Mesothelioma Legal Blog

A Delaware federal judge recently denied a request by pharmaceutical and cosmetics giant Johnson & Johnson to remove thousands of asbestos cancer lawsuits from various state courts and place them all under the purview of a single jurisdiction. Johnson & Johnson made the request after its co-defendant and talc supplier in the lawsuits, Imerys Talc USA, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection under the weight of the litigation the two companies faced.

Asbestos is a natural mineral made of fibers that are resistant to corrosion, electricity, and heat. It is because of its qualities that the mineral was widely used in the 20th century. However, even though asbestos boasts of these useful qualities, asbestos is highly toxic. When an individual inhales the asbestos fibers, the fibers can cause mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive type of cancer. Today, asbestos is no longer being used in most new products and buildings. However, many old buildings, homes, and products still contain this toxic substance.

Secondary asbestos exposure, also known as second-hand asbestos exposure, is when someone who works directly with asbestos or asbestos-contaminated material carries asbestos fibers home and exposes their household members to those fibers. When a worker brings home asbestos fibers, they put their loved ones at risk of developing asbestos-related illnesses such as mesothelioma and asbestosis. Secondary asbestos exposure is especially frequent among women and children, although men too can fall victim to this kind of asbestos exposure.

For over five decades, mesothelioma and asbestos-related disease advocates have been fighting for asbestos to be banned in the United States of America. Finally, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has made a decision that has been applauded by many. EPA finalized a rule that prohibits people from importing and using chrysotile asbestos in the U.S. ADAO is one of the mesothelioma and asbestos-related advocates that acknowledged that the recent ruling by EPA will help in the fight against asbestos and asbestos-related illnesses.

Asbestos History: Though the use of asbestos goes back further, it became most prevalent beginning in the late 1800s. While asbestos provided many benefits in countless products throughout the twentieth century, it also caused significant health risks to those exposed to its microscopic fibers. These health issues include mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer. History of Asbestos: Significant Use in 1900s Before the late 1800s, the process of mining asbestos was not mechanized. This meant that rock had to be manually chipped at in order to extract the asbestos.

For purposes of this article, the victim in this case will be referred to as D.G.C. In a recent case, a Florida jury awarded $18 million in damages to a 64-year-old woman, D.G.C., who was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma. According to the jury, the victim’s illness was caused by secondary asbestos exposure from brake dust, specifically from a brake-grinding machine that her father and brothers used in their auto repair shop. Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer that is caused by asbestos exposure.