The town of Libby, Montana, has seen thousands of its citizens diagnosed with mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. It has long been viewed as a sad example of how mishandling and negligence of asbestos can devastate an entire community. Though the Center for Asbestos Related Disease (CARD) in Libby has provided medical care for generations of those victims, a recent court ruling has led to the clinic being shuttered, leaving patients wondering where they can turn.
Mesothelioma Clinic Closed Due to Judgment Owed to Railroad
The CARD clinic’s closure can be traced back to a ruling in favor of BNSF Railway, a company that has been found liable for asbestos contamination and mesothelioma diagnoses among Libby’s residents. While facing multiple plaintiffs filing claims against them, BNSF prevailed in a suit it filed on behalf of the federal government against the clinic itself, asserting that it had fraudulently diagnosed some of its patients as being eligible for government benefits when they were not actually sick.
Of the 2,000 mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diagnoses that the railway questioned in court, 337 were deemed false, and this led to a $6 million judgment against CARD. The clinic kept operating after this ruling and filed for bankruptcy; a settlement reached in the case allowed them to do so without paying any money, but the railway’s says it is owed $3.1 million, and following a court order to seize the clinic’s assets to satisfy the judgment, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office closed the center.
Montana Mesothelioma Victims Unsure Where to Turn for Treatment
While the CARD clinic’s attorney argues that the railway’s attempt to collect on the fraud judgment violates that bankruptcy settlement approved by a federal court, mesothelioma victims and others diagnosed with or at risk of asbestos-related diseases are unsure where to turn for screening and treatment.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net are here to help. Contact us today at 1-800-692-8608 to learn more.
