WHERE WAS I EXPOSED TO ASBESTOS? The only known cause of mesothelioma, a serious and aggressive form of cancer, is asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma has a latency period. The average length of time between asbestos exposure and the development of mesothelioma is 40 years.
Health, about 25% of people who die from asbestos-related diseases worked in the construction industry.
Veterans — Military Veterans who served between 1930 and 1980 have the highest risk for developing mesothelioma. During that time period, many veterans were exposed to asbestos while working in all branches of the U.S. military. Auto mechanics — Car parts, such as brake pads, hoodliners, and clutches contain asbestos to this day. Many auto mechanics are exposed to asbestos when installing these parts. One of the first mesothelioma clients we represented was an auto mechanic who was exposed to asbestos over his 50-year career working on municipal vehicles like firetrucks and police cars. Industrial workers — For decades, workers in several trades were exposed to asbestos, including mechanics, foremen, trade laborers, chemical workers, and machinery operators. Power plant workers — Many power plants used asbestos products like fireproofing spray and pipe insulation, which exposed workers to the toxic mineral. This list is only a sample of the many careers and occupations that involved exposure to dangerous amounts of asbestos over the years. Asbestos exposure in the workplace is still an issue today, as many buildings and homes contain the toxic mineral. Want to learn more? Text me at 312-847-2428, and I will send you a copy of our book “Meso Killers,” which breaks down of the history of asbestos exposure and litigation in the United States.
Most people with mesothelioma were exposed on the job. According to OSHA, there is no “safe” level of asbestos exposure for any type of asbestos fiber. Asbestos is a mineral that naturally resists heat, flame, electricity, and corrosion. During the Industrial Revolution through the 1970s, it was the popular choice for a number of industries.
Asbestos in the workplace
When asbestos was used ubiquitously, millions of hardworking Americans were exposed to the deadly mineral every day. And their families were also exposed when they came home with asbestos on their clothes.
Here are the industries and occupations that had the most exposure to asbestos:
Mining — For decades, American workers mined asbestos ore out of hills and mountains. Workers were also exposed to asbestos while mining talc. Construction — Several construction materials contained asbestos until the 1980s. The construction industry alone accounted for 70%–80% of asbestos use in the United States. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and
– Joseph Shannon
BAYER MAKES GLOBAL SETTLEMENT OFFER TO ROUNDUP PLAINTIFFS
In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) released findings that showed glyphosate was carcinogenic in humans. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup herbicidal weed killer product.
However, to Bayer, who bought Monsanto for $66 billion, it represents a drop in the bucket — a nuisance fee.
For decades, and to this day, even with all of the evidence of Roundup’s carcinogenicity, Monsanto sold poison to commercial and private users. The company knew that exposure to this product significantly increased users’ likelihood of being diagnosed with cancer, and they did nothing — worse than nothing. The company engaged in a scam that lasted for years, paying for studies to say that glyphosate is safe and asking clinical physicians to alter studies that didn’t toe the company line on glyphosate’s safety.
Specifically, clinical studies suggest that glyphosate compounds cause more than a dozen subtypes of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). Since the IARC findings were released, more than 100,000 patients diagnosed with NHL have filed lawsuits against Monsanto. Over the past few years, three juries in California have listened to the evidence. They all determined that Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer product caused or contributed to the plaintiffs’ cancer in each of those cases. Moreover, they have listened to evidence demonstrating Monsanto’s decades-long scheme of misinformation and attempts to alter scientific studies for profit. Simply put, each jury did not like what they heard. The juries were tired of this mega-corporation consistently putting profits before the safety of their customers. Now, in apparent fear of more jury trials exposing their unsafe practices, Bayer AG has made a global settlement offer of more than $10 billion to make their “Roundup problem” go away. (Bayer purchased Monsanto in June 2018.) Anytime we mention billions of dollars, it sounds like an extravagant amount of money.
So, what does Bayer’s settlement offer mean?
Probably nothing. Bayer has made settlement movements with the firms that handle thousands of Roundup cases. For many smaller firms that represent clients whose lives have been catastrophically altered by Roundup, Bayer offered nothing.
We have clients who have incurred hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills (in addition to the tremendous pain and suffering they have faced for years). Bayer doesn’t believe those clients will ever see their day in court. We disagree. We will continue to fight for our clients and try their cases in front of a jury in St. Louis City.
– Pat Cummings
2 www.shannonlawgroup.com
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