National Mesothelioma Day stirs reflections on Weitz & Luxenberg courtroom victories

Of the many ways one might conceivably observe Mesothelioma Awareness Day 2011, the Weitz & Luxenberg approach will include reflection on the many courtroom victories our firm of personal injury lawyers has secured on behalf of mesothelioma victims.

These successes against defendant companies that manufactured, distributed and utilized asbestos or materials containing it long precede the arrival of the first National Mesothelioma Day in 2009.

However, prominent among our most significant recent wins was a $22-million verdict against two defendants, the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. and Goodyear Canada. Heard in New York State Supreme Court over a span of five weeks, the jury returned a verdict on behalf of our clients – Eugene “Mac” McCarthy and Walter Koczur.

As first-time observers of Mesothelioma Awareness Day likely will learn on Sept. 26 (if not sooner), mesothelioma is a relatively rare form of cancer that often strikes following exposure to asbestos. Mr. Koczur became exposed to it while working as a steamfitter between 1969 and 1973 at a number of Buffalo, N.Y.,-area job sites, including Republic Steel and Ashland Oil. Gaskets made by Goodyear proved to be the source of the asbestos.

Mr. McCarthy was likewise exposed to Goodyear asbestos-containing gaskets in the course of his own job as a heavy equipment engine-mechanic in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Both men years later became sick and eventually died. The jury found both defendants partially responsible.

As a result, the Koczur family received $11.6 million to compensate them for their pain and suffering at having to endure Mr. Koczur’s agonizing demise. Further, Mr. Koczur’s widow was awarded $1.9 million for the loss of consortium she suffered as a result of her husband’s death, which occurred in 1998.

In the matter of Mr. McCarthy, Goodyear Tire and Rubber and Goodyear Canada were again each held partially responsible. The McCarthy family was awarded $8.5 million in pain and suffering damages.

Prestigious New York Law Firm Can Help Veterans with Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a dangerous, lethal cancer that is being faced by many of our war veterans. Asbestos was ubiquitous on army bases, ships and planes, especially during World War II. I think this firm is great if you want to file a claim for mesothelioma.

This Is A Must Read

Here is an article that I found about Navy veterans and asbestos. It's sort of like an advice column because there's a reader who is sending a question, and a author who gives the reader some options for a solution.

In this column, the reader finds that their father is diagnosed with Mesothelioma. With distraught, they started doing research about the disease and what might have caused it, with asbestos as the prime suspect. With further research, they also find that veterans are unable to sue the Federal Government for the use of asbestos.

The author then goes ahead and gives the reader some other options, like suing the companies who manufactured and sold the asbestos. They also gave a little background of the topic.

It's a really great article; please give it a look.

Asbestos Was Valued in the Military

If the dangers of asbestos have been known about for so many years, then why was it ubiquitous in military products and equipment?

Efficient performance and productivity was of great importance to the Army, the Marines, the Air Force and the Navy. This was especially the case when two of the world’s most infamous wars were taking place: World War II and The Vietnam War.  In order to meet performance demands, it was necessary to have access to a special material that could withstand immense heat and be used for multiple purposes.

Asbestos was perhaps the only material available that could meet these standards. Unfortunately, versatility aside, it was highly toxic, a fact that wasn’t given much consideration.

Asbestos was used in the construction of the following:

Airplanes: Asbestos was used around the engines, fuel tanks and lighting sockets among other plane parts.

Marine Vessels: From battleships to submarines, cruisers to destroyers, asbestos was everywhere. Some veterans who are currently living with mesothelioma, asbestos lung cancer and asbestosis have shared stories about how asbestos covered pipes and boilers that were in or around where they slept would easily flake, sending bits of asbestos into the air.

Military Bases: Even military personnel who weren’t serving on military ships or vessels, asbestos exposure was more or less a guarantee. The carcinogen was found in duct work, water pipes, ceiling and floor tiles, dining areas and even sleeping quarters.

Did you know that Navy personnel risked asbestos exposure?

The vessels utilized by the US Navy served a variety of important purposes during some the world’s most historic wars such as World War I, World War II and the Vietnam War. 

Some models, such as battleships and destroyers, actively participated in battle, others served as maritime hospitals tending to wounded and dying sailors.

Unfortunately, the sailors on board the ships as well as those who participated in their construction faced an enemy that could not be defeated by missiles and torpedoes: asbestos.

In the interest of efficient performance during periods of war, the Navy was hesitant to seriously address the hazards. Asbestos was valued for its corrosion and fire proof properties and was ubiquitous in virtually every area of the naval ships, from the sleeping quarters, to the engine rooms, to the mess halls.

Asbestos was also included in and around temperature sensitive areas such as engine and boiler rooms, and was used in the production of gaskets, deck covers, adhesives, felts and meters, among other gadgets and devices.  For a sailor who spent any period on board a navy ship, his exposure to asbestos was inevitable.

Learn your legal rights here.

Veterans Face Worst Adversary Yet: Asbestos

Veterans of the United States armed forces, especially those who served during World War II, faced unbelievable adversity and risked their lives on a daily basis to protect their country. Unfortunately, it would be many years after their service concluded before they would be forced to face their most lethal adversary yet: asbestos.

The dangers of asbestos exposure have been known about in the United States since the Industrial Revolution arrived on our shores from England in the 1800s. Unfortunately, it wasn’t until the 1970s that certain government organizations such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began to implement regulations regarding asbestos use.  Whether on military bases or military vessels (such as airplanes and ships) asbestos was ubiquitous and virtually inescapable.

What is perhaps most tragic of all is that many of the young servicemen (and some women) who were exposed to asbestos likely didn’t realize the health problems they would face many years later. When they inhaled asbestos, the fibers embedded themselves in their lung tissue and over a period of many years, caused the tissues to scar. Many veterans complained of difficulty breathing, which impeded their ability to partake in many activities.

Three common asbestos diseases are: mesothelioma, asbestos lung cancer and asbestosis. The first is almost always fatal and all three are incurable.

If you are a veteran and you were exposed to asbestos learn more about your legal rights.

Homeless Veterans

More than 10,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are homeless or in programs aiming to keep them off the streets; since 2006, that number has doubled.

A reason why some of these veterans are homeless is the high costs of medical bills from post traumatic depression and stress, and physical injuries. While serving in Afghanistan or Iraq, soldiers could be exposed to asbestos from the houses where they were based in. Asbestos is used frequently in those areas because of the price and the properties.