May, 2024

Court Denies Government’s Petition for Dismissal in Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Mesothelioma Case

May 31, 2024 | Throneberry Law Group

For purposes of this article, the mesothelioma victim in this case will be referred to as G.R.P.

In a recent mesothelioma case, the district court dismissed the U.S. Government’s second petition for dismissal. G.R.P., who passed away due to malignant mesothelioma, a type of cancer that is caused by asbestos exposure, lived for many years downwind from Puget Sound Naval shipyard, the worksite where her husband worked. According to G.R.P.’s family, her mesothelioma and resulting death occurred due to airborne asbestos fibers that found their way to her home from the shipyard. The family also blames G.R.P.’s illness and death on the asbestos fibers that her husband brought home on his clothes. According to the family, G.R.P. suffered asbestos exposure while cleaning her husband’s asbestos-contaminated clothes. G.R.P.’s family filed a lawsuit against the United States Government. The U.S. Government recently filed its second petition to have the case dismissed, but the petition was denied.

The original lawsuit filed by G.R.P.’s family in 2022 describes how G.R.P. suffered asbestos exposure due to negligence at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard where her husband worked. The original lawsuit details that G.R.P. suffered asbestos exposure due to her husband carrying the fibers home on his work clothes and the airborne asbestos fibers that blew to her home from the shipyard. In other words, G.R.P. suffered environmental and para-occupational asbestos exposure. Para-occupational exposure can also be referred to as second-hand or secondary exposure. G.R.P.’s husband worked at the shipyard from the late 1960s until 1972.

How Long Does it Take to Recover After Mesothelioma Surgery?

May 24, 2024 | Throneberry Law Group

Mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer that affects thousands of people in the United States every year. Unfortunately, there is still no cure for mesothelioma. The good news, however, is that there are several mesothelioma treatment options. One of the treatment options for mesothelioma is surgery. Mesothelioma surgery can be done to relieve pain and other symptoms (palliative surgery) or to try to cure the cancer (potentially curative surgery). The first option is for people whose tumor has already spread beyond where it began, and it would be difficult to remove it completely. In contrast, the second option is for people who are in otherwise good health and whose cancer can be removed completely. A common concern that mesothelioma patients and their families usually have about surgery is the recovery process. If you or a loved one has mesothelioma, you may be wondering how long it takes to recover after mesothelioma surgery.

So, how long does it take to recover after mesothelioma surgery? Unfortunately, there is no straightforward answer to this question. The time it takes to recover after mesothelioma surgery may vary from person to person. This means that just because someone you know took a few weeks to recover after mesothelioma surgery does not mean you or your loved one will also take a few weeks to recover. Several factors can impact the timeline of recovery after mesothelioma surgery, including the type of surgery conducted, the disease’s stage, the patient’s overall health, and arising complications.

What are the Mesothelioma Surgery Options?

Court Denies Railway’s Request for Sanctions

May 20, 2024 | Throneberry Law Group

For purposes of this article, the mesothelioma victim in this case will be referred to as Ms. M.D.M.

Many years have passed since asbestos fibers that originated from vermiculite mines blew around Libby, Montana. Vermiculite and asbestos form under similar conditions, and therefore, asbestos contaminated Libby’s vermiculite deposit. Decades of mining in the vermiculite mines exposed workers and residents to toxic asbestos. Asbestos is a dangerous substance that can cause aggressive and fatal diseases. One of the most aggressive and fatal illnesses asbestos causes is mesothelioma. Decades after asbestos fibers blew around Libby, Montana, the tragic toll of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses persists. Victims and their families continue to seek justice and compensation against the entities responsible for their illnesses and deaths. In an upcoming court case, the family of a mesothelioma victim who passed away avoided sanctions BNSF Railway, the defendant, was seeking. BNSF was seeking sanctions because the family had cremated their loved one’s remains before they could get additional tissue samples for testing. Below is more on this case.

Among the many ongoing cases in Libby, Montana, is Ms. M.D.M. Ms. M’s case against MNSF Railway was filed two years ago. Initially, the defendant received tissue samples from Ms. M’s lung, but BNSF asked for more samples. The defendant asked the victim’s family to preserve her organ tissues in the event of death. However, the family did not respond to this request until days before Ms. M.D.M.’s death. According to the family, they could not accept the defendant’s request because of religion. Also, the family cited privacy concerns.

Court Denies Talc Company’s Appeal of Mesothelioma Verdict

May 15, 2024 | Throneberry Law Group

For purposes of this article, the mesothelioma victim in this case will be referred to as Mrs. S.R., and the victim’s daughter will be referred to as Mrs. H.F.

In a recent case, the Superior Court of Pennsylvania rejected the appeal of AII, one of the defendants in the original mesothelioma case, and affirmed a $400,000 compensation award. However, instead of assigning AII half of the verdict, the court distributed liability among AII and two other defendants. Below is more on this case.

In 2019, Mrs. S.R. died of malignant mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that forms in the lining of the chest or abdomen, whose prognosis is often poor. This illness is most commonly associated with asbestos exposure. Asbestos is a mineral that was once widely used in several industries due to its attractive qualities. After Mrs. S.R.’s death, her daughter H.F. filed a legal claim against the entities she blamed for her mother’s illness. Mrs. H.F. blamed her mother’s mesothelioma on the talcum powders she used in her salon between the 60’s and 80’s. According to the lawsuit, the talc in the powders contained asbestos. The lawsuit named several defendants, including the manufacturers of Jean Nate, Jeris, and Clubman and AII, the successor to Clubman.

Is it Possible to Live a Normal Life With Mesothelioma?

May 3, 2024 | Throneberry Law Group

Mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer whose main cause is asbestos exposure. It can be devastating to get a mesothelioma diagnosis. Often, after people are diagnosed with mesothelioma, they face several daunting questions about their future. Some questions people ask themselves about the future after a mesothelioma diagnosis include whether there is a cure for mesothelioma, how mesothelioma will affect their quality of life, and whether it is possible to live a normal life after a mesothelioma diagnosis. Unfortunately, there is still no cure for mesothelioma. However, there are several mesothelioma treatment options. And while mesothelioma is an aggressive disease, it is possible to live a relatively normal life after a diagnosis. Many people have survived for years after a mesothelioma diagnosis and have been able to continue their daily activities with the right treatment.

Mesothelioma Treatment Options

While there is still no cure for mesothelioma, there are several treatment options. Common mesothelioma treatment options include;

A New York Judge Permits Two Mesothelioma Claims to Be Consolidated

May 1, 2024 | Throneberry Law Group

For purposes of this article, the victims in this case will be referred to as K.L. and P.J.

Mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer that takes the lives of many people every year. Surviving loved ones of people who die from mesothelioma are usually left dealing with intense grief and loss. While filing a wrongful death claim cannot undo what has already happened, filing this claim serves several crucial purposes. Filing a wrongful death claim ensures that those who contributed to the asbestos exposure that led to the death are held liable. A wrongful death claim can provide financial support to surviving family members. Additionally, by pursuing a wrongful death claim, surviving family members can contribute to the prevention of future harm.

However, pursuing legal action after a loved one dies from mesothelioma can be a daunting and emotionally draining process. Therefore, the idea of joining mesothelioma claims can be very appealing. Asbestos companies do not like it when people join mesothelioma claims since two claims carry more weight than one. Asbestos companies fight to prevent claimants from joining forces. However, a recent ruling by a New York judge has allowed two mesothelioma cases to be joined, paving the way for mesothelioma victims and their loved ones to consolidate their claims.