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Asbestos Exposure that Risks Firefighter Mesothelioma May Cost San Diego $80 Million in Fines
Because asbestos was used so extensively in 20th century construction, firefighters are among those at highest risk for malignant mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. But beyond the risk posed by the carcinogen in burning buildings, recent reports point to the material being in place where the first responders live and train. In San Diego, the Air
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Mexican Study Confirms Effectiveness of Multimodal Mesothelioma Treatment
Though malignant mesothelioma is always considered a fatal diagnosis, physicians and researchers have worked together to extend patient survival through the development of both medications and interventions. Though each patient’s condition will dictate the protocol that will serve them best, a recently conducted study has confirmed that the best results are derived from a multimodal
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Plumber’s Mesothelioma Trial Ends with $5 Million Jury Award
Robert Swanson spent much of his life working with asbestos-contaminated products during his years as a plumber, and that constant exposure to the carcinogenic material led to his diagnosis with malignant mesothelioma in 2014. In 2015 he filed suit against several different defendants, and recently won over $5 million from boiler manufacturer Marley-Wylain Company.
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Woman’s Mesothelioma Blamed on Father’s Work with Asbestos Tiles
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York has reversed an earlier decision by the Supreme Court of Nassau County, giving new hope to a woman diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma. Victoria Pistone and her husband Peter had filed suit against American Biltrite, Inc. and Mannington Mills, Inc., both companies her father had worked
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J & J Faces New Mesothelioma and Ovarian Cancer Suit from Black Women’s Group
Days after an Illinois judge held them in contempt of court, Johnson & Johnson Company received more bad news, as a new complaint was filed against them on behalf of Black women who’d used their product and were later diagnosed with mesothelioma, ovarian cancer, and other asbestos-related diseases. The suit, filed on behalf of the
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Johnson & Johnson Held in Contempt of Court in Illinois Asbestos Trial
With tens of thousands of mesothelioma and ovarian cancer lawsuits pending, consumer giant Johnson & Johnson has been under fire over asbestos contamination in its iconic talc-based baby powder product. This week the company suffered another legal blow when an Illinois circuit court judge held it in contempt of court when one of its witnesses
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FDA Grants Orphan Drug Designation to New Mesothelioma Drug
Italian drug manufacturer Fidia Farmaceutici has announced that its anticancer drug ONCOFID®-P has received a coveted orphan drug designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This move will provide the company with several development incentives, including tax credits for qualified clinical testing and eligibility for seven years of market exclusivity once its product receives
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Asbestos Company Expert Calls Mesothelioma a “Dreadful Disease,” Jury Awards Victim $25 Million
In April of 2018, 69-year-old William Phipps was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma. Phipps had spent the majority of his adult life working as an HVAC technician, repairing and installing heating, ventilation and air conditioning units, a skill he learned after his four years serving in the U.S. Navy onboard the U.S.S. Porterfield. When he and
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Massachusetts Attorney General Sues After Companies Create Mesothelioma Risk
Like the asbestos companies that ignored safety in the past, construction companies that are careless in their handling of the carcinogenic material create a present-day risk of malignant mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases for their employees and others. In Massachusetts, Attorney General Maura Healey has taken an aggressive position against those who flout asbestos-handling laws, and this
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Expansion of VA Access to Clinical Trials Will Improve Mesothelioma Outcomes for Vets
Because the military made such extensive use of asbestos-contaminated materials in the years between World War II and the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, veterans of America’s Armed Forces represent a significant proportion of mesothelioma patients. Many steps have to been taken to improve veterans’ ability to receive state-of-the-art treatment for the rare and deadly form
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Study Confirms Effectiveness of Common Mesothelioma Treatment
One of the greatest challenges faced by researchers working towards a mesothelioma cure is the extreme rarity of the disease: doctors often pursue a course of treatment without robust data to support their choice. To counter this, a group of Japanese researchers decided to conduct a clinical trial investigating the outcomes of the preferred protocol
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Facing Thousands of Mesothelioma and Ovarian Cancer Claims, Johnson & Johnson Considers Bankruptcy
After several juries have ruled against them in mesothelioma and ovarian cancer lawsuits, Johnson & Johnson’s is said to be considering creating a new business entity specifically for its talc liabilities. The legal maneuver would allow the newly formed company to then file for bankruptcy in order to put an end to the flow of
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Court Denies Asbestos Company’s Motion to Dismiss Mesothelioma Lawsuit
Alvin Smith was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma after a long career as an electrician. Before he died of the disease, he provided testimony in support of a lawsuit against National Grid, the company that succeeded the Long Island Lighting Company (LILCO) that had supervised his work at the Northport Power Plant. Though LILCO filed a motion
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Phase II Study Confirms Effectiveness of New Treatment for Peritoneal Mesothelioma
A just-released study out of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center provides encouraging news for patients diagnosed with malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. According to researchers at the highly respected facility, treatment combining atezolizumab and bevacizumab provided a 40% objective response rate in patients diagnosed with the rare cancer of the abdominal lining. They also
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Protein’s Release May Be Tied to Development of Mesothelioma Tumors
Though the majority of scientific effort surrounding malignant mesothelioma is focused on improving patient outcomes, many scientists are working towards understanding how the disease develops, with an eye to potentially disrupting the process. A collaborative study headed by scientists from the University of Hawaii may have found the missing link between exposure to asbestos and
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After Mesothelioma Claims Her Musician Husband, Widow Sues BBC
Malignant mesothelioma is a cruel and fatal form of cancer that claims lives all over the world. It is caused by exposure to asbestos, a mineral that has long been prized for its ability to add strength and fire-resistant properties to buildings, ships, factories, and many other applications. It was used extensively in the reconstruction
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$81.5 Million Mesothelioma Verdict Reinstated by Washington State Supreme Court
Jerry Coogan’s peritoneal mesothelioma was both extremely aggressive and torturous, and he died a painful death just six months after his diagnosis. A Washington state jury hearing the details of his asbestos exposure and subsequent suffering ordered Genuine Parts Company and National Automotive Parts Association to pay his family and estate an eye-popping $81.5 million
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Financial Hardship Study Provides Insights for Mesothelioma Patients
Malignant mesothelioma creates chaos. In the wake of an emotionally overwhelming diagnosis, patients struggle to comprehend their new reality while simultaneously being rushed into treatment to extend survival and improve the quality of their lives. The treatments are necessary whether patients opt for a curative or palliative approach, but their high price introduces financial stress to
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Mesothelioma Victims Prevail in Suit Against Asbestos Insurer
Mesothelioma victims are confronted with harsh realities on a continuing basis, and that includes the constant ups and downs of pursuing litigation against the companies responsible for their illness. As if it weren’t enough to know that their fatal illness could have been prevented, those seeking justice have to face specious arguments against responsibility and
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Georgia Appeals Court Allows Mesothelioma Case Against Power Company to Continue
After Colen Campbell was diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma in 2017, he and his wife filed lawsuits seeking compensation from 49 different defendants. His claims were based in part on his exposure to asbestos at the Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Power Plant, when he installed insulation as a contractor for North Brothers in 1973 and
