Wisconsin Asbestos & Mesothelioma » occupations

Madison Wisconsin Doctor Calls for Asbestos Ban

Frank — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 23:20:04 +0000

Madison, Wisconsin epidemiologist Marty S. Kanarek that an epidemic of asbestos mesothelioma is coming from emerging marketss. Long banned in Wisconsin and the rest of the U.S., asbestos is known to be the primary cause for the cancer known as mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is typically a rare form of cancer in the lungs lining and abdomin that often arises 30-40 years after exposure to asbestos.

Asbestos was a fire-resistant mineral used in the U.S. for brake linings, insulation, and various other building materials. Many U.S. Navy veterans have contracted mesothelioma from asbestos exposure aboard ships. Asbestos exposure has killed more than 130,000 in the United States in the last 20 years or so. Asbestos is still mined in countries, like Canada, which interestingly will not allow asbestos to be used in its homeland, but is more than happy to export the hazardous product to emerging markets. Dr. Kanarek has seen dozens of studies of mesothelioma cases including those involving miners, brake workers, cement pipe factory workers and others. He concludes that throughout the world chrysotile asbestos is associated with mesothelioma.

Wisconsin Mesothelioma Lawyer

Asbestos Insulation & Contractors

Frank — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 02:45:47 +0000

Recently read an Illinois law firm’s article “Asbestos Liabilities of Dissolved Industrial Insulation Contractor.” The case involved asbestos and mesothelioma wrongful death cases against Sprinkmann Insulation based on its takeover of Sprinkmann Sons Corp. of Illinois. The latter was a former asbestos insulation contractor.

That asbestos lawsuit reminded me a of client I represented who was a former employee of Sprinkmann Sons in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Sadly, he died of mesothelioma related to his asbestos exposure after working decades for Sprinkmann Sons in Wisconsin. After a pleural biopsy, his oncologist diagnosed mesothelial hyperplasia showing malignant messothelial cells and epithelioid malignant mesothelioma. His mesothelioma was the result of working for many years in industrial locations around Milwaukee, such as the Pabst Brewery. The company was a contractor and distributor of insulation, cold storage facilities and interiors and worked in places like that processed cold and frozen foods, chemical plants, nuclear power plants, electric stations, and of course, breweries. He worked as an installer and contractor with all the hundreds of products that were laced with asbestos fibers, including blankets, boilers, expansion joints, HVAC systems, insulation, pipes, plumbing, tanks, turbines, valves, and industrial equipment. Though every asbestos and mesothelioma lawsuit is different, the recovery I was able to help obtain for this man’s family exceeded $1.5 million.

Electricians & Veterans Mesothelioma

Frank — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 20:57:54 +0000

I’ve written before about U.S. Navy Veterans with mesothelioma. Sadly, the asbestos exposure many veterans had while serving in the armed forces is what causes mesothelioma. Quite recently, I met with a mesothelioma victim diagnosed here in Wisconsin. He’s a veteran who served at Great Lakes Naval Base and on various U.S. Navy ships. In addition, he had a long history of working at Western Electric in Cicero, Illinois, where he was also exposed to asbestos laced products. As Veteran’s Day approaches, we need to remember all the Naval Veterans who have served and to honor those still with us, many of whom have asbestos-related diseases like malignant mesothelioma.

Wisconsin Sheet Metals Union Asbestos Case

Frank — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 21:47:36 +0000

Asbestos exposure on construction sites was commonplace in the 1940′s, 1950′s, 1960′s and 1970′s. Recently, I was able to help a man who was exposed to asbestos during that time. He worked throughout the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area and was diagnosed this year with mesothelioma. As is typical in asbestos mesothelioma cases, the diagnosis was made after a biopsy of his lung and a nodule. He is actually retired in Arizona, but since his exposure as a construction worker in the Sheet Metals Union took place here in Wisconsin, the basis for his lawsuit against manufactures and distributors of asbestos laced products is here and based on their causing his mesothelioma.

