Asbestos News Roundup: 10.24.13 – Shipyard Asbestos Risk

October 24th, 2013. By LucyC

A roundup of recent asbestos-related news and information that you should be aware of. An ongoing list of reported asbestos hot spots in the US from the Asbestos News Roundup archive appears on our asbestos map.

Asbestos Risk and Shipyard Workers

Beginning in the 1930s, nearly all ships built by the US Navy—including submarines—contained insulation or other machine parts containing asbestos. From that time, until the 1970s, when the US Navy stopped using asbestos in shipbuilding, thousands of US Navy Veterans and former Merchant Marines who served during World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and other conflicts were exposed to harmful levels of asbestos, placing them at risk of developing mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis or other asbestos diseases. Shipyard workers, boiler mechanics, electricians and pipefitters who handled asbestos products are also at risk of developing asbestos-related diseases.

Because of the long latency period of the disease, it may take up to 30 years—or more—before Veterans who were exposed to asbestos begin to develop the first symptoms of mesothelioma or other asbestos-related cancers.

Many Veterans who were exposed to asbestos during their time in the military have filed lawsuits against the companies who manufactured asbestos products and the equipment that utilized these products on board US Navy and Merchant Marine ships. In their lawsuits, the Veterans’ alleged they were not warned about the risks of asbestos exposure, even when the companies who manufactured these asbestos products were fully aware of the danger they posed.

Asbestos Lawsuits

Jefferson County, TX: An asbestos lawsuit has been filed by the estate of the late Gloria Harris alleging her lung cancer was caused by her husband’s asbestos exposure at Texaco.

The lawsuit was filed by Joe Harris filed suit against Texaco, and other defendants including TRMI Holdings, Huntsman Petrochemical, Triplex, Santa Fe Braun, Resco Holdings, Bechtel Corp., Sequoia Ventures, Chicago Bridge & Iron and LGS Technologies.

According to the lawsuit, Joe’s late wife inadvertently breathed the asbestos dust from his clothes and riding his vehicle, which he had been exposed to during his employment at Texaco. This allegedly caused her to develop asbestos-related lung cancer, from which she died on February 24, 2012.

The suit accuses the defendants of manufacturing and using asbestos products without warning workers, such as Joe, of the health hazards associated with the carcinogenic mineral. (setexasrecord.com)

New Orleans, LA: Rosemary Rodosta has filed an asbestos lawsuit alleging she developed asbestos-related cancer as a direct result of both direct and secondary asbestos exposure. In her lawsuit Rodosta asserts she has been diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma, which she alleges is a result of both household asbestos exposure from when she was child living in her parents’ residence in Louisiana, and from direct exposure as a result of smoking Kent Cigarettes from 1947 to 1967.

Named defendants in the lawsuit are: Lorillard Tobacco Company, Hollingsworth and Vose Company Inc., Eagle Inc., One Beacon American Insurance Company, McCarty Corporation, Reilly Benton Company Inc., Falstaff Brewing Corporation, Taylor-Seidenbach Inc. and their insurers.

Rodosta alleges that her father worked at Falstaff Brewery, where he was frequently exposed to asbestos, and would come home covered in asbestos dust, which would “emanate from his person.” As a child living in this environment she claims she suffered secondary asbestos exposure.

She further alleges her direct exposure to asbestos came later, as a result of smoking Kent Cigarettes from 1947 to 1967, because the micronite filters of these cigarettes contained crocidolite or blue asbestos at least from the period of March 1952 through May 1956.

The defendants are accused of intentional misconduct, fraud, and concealment or conspiracy to defraud or conceal the dangers of asbestos-containing products.

Rodosta is seeking an unspecified amount in damages is sought for medical costs, lost earnings, mental sufferings and reduced quality of life. (louisianarecord.com)

New Orleans, LA: Robert Dixon, a retired shipyard worker recently diagnosed with terminal asbestos-related cancer, has filed an asbestos lawsuit naming his former employers as well as asbestos miners and distributors as defendants. Dixon was diagnosed with malignant asbestos mesothelioma on October 9, 2012.

In his asbestos complaint, Dixon alleges he was exposed to asbestos several times throughout his career. Specifically, from 1970 to 1973, while he worked as a tacker and shipfitter at Northrop Grumman Ship System’s Inc, formerly known as Avondale Shipyard’s “Main Yard.” Then, from 1976 to 1982 he claims he suffered asbestos exposure from performing daily maintenance for George Engine Company in Harvey, and subsequently for Leson Chevrolet from 1982 to 1987, and from 1987 to date.

Dixon filed his asbestos suit against the 3M Company (The Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company), Albert Bossier, the executive officer of Avondale Industries, Anco Insulations Inc., CBS Corporation, Dana Companies LLC, Eagle Inc., Ford Motor Company, Hennessy Industries Inc., Honeywell International Inc., Hopeman Brothers Inc., International Paper Company, The McCarty Corporation, Northrop Gruman Ship Systems Inc., Reilly-Benton Company Inc. and Taylor-Seidenbach Inc.

Dixon accuses the defendants of mining, manufacturing, selling, supplying, distributing and using products unreasonably dangerous and known to possess inherent dangerous properties with high potential for injury, failing to warn the plaintiff as to the hazards of their products in their foreseeable use, failing to provide safety instructions to eliminate or reduce risks associated with the products, failure to inspect truthfully or adequately report product testing and medical studies, failure to properly design, producing defective products, and failure to properly package their products. In addition, employers allegedly failed to provide Dixon with a safe place to work, adequate engineering or industrial hygiene measures to control the level of exposure to asbestos and failure to warn of associated hazards.

He is seeking an unspecified amount in damages for medical costs, lost earnings, mental sufferings and reduced quality of life.(louisianarecord.com)

 

Tags: Asbestos, asbestos lawsuit, Asbestos Settlement, asbestosis, mesothelioma

This was posted on Thursday, October 24th, 2013 at 5:17 pm and is filed under Asbestos Mesothelioma . Feel free to respond, or trackback. Read our comments policy.