314 immediately, or contact us online for a free consultation.

Filed Under: California Mesothelioma

A Brief Explanation of Asbestosis

June 22, 2014 By

Asbestosis is a respiratory disease which is caused by exposure to asbestos. The disease usually develops tens of years after the initial asbestos exposure which caused it, and its severity is linked to the duration of the victim’s previous asbestos exposure, and the amount of asbestos the victim was exposed to.

Asbestosis is a chronic disease which may be mild or severe. In mild cases the individual may experience very few symptoms, while in severe cases the individual may require radical medical treatments and become permanently disabled. In the worst cases asbestosis can result in death.

Asbestosis is linked with such serious lung conditions as water on the lungs, lung calcification, and even the development of mesothelioma – which is a deadly and rare lung cancer. Though asbestosis cannot be cured, there are various treatments available for sufferers, meant to prolong their lives an increased their quality of life.

Asbestos continues to be used in industrial manufacturing and other products and processes in the United States. Though many believe that asbestos has been outlawed, the substance is still legally used in the country, and as a result thousands of people continue to become ill with asbestos related diseases every year.

Asbestosis is one of the many debilitating diseases caused solely by exposure to asbestos exposure, including mesothelioma and lung cancer. If you have been diagnosed with any of these conditions, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. To find out how we can help you recover for your asbestos related claim, contact the Law Office of Brayton Purcell, LLP  at  (800) 598-0314 immediately, or contact us online for a free consultation.

Filed Under: Asbestosis

Survivors of Ed Lauter Target Big Name Companies in Mesothelioma Suit

June 15, 2014 By

Mesothelioma has claimed thousands of lives over the past several decades. Every single person who has died from this rare cancer contracted the illness as a result of asbestos exposure. However, pinning down the exact source of the asbestos which led to the development of mesothelioma can be a difficult process. As evidenced by a lawsuit which was recently filed by the survivors of actor Ed Lauter, who died this year from mesothelioma, sometimes various companies may all share a hand in the blame.

Ed Lauter was a prolific television and movie actor who had over 200 works to his credit. In his long career Lauter worked for various companies, many of which may have exposed the actor to asbestos. Among the companies listed in a recent lawsuit filed by his survivors are:

  • CBS Corporation
  • General Electric Company
  • Ingersoll-Rand PLC
  • Ford Motor Company

One of the lessons learned by the Lauter lawsuit is that, for some mesothelioma are sufferers, the asbestos exposure which led to their illnesses may have occurred in various work locations at different companies over several years. Another lesson is that asbestos has been so prevalent in American Society that even actors and actresses working on television and movie sets may have been exposed to lethal doses of the substance.

A third fact highlighted by the Lauter lawsuit is that asbestos cases are anything but straightforward and simple. Those looking to sue to recover damages as a result of asbestos related diseases increase their chances significantly by working with an experienced law firm, which has the expertise to put all the pieces together and secure a fair settlement. To find out how we can help you recover for your asbestos related claim, contact the Law Office of Brayton Purcell, LLP  at  (800) 598-0314 immediately, or contact us online for a free consultation.

Filed Under: California Mesothelioma

Appeals Court Rules that Company Should Have Known 3rd Party Asbestos Risks

June 8, 2014 By

In a landmark decision the First Appellate District Court of Appeals has ruled that a company must stand trial in a case of “second hand” asbestos exposure. The case centers around a man, now in his forties, who was exposed to asbestos as a child when his uncle returned home with the substance on his clothing. When he was just a boy, he used to spend up two weeks at a time at his uncle’s home, and is believed to have been exposed to fatal quantities of the substance at that time.

The decision overturns a decision by a trial court which ruled that the company, Pneumo Abex, owed no duty to the nephew. However, in a ruling delivered by Judge Stuart Pollak, the Appeals Court said that “As a general matter, harm to others resulting from secondary exposure to asbestos dust is not unpredictable,” and that “The harm to third parties that can arise from a lack of precautions to control friable asbestos that may accumulate on employees’ work clothing is generally foreseeable.”

Depending on the outcome, this case could open up a whole new branch of asbestos liability law. Though the company looked limit its liability by claiming that third party asbestos exposure should not be considered, the court rightly found that the company should have known that asbestos can be spread even among those who are not primarily exposed.

If you or someone you know has suffered the results of asbestos related disease, such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, or lung cancer, contact the Law Office of Brayton Purcell, LLP  at  (800) 598-0314 immediately, or contact us online for a free consultation.

Filed Under: Asbestos Law

Common Products Which Have Been Manufactured with Asbestos

June 1, 2014 By

The number and variety of household items which at one time were manufactured with asbestos is truly astounding. In its heyday asbestos was included in the manufacture of practically every part of the home, from wall panels to piping. Many older homes continue to have significant amounts of asbestos products in them.

