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Asbestos Manufacturer Argues Against Jury’s Mesothelioma Award
Ronald and Judith Wilgenbusch filed a personal injury lawsuit against Metalclad Insulation LLC and other companies filing Ronald’s diagnosis with malignant mesothelioma. The couple won their lawsuit, with the jury assessing economic damages of $795,000 and noneconomic damages of $1.75 million dollars. This award was apportioned between the various named parties, but Metalclad objected to
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New York Cancer Center Tests Use of Photodynamic Therapy for Mesothelioma
Malignant mesothelioma has proven resistant to every cancer treatment. Physicians using varying combinations of chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, and immunotherapy have been able to extend survival for some patients, but have not yet found a way to stop the aggressive cancer from claiming the lives of its victims. Now researchers at the Roswell Park Cancer Center
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After $20 Million Mesothelioma Award, Asbestos Companies Await Punitive Damages Decision
A Connecticut jury wasted no time in deciding that two companies were responsible for the mesothelioma death of John Peckham, a temporary worker exposed to asbestos in their products sixty years earlier. Mr. Peckham died 18 months after his diagnosis with the rare, asbestos-related disease, and the jury ordered the companies to pay his survivors
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Case Report on Patient’s Mesothelioma Journey Highlights Importance of Occupational History
A recently published case study of a 56-year-old mesothelioma patient has highlighted the importance of informing healthcare professionals about occupational history. Lack of knowledge of the patient’s occupational asbestos exposure combined with his history of hypertension distracted emergency department personnel from his other symptoms, delaying diagnosis and treatment of his mesothelioma.
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Miami Research Suggests Social Determinants Play Role in Mesothelioma Survival
Malignant pleural mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer that is always considered fatal. But patients’ overall survival varies significantly: some patients die within weeks of diagnosis and others can enjoy multiple years more life. A recent study published in the journal JAMA Network Open suggests that those differences are often impacted by social disparities and lack
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Seeking End to Mesothelioma Risk, Anti-Asbestos Advocates Launch Day of Action
Despite exposure to asbestos leading to malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, and other serious and deadly diseases, lobbying efforts by the chemical industry have led to its continued use in the United States. While the EPA considers banning its use, anti-asbestos advocates are taking matters into their own hands: they have announced a day of
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New York Supreme Court Allows $15 Million Verdict to Stand
In 2018, Munir Seen was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma. He pursued legal action against 26 different companies and individuals, later adding joint compound manufacturer Kaiser Gypsum. By the time the case went to trial, only Kaiser remained as a defendant and Mr. Seen had died. The jury awarded his estate $15 million, with 70% of
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$10.4 Million Mesothelioma Award Upheld by Louisiana Court
When David Strauder, Jr. died of malignant mesothelioma, he left behind two bereft adult daughters. The women filed suit against the companies that had exposed their father to asbestos in the state of Louisiana and won a $10.4 million verdict against Union Carbide Corporation, the only defendant that remained. The company filed an appeal arguing
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Court Denies Boiler Manufacturer’s Attempt to Evade Two Separate Mesothelioma Claims
The asbestos insulation found in mid-20th-century boilers is frequently blamed for malignant mesothelioma, as those who worked with or near the boilers had no way to avoid breathing in the toxic fibers. Despite this, boiler manufacturers frequently try to evade liability for the harm they caused. Recently a single manufacturer filed to have two separate
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EPA Release Suggests Decision on Asbestos Ban is Close
A newly-released document from the Environmental Protection Agency indicates that the agency is much closer to making a final decision regarding the regulation of chrysotile asbestos under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The EPA has released additional data related to the proposed rules change and has opened a 30-day period for comment from the
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Mesothelioma Researchers Announce Meaningful Improvement from Pembrolizumab Plus Chemotherapy Treatment
Researchers from Merck, the pharmaceutical company behind the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab (Keytruda), have announced that first-line treatment that combines their product with chemotherapy met the primary endpoint of a phase 2/3 trial, achieving clinically meaningful improvement in overall survival in patients diagnosed with unresectable advanced or metastatic malignant pleural mesothelioma.
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German Mesothelioma Study Suggests HITOC Benefits Outweigh Risks to Kidneys
Finding the most effective treatment for malignant mesothelioma is a significant challenge. The rare and deadly form of cancer is notoriously resistant to chemotherapy and other traditional cancer treatments, leaving researchers to weigh the relative risks of more innovative or aggressive treatments. A study conducted by German researchers has concluded that the benefits of localized
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Asbestos Bans Lead to Global Decline in Malignant Mesothelioma
According to research published in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, the global incidence of malignant mesothelioma is on the decline. Using several databases, researchers looked at 185 countries to determine the overall trends, as well as differences in incidence based on sex, asbestos exposure, and countries’ gross domestic product and human development indexes. In analyzing their results, the
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Remarkable Gel-Based Approach Offers New Hope for Mesothelioma Patients
Malignant pleural mesothelioma is one of the most difficult cancers to treat. The cancer’s tumors are uncommon in the way that they grow and take shape: because they adhere to the surface of the mesothelial membranes, they are difficult to remove surgically. They also do not respond well to systemic chemotherapy, leaving doctors with little
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Two North Carolina Families Ask Court to Consolidate their Mesothelioma Claims
Two families facing the challenges of malignant mesothelioma have asked a North Carolina court to allow them to combine their asbestos claims against 3M Company, Dow Chemical, General Electric, and others. Both accuse the companies of exposing their loved ones to asbestos. Saying that their “cases are about as similar as any two cases could
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Does Depression’s Role in Lung Cancer Survival Apply to Mesothelioma?
A study conducted by psychologists at The Ohio State University reveals that lung cancer patients suffering from moderate to severe depression are two-to-three times more likely to experience poor survival. The report gives rise to questions of whether the same would apply to those diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma.
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Mesothelioma Victim Granted Court Fees Following 3M’s Unreasonable Removal to Federal Court
A California District Judge has ordered 3M Company to pay a mesothelioma victim $5,000 in attorneys’ fees after their removal of a case to federal court was deemed to be without “an objectively reasonable basis.” The company had attempted to remove Gary and Elizabeth Haeck’s lawsuit despite clear precedent against their legal position.
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South Carolina Jury Awards $29 Million in Mesothelioma Talc Trial
Just days after hearing opening statements, a South Carolina jury has awarded $29.14 million to a 35-year-old woman who blames her malignant mesothelioma on asbestos-contaminated cosmetic talc products.
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Louisiana Appeals Court Confirms $10.3 Million Mesothelioma Award
From October through November of 2020, a Louisiana jury heard the case of Henry Pete, a former longshoreman diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma. After learning of his direct exposure to asbestos as well as his take-home exposure through contact with the contaminated work clothing worn by his father, the jury awarded him $10.3 million in damages.
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As U.S. Schools Continue Discovering Hidden Asbestos, UK Teacher’s Family Wins Mesothelioma Settlement
As residents of Philadelphia learned of yet another school building closure due to hidden asbestos, the family of a United Kingdom teacher has been granted a mesothelioma settlement by the council where she’d worked. Both stories highlight continuing concerns about the risks of disease posed by asbestos-contaminated school buildings.