Recent Milwaukee Mesothelioma Case

Frank — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 23:28:18 +0000

Recently, I met with a man who worked his whole career at Wisconsin Electric a/k/a WE Energies. He worked at various power plants in Wisconsin, including the Oak Creek power plant, downtown Milwaukee plant, the valley power plant in Milwaukee, the Pleasant Prairie plant, and various other power plants and substations. A couple of the jobs he worked in around asbestos included electrical work, plumbing related work, and oil treatment work. The asbestos was in gaskets, insulating pipes, used around wire and joints, etc. Sadly, he was living a nice life in Florida enjoying retirement when he was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, a deadly disease, related only to asbestos exposure. He had been suffering from shortness of breath when his doctor discovered fluid on his lungs. Eventually, a thoracic surgeon was seen and he did a biopsy, which led to the definitive diagnosis of asbestos-related mesothelioma.

Wisconsin mesothelioma car brakes case

Frank — Tue, 12 May 2009 20:55:00 +0000

Wisconsin’s Court of Appeals today released Tatera v. FMC Corp., 2008AP170. This asbestos lawsuit relates to the wrongful death of the plaintiff’s decedent who died of malignant mesothelioma. The widow asserted that the malignant mesothelioma was caused by exposure to asbestos that took place while the decedent worked in a machine shop. The decedent had worked with friction brake materials and his job had involved grinding brake linings made with asbestos.

FMC Corp. was a supplier of asbestos brake linings and though it did not manufacture asbestos brake linings, it was alleged to have sent over 18,000 friction lining parts to the decedent’s employer. The lawsuit asserted that FMC and asbestos brake lining manufacturers were liable for the decedent’s wrongful death from mesothelioma based on Wisconsin strict liability and negligence law. Essentially, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals held that a such supplier of asbestos products could not be held strictly liable, but could be found negligent in causing the death from mesothelioma.

Wisconsin Asbestos Removal

Frank — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 23:01:46 +0000

Wisconsin asbestos removal instructions are being offered by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services for free from 1-5pm Tuesday at Northcentral Technical College in Wausau. The sessions are meant to help contractors and property managers and owners address changes to the Wisconsin administrative code that relate to asbestos abatement. In older properties, asbestos maybe found in flooring, caulks, mastics, fireproofing materials, ceiling tiles and sidings as well as other building materials. During the asbestos abatement process, these materials are dealt with carefully so as not to release asbestos dust into the air.

Boiler Insulation

Frank — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 04:16:08 +0000

Today, I met with a Navy veteran who served on the USS Tattnall as a boiler technician. He’s suffering with mesothelioma that resulted from his naval asbestos exposure, which took place while he was working in the boilerrooms on the Tattnall. It’s been diagnosed by doctors at the Veteran’s Administration.

Boiler insulation is a common culprit in many asbestos mesothelioma cases, including those involving U.S. Naval Veterans who worked on ships. The removal of this thermal insulation from boilers, pipes, tanks and ducts, which was common in all boilerrooms, caused the asbestos fibers to be released into the air. Such insulation was a friable form of asbestos that could emit fibers easily into the air. Similarly, fibrous fluffy sprayed-on asbestos products used for fireproofing, insulation, or sound proofing were quite friable and could readily release airborne asbestos fibers. The potential for asbestos products to release breathable fibers into the air is what made boiler insulation so hazardous.

Asbestos Occupations

Frank — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:54:21 +0000

Asbestos-related occupations include the following:

Auto mechanics
Boilermakers
Bricklayers
Building inspectors
Carpenters
Demolition workers
Drywallers
Electricians
Floor covering manufacturers or installers
Furnace workers
Glazers
Grinders
Hod carriers
Insulators
Iron workers
Laborers
Longshoremen
Maintenance workers
Merchant marines
Millwrights
Operating engineers
Painters
Plasterers
Plumbers
Roofers

For a more complete list see Wisconsin mesothelioma occupations.

Asbestos Shipyards

Frank — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:40:23 +0000

I also previously mentioned that my client had worked with asbestos at shipyards throughout the U.S. Even though he lived in Wisconsin, we made a claim against the entities involved with asbestos at those shipyards causing his mesothelioma. Some shipyards include: Alabama Drydock/Shipping Company, Avondale Shipyards, Brooklyn Shipyard, Long Beach Naval Shipyard, Pearl Harbor Shipyard, Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, and San Diego Naval Shipyard.