In order to give you a better idea of the extent of asbestos used in the manufacturing of various every day household products, take a look at the following list of items which have been manufactured with the substance:

  • Asphalt floor tiles
  • Brake linings
  • Brake pads
  • Carpet mastic
  • Ceiling panels
  • Ceiling texture (Popcorn texture)
  • Ceiling tile mastic
  • Ceiling tiles
  • Chimney flue lining
  • Ducts
  • Felt
  • Fire blankets
  • Fire curtains
  • Fire doors
  • Pipes
  • Shingles
  • Siding
  • Spray-on fireproofing
  • Tar or “Black Jack”
  • Vinyl floor tiles
  • Vinyl sheet flooring (linoleum)
  • Wall panels

These products are not generally considered dangerous as long as home’s residents do not have direct access to them and the asbestos in them is not disturbed. However, those looking to do major home renovations are advised to first verify whether or not asbestos was used in the manufacture of the home, and if so, to contact professionals for help with its removal.

Filed Under: California Mesothelioma, Mesothelioma

How Asbestos Causes Mesothelioma – A video tutorial

May 25, 2014 By

Mesothelioma is a relatively rare cancer which is caused by asbestos exposure. But, due to the fact that the disease often takes 25 or more years to develop, many people have a difficult time envisioning the link between asbestos exposure today and a disease which may not appear for several decades. One of the reasons for the delayed onset of mesothelioma is the fact that the process by which asbestos irritates the lungs, and eventually leads to the disease, is slow and gradual. In order to give you a better idea of how asbestos exposure causes mesothelioma, take a look at the following video.

As can be seen, asbestos exposure begins by simply inhaling it into lungs, causing them to scar. The lungs attempt to repair themselves, which causes a chain reaction in which cancerous cells develop. This is one reason why researchers have been able to link asbestos exposure directly to mesothelioma. The disease occurs as a result of the lungs’ defense mechanism against this unique and unusual threat.

Asbestos continues to be prevalent in just about every facet of American Society. The substance can be found in buildings and numerous products, and is probably too ubiquitous to ever completely eliminate. But despite the risks, even today companies continue to expose workers to asbestos without giving them the proper training, equipment, and information needed to stay safe. If you, or anyone you know, have developed asbestos related disease such as mesothelioma or lung cancer, contact the California Mesothelioma Attorneys at Brayton Purcell, LLP now at 855-346-6652.

Filed Under: California Mesothelioma

Battling Mesothelioma – Bill McQueen’s Story

May 16, 2014 By

Mesothelioma is a terminal disease which is caused by asbestos exposure. Those who have battled the disease, their care givers, and their loved ones are usually in a unique position to understand the difficulties associated with mesothelioma. Still considered relatively rare, the average American has likely never come across anyone who has mesothelioma, and hence may have a difficult time understanding or identifying with the way the disease works or the symptoms it causes. In order to spread more awareness of the disease, the Wall Street Journal published the following video in 2013.

The subject of the video, Bill McQueen, was diagnosed with the disease in 2011. The Wall Street Journal spent a year with the surgeon, documenting his journey. This heart wrenching video shows how those of Bill’s generation were exposed to asbestos on a massive scale. Bill’s bother died from mesothelioma, and his sister also died from a similar disease. Despite remaining strong and hopeful until the end, Bill died from the disease in about a year.

If you, or anyone you know, have developed asbestos related disease such as mesothelioma or lung cancer, contact the California Mesothelioma Attorneys at Brayton Purcell, LLP now at 855-346-6652.

 

Filed Under: Mesothelioma

Types of Mesothelioma

April 8, 2014 By

Mesothelioma is best known as a type of cancer that affects the lining around lungs. It is sometimes inaccurately referred to as asbestos lung cancer, because the most common type of mesothelioma attacks the lining of the lungs. However, mesothelioma can develop in the protective lining of an organ in the body, and from there it can spread. If you have developed mesothelioma, please talk to the California mesothelioma attorneys of Brayton Purcell, LLP, to learn more.

Following is a list of the different types of mesothelioma:

Pleural Mesothelioma

Pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of mesothelioma. It develops in the lining of the lungs of people who have inhaled asbestos fibers. It is not the same as lung cancer, and the medical treatments are not the same for the two types of cancer.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Peritoneal mesothelioma develops in the membrane which lines the abdominal cavity and surrounds the abdominal organs. This type of mesothelioma occurs when asbestos fibers have been ingested.

Pericardial Mesothelioma

The pericardium is the protective sac around the heart. It is believed that the asbestos fibers work their way into the bloodstream from the lungs, and travel to the pericardium. Pericardial mesothelioma is very rare an often misdiagnosed, because the symptoms are similar to those of other diseases.

Testicular Mesothelioma

Testicular mesothelioma develops in the tunica vaginalis which is the membrane surrounding the testicles. It is the least common type of malignant mesothelioma.

Filed Under: Mesothelioma
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