Oakland California Crisis stings project

The SF Youth Commission were given a presentation on Prop 6 - by a City Official with another City Attorney present making a statement that the presentation would be neutral - and that the SF Youth Commission could not take sides. After the drab Prop. 6 Presentation - most of the those that spoke during Public Comment - spoke against Proposition 6. The presentation was held at the SF Main Library and attend by some few concerned youth and adults.

This City and County of San Francisco with Dennis Herrera as the City Attorney has with intent
chosen to initiate " Gang Injunctions" in San Francisco - thus sending a clear WRONG message.
Adversely impacting thousands of youth in San Francisco.

The first "Gang Injunction" was initiated at the Oakdale Project - a mere two square blocks with little positive impact - in the Bayview Hunters Point.

The only impact were the adverse actions of the "SF Police Department Gang Task Force " intimidating mostly innocent youth. That includes - invading a home and ordering a woman that was taking a shower - to come out naked - so that they could question her. All this in front of her young children.

All under the pretext that they were looking for a wanted person - and that too on Thanksgiving Day. Go figure!

Gang Injunctions have now been initiated in the Mission and the Western Addition. Often times - an innocent person with no record - is put on the Gang Injunction list. Once on the list - the individual has no rights - even a dog has more rights.

What has this to do with Proposition 6?

Well, Proposition 6 targets those that are fourteen years and older. If Proposition 6 passes - youth can be charged and given life terms - and treated like adults.

Those most impacted with be youth that are poor and mostly youth that belong to - gangs.

This dubious and evil Proposition has been authored by one Mike Reynolds - the same person that authored the Three Strikes Law. The Three Strikes Law has filled our prisons and does not make sense.

Folks with petty crimes - and put with seasoned criminals - and thousands of lives - have been ruined. The tax payers foots the bill - and most no one is paying attention to this on going - nonsense.

As a matter of fact the Legislator and those backing the Three Strikes Law - must be jailed - but, our attorney and lawyers do not have the balls to take on - such scumbags - Legislator Runner and those that back him.

Backed by a California State Legislator Runner - Proposition 6 will RUIN many a life - of many a youth - and this is crying shame.

San Francisco is a Racist City - and here is one example when this City behaves like a moron - now it comes to bite it in the butt - this SF City favored Gang Injunction without giving it a thought. Now, on the heels of Gang Injunctions - comes Prop 6 another dubious and evil law in the making.

Some in the City now pretend that they are against Proposition 6 - but these same folks are for Gang Injunctions - that have had no impact to curb violence and address Quality of Life issues in San Francisco. In fact violence, killing, and other crimes like rape, assaults, robberies, car thefts, drug sales, break ins - are on the increase.

San Francisco does not do any justice to our youth.

We do not have a Blue Print where youth - in this City - are given good opportunities. In fact this Racist City - does not favor straight families living in this City.

Our Mayor is busy - screwing around propagating other mundane issues - forums pushing for life-style issues for which he is not paid by the SF tax payer.

This Presentation on Proposition 6 at the Main SF Libaray was given by a Black City Attorney - in a nonchalant manner - with no mention of Mike Reynolds, the Three Strikes Law, the Legislator Runner - and the impact on youth in detail.

Such half-ass presentation are a mockery and do more injustice then justice.

Proposition 6 favors developers that do not want youth that can ruin their chances of making money. Developers consider - youth as blight - and especially youth that hang out in gangs.

In the Oakdale Project in the Bayview Hunters Point - a small area - the SF Police Department was taking instructions from Mayor Gavin Newsom.

The Oakdale Injunction has ruined the lives of many. Many innocent youth were put on the Injunction List and sent to jail - many without cause. Few spoke against it - because we have few leaders - that know the way, show the way, and go the way.

We do have many so called leaders that BS a lot.

Well, if Proposition 6 passes - all hell will break loose - and this City and County of San Francisco is not doing anything much - except paying lip service.

The SF Youth Commission does not fully comprehend the implications of Prop 6.

