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Berkshire Hathaway Cites Pollution Exclusion to Deny Coverage in Mesothelioma Lawsuits
Mesothelioma is an occupational disease caused by exposure to asbestos, and professional painters are among those being increasingly diagnosed with the rare form of cancer. Decades ago, paint and drywall both contained the carcinogenic mineral, and this has led to asbestos-related lawsuits naming Murco Wall Products, Inc. in hundreds of suits, with more expected to be
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Study Reveals COVID-19’s Effect on Mesothelioma Diagnosis and Treatment in the Netherlands
As the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global healthcare systems, mesothelioma diagnoses in the Netherlands experienced a significant 13.2% decline. A just-released Dutch study has analyzed the journey of 2,629 pleural mesothelioma patients, revealing how pandemic-related healthcare disruptions impacted the patterns of care.
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Court Allows Asbestos Lung Cancer Victim’s Survivors to Clarify Their Lawsuit Filing
Lee Comb died of asbestos-related lung cancer in August 2023, after years of occupational exposure to asbestos and asbestos-containing products. Following his death, his survivors filed a lawsuit naming multiple defendants, whom they accused of failing to provide him with a safe place to work. In response, one defendant filed a motion to dismiss, arguing
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Welder With Lung Cancer Sues Dozens of Asbestos Companies
Collie Washington, Jr. was diagnosed with lung cancer in September 2024 after having worked as a civilian welder at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard. He also performed numerous home remodel and maintenance jobs throughout the city of Los Angeles. Mr. Washington was diagnosed with asbestosis and later with lung cancer. He has filed a personal
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Facing Pushback from Mesothelioma Advocates, EPA Withdraws Delaying Motion
Mesothelioma is just one of several diseases directly linked to asbestos exposure. While most people think that the mineral’s use has been banned, it continues to be used — and to pose significant health risks — to those working in certain industries. The last several years have seen the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) move
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Military Families’ Concerns About Mesothelioma Cited in Housing Lawsuit
A group of almost 200 current and former tenants living in housing at Naval Air Station (NAS) Key West has filed a lawsuit after long-standing, intolerable conditions in their homes have raised concerns about mesothelioma and other physical, emotional, and financial harms. Their suit names the residential real estate management company that is managing and
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Mesothelioma Concerns Rise on Court-Ordered Delay of EPA Asbestos Ban
Mesothelioma and other serious diseases are caused by asbestos, a mineral that has long been recognized as a threat to public health. In response to years of advocates urging a ban, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved a chrysotile asbestos ban last year, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has granted
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California Lung Cancer Victim Names Over 200 Defendants in Asbestos Lawsuit
Last month, retired welder Albert Johnson filed a personal injury lawsuit in the Superior Court of California, Alameda County, accusing dozens of companies of negligence that caused his asbestos-related lung cancer. His claim breaks those responsible into a range of categories, including product defendants, premises and contractor defendants, shipbuilding companies, ship owners, and respirator defendants.
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South Carolina Supreme Court Affirms Sanctions in Mesothelioma Case
After her husband, Melvin, died of malignant mesothelioma in 2023, Donna Welch filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Atlas Turner and several other companies that she blamed for his illness. After the company refused to participate in the trial, it was held in contempt, placed in default, and a receiver was assigned to it. The
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South Dakota Mesothelioma Case Largest and Most Complex in State History
Residents of the state of South Dakota are fortunate; only 31 cases of mesothelioma were diagnosed in the state between 1979 and 1999, while there are an estimated 3,700 mesothelioma lawsuits filed nationally each year. That’s why legal experts are paying close attention to a federal lawsuit that was recently filed by a noted South
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Mesothelioma and Other Illnesses Diagnosed in Australian Broadcast Employees
Australia has one of the highest per capita rates of mesothelioma in the world, with around 700-800 new cases diagnosed each year. The rare form of cancer is caused by exposure to asbestos, which was widely used in construction for decades. Recently, several former employees of the country’s public broadcasting station have died of asbestos-related
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Mesothelioma Cases Drive Multi-State Legal Opposition
Asbestos trust funds offer mesothelioma victims access to funds from manufacturers and suppliers that have been forced into bankruptcy by their asbestos liabilities, but a recent lawsuit filed by still-solvent asbestos companies is challenging the administration of those funds.
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British MPs Call for Ban on Asbestos Company Over Mesothelioma Crisis
Mesothelioma and other asbestos-related cancers kill 5,000 people each year in Britain, and this grim statistic has led an all-party parliamentary group to demand action against construction giant Altrad. In 2017, the company acquired Cape—one of Britain’s largest asbestos manufacturers—and after examining that company’s “disastrous legacy,” the parliamentarians insist that Altrad be banned from all
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Study Examines Asbestos Thresholds for Development of Mesothelioma
It’s well established that mesothelioma is caused by asbestos exposure, but there has long been a question as to whether there is a certain level of exposure needed for the rare and aggressive form of cancer to develop. An article published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health reports on the results of a study examining outcomes of
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Philadelphia School District Asbestos Violations Raise Mesothelioma Fears, Criminal Charges
The School District of Philadelphia has become the first in the United States to face criminal charges for violating federal asbestos safety laws, sending a clear signal about ending the risk of mesothelioma from educational environments. Asbestos in school buildings has been blamed for asbestos-related diseases in several Philadelphia teachers, as well as in school
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Appeals Court Affirms Truck Driver’s Workers’ Compensation for Mesothelioma
Malignant mesothelioma claimed North Carolina truck driver Tommy Lineberger’s life in 2018, and his widow has been fighting for compensation since shortly after his death. Though the North Carolina court that administers workers’ compensation benefits found her claim eligible for compensation from his former employers, both companies appealed, arguing that her claim exceeded the governing
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California’s Fire Clean-up Rules Driven by Concerns Over Mesothelioma and Other Illnesses
Mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases are generally caused by occupational exposure. But wildfires and other disasters can also release the carcinogenic fibers into the air, and this is having an impact on the wildfire debris cleanup in Los Angeles. Owners and operators of facilities damaged in the fires are being reminded of the regulations imposed
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Mesothelioma Concerns Drive FDA Talc Evaluation Proposal
Over the last several years, tens of thousands of people diagnosed with mesothelioma and other cancers linked to asbestos have blamed contaminated talc in consumer products for their illnesses. While pharmaceutical and food companies have denied that talc in their products is dangerous, rising concerns have led a panel of scientific experts to raise the
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Medical Journal Rejects J&J Pressure to Retract Mesothelioma Article
Over the last several years, consumer giant Johnson & Johnson has been fending off legal claims filed by mesothelioma and ovarian cancer victims who blame talc in their popular baby powder product for their illnesses. The company’s efforts have included litigation, a controversial bankruptcy maneuver, and arguing against the veracity of scientific inquiries and reports.
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Mesothelioma Lawsuit Cites Asbestos in IBM Selectric Typewriters
A 74-year-old Ohio woman diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma has traced her history of exposure to asbestos to her decades of working with typewriters and other equipment manufactured and sold by International Business Machines (IBM). She recently filed suit against the company in New York’s Supreme Court of Westchester County.
