A federal judge has denied a pump manufacturer's argument that an asbestos-related lung cancer case should be tossed because it wasn't filed in time. As asbestos litigation continues its steady decline and fewer lawsuits against companies for asbestos-related illnesses make it past the early stages of litigation, plaintiff Kathleen Conneen's case … [Read more...]
Asbestos-related cancer won’t be overcome anytime soon, doctors say
New methods are giving doctors a better handle on diagnosing and treating asbestos-related cancers, but no cures are on the horizon. “I think it would be overly optimistic to say it’s going to be cured. I mean we can always dream,” said oncologist Dr. Christopher Lee, an expert on mesothelioma. Paul Demers, a senior scientist in prevention at … [Read more...]
Deadly Remnants of Asbestos in Italy (photos slideshow)
Although Italy joined asbestos-producing nations in banning the carcinogenic material at the end of the 20th century, thousands of people working in factories and living in public housing had already been exposed. In other words, as the Italian photographer Cinzia Canneri explained, the damage had been done by the 1980s. Ms. Canneri said it could … [Read more...]
Asbestos-related cancer costs Canadians billions
A first-ever estimate of the toll of asbestos-related cancers on society pegs the cost of new cases at $1.7-billion per year in Canada, and notes that is likely an under-estimate. The economic burden of lung cancer and mesothelioma from work-related asbestos exposure in Canada amounts to an average of $818,000 per case, according to a team led by … [Read more...]
Commentary: Firefighters and teachers bear outsize burden of asbestos deaths
Asbestos does not discriminate. It doesn’t matter who you are – young or old, strong or frail, rich or poor, factory worker or CEO – if you inhale or ingest even one microscopic asbestos fiber, you’re at increased risk of developing a deadly disease whose symptoms may not show up for decades. But of the estimated 12,000 to 15,000 Americans … [Read more...]
Asbestos-Related Lung Cancer Cases Where There Is A History Of Smoking By Plaintiff: See How A Defense Law Firm Looks At These Lawsuits
Recently we came across an article written by two attorneys in Miles & Stockbridge’s Products Liability and Mass Torts Practice Group that provided some insights about how defense lawyers might assess asbestos lung cancer lawsuits. From the Introduction part of this article, "Asbestos, Smoking and Lung Cancer: Valuing the Venue and … [Read more...]
Five Basic Medical Facts About Bronchogenic Carcinoma or Lung Cancer Caused By Asbestos Exposure
For some basic facts about asbestos-related lung cancer, or bronchogenic carcinoma, we will draw upon an article, “Asbestos: When the Dust Settles—An Imaging Review of Asbestos-related Disease”, which was published in the October 2002 edition of RadioGraphic medical journal. The link between asbestos exposure and lung cancer has been … [Read more...]
The Disturbing Story Of What Asbestos Exposure Has Done To The People Of Ambler, Pennsylvania, In The Past And Up To The Present Time, As Regards Asbestos-Related Diseases
Today's post is a follow-up to one we wrote back in July 2014, "Penn Medical School Will Study Cluster Of Mesothelioma Cases In Ambler, PA, The Site Of A Long-Closed Asbestos Factory". In an October 19, 2014 article, "Penn study seeks to track Ambler's asbestos legacy", reporter Sandy Bauers, of the Philadelphia Inquirer, brings to life the … [Read more...]
Pleural Disease Diagnosis Indicates Signifcant Past Exposure To Asbestos And Means There Is An Increased Risk Of Asbestosis, Lung Cancer, Or Mesothelioma
The commonly encountered asbestos-related conditions and diseases mainly relate to the lungs. These include pleural effusion, pleural plaques, and diffuse pleural thickening -- collectively referred to as benign pleural disease -- as well as asbestosis, lung cancer, and malignant pleural mesothelioma. In this post we focus on the several types … [Read more...]
Mesothelioma / Asbestos Lung Cancer / Asbestosis: The Basic Facts About These Asbestos-Related Diseases
An estimated 2,000-3,000 new cases of malignant mesothelioma are diagnosed each year in the US. Malignant mesothelioma is most often diagnosed in people over 50; more often in men than women; and, the risk increases with age. There are 3 types of malignant mesothelioma: Pleural Mesothelioma, which accounts for 75% of cases and starts in … [Read more...]