Even if the SF Youth Commissioners did - none of them asked questions. Perhaps paying heed to the White woman City Attorney - who made a stupid statement that that San Francisco does not take sides on any Proposition.

Well, the SF City openly took sides with Proposition G. The Lennar Jobs, Parks, and Housing Initiative.

With Diane Feinstein, Mayor Gavin Newsom, Supervisor Sophie Maxwell - all opposing it and the documents can be read and found at the Department of Elections.

Five million dollar were spent by Lennar with City Officials and Representative endorsing Proposition G. Fighting the peoples proposition Proposition F.

Some of our City Attorneys are dumb - and many of the statements they make - belie their ignorance.

This meeting held October 9, 2008 at the San Francisco Main Library should have been packed - it was not. How ever the few speakers that spoke - the majority of them were against Proposition 6.

Proposition 6 is very bad news - and it meant to incarcerated youth for life - to favor the TRILLION INCARCERATION BUSINESS that some "thugs" operate.

Proposition 6 also favor developers that want youth and other elements that they consider - "blight" out of their way to make money.

The Legislators that favor Proposition 6 - do not for a moment consider giving our youth - opportunities.

They do not for a moment consider the many programs that can rehabilitate a young person.

They do not consider that amount of pain inflicted on mothers, families, relatives, and friends - when some one too young to be incarcerated - is incarcerated for life. Tried like an adult.

The paradox is much of the money backing Proposition 6 is from a "thug" who made millions - doing white collar crime - and now makes his abode in Southern California - he now owns Real Estate and favors certain individuals to live in and around his developments.

If Proposition 6 passes - in months - there will be a hue and cry - but, it will be too late.

Many Correction Officers favor Proposition 6.

Racist politicians such as Mayor Gavin Newsom and Dennis Herrers give it tacit support. These jerks have not spoken against it. How, can they when they favor the Gang Injunctions.

How can they when they favor a corrupt company like Lennar bombarding children with toxic dust, radiological elements, and asbestos structures - in the Bayview Hunters Point?

The SF Youth Commissioners - must visit schools, organizations, and places where youth congregated - without breaking the Brown Act - and speak out.

The SF Youth Commission must collect data. Then they must put our City Attorneys to work - to bring about genuine Legislation - that protects our youth in San Francisco.

A few photographs from the meeting - the lighting was pathetic - but I did what I could:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/franciscodacosta/sets/72157607904507600/show/

Francisco Da Costa
Director
Environmental Justice Advocacy


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http://www.flickr.com/photos/franciscodacosta/sets/72157607904507600/show/

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http://www.thestrategycenter.org


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http://www.propositionf.com


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http://www.votenoprop6.com

New Jersey's decrepit sites are a hot spot for urban explorers

Wearing steel-tipped boots and armed with a respirator, a flashlight and a digital camera, Becky Aspell had traveled more than 200 miles to spend some quality time at one of New Jersey's least likely garden spots, the imposing, now-shuttered asylum known as Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital in Parsippany.
Robert Sciarrino/The Star-LedgerBeds once used in the care of patients in the Clinic Building, located on the grounds of Greystone, rust in the decaying abandoned building.

"It was like walking back in time with all the old furniture, the old architecture, the peeling paint, medical equipment and beds," Aspell, of Lexington, Mass., said of the August road trip. "Then there are the tunnels. I love tunnels."

Aspell said there's a name for what she does - urban exploration, the recreational reconnaissance of urban sites off limits to the public. The internet has helped turn local curiosities and provincial oddities into regional, even national hot spots, with websites and YouTube travelogues devoted to moldering mansions, abandoned prisons, forsaken factories, forgotten infrastructure and industrial detritus - and the creepier, the better.

But police have a few other names for it, as Aspell soon discovered. Trespassing. Criminal mischief. Burglary.

Certainly not everyone who ventures into these old piles are card-carrying members of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, but Aspell and her fellow explorers insist they're true history buffs who respect, even revere old structures, and don't condone vandalism. There's a motto among her compatriots: "Take only pictures, leave only footprints."
Robert Sciarrino