Seven years after asbestos was discovered in the University of Montana’s daycare facilities, 17 families whose children were exposed to the mesothelioma-causing mineral have received settlements totaling $850,000 from the State of Montana. The long-term health consequences for the children remain uncertain.
Childcare Center Mesothelioma Fears Date Back to 2018
The mesothelioma concerns were first raised in December 2018, when university employees discovered asbestos on McGill Hall’s second floor, a building that housed the ASUM childcare center. Following initial remediation efforts, workers found even more asbestos in January 2019 within the childcare center’s HVAC system and on interior surfaces. This discovery prompted immediate relocation of the daycare services.
Parent Lisa Davey described the mesothelioma threat as “really scary,” recalling maintenance staff descriptions of “piles of asbestos in the vents that have been blowing out and around.” Speaking of the parents’ concerns, she said, “There’s basically no research on what happens to kids who get high levels of asbestos exposure at such a young age and how that impacts their developing bodies.”
Lawsuit Alleged University Failed to Warn Families of Mesothelioma Risk
Davey and 16 other families filed asbestos exposure lawsuits alleging that the unsafe asbestos levels had put their children at risk of mesothelioma, and that the university should have warned them when asbestos in the building was first discovered.
The cases were resolved through mediation: The University of Montana did not admit wrongdoing, and the families with mesothelioma concerns received the $850,000 total compensation. University spokesperson Dave Kuntz expressed relief that the exposure litigation had concluded, allowing both the institution and families to “move on.”
Mesothelioma Concerns Will Shadow Families for Decades
Despite the settlements, affected families face significant anxiety about future mesothelioma diagnoses. consequences. Davey said, “We still probably won’t know for another 15 years, but all of us expressed that when our kids get a cold and the cough lingers, it’s this: ‘Do we get an extra chest X-ray? Like what if something is developing in their lungs?'”
The children exposed to asbestos have grown since 2019, with some now in middle school. Mesothelioma’s decades-long latency period means these families will live with uncertainty well into their children’s adulthood. Davey said, “It’s not ever going away. I think it’s gonna be in the back of our minds forever.”
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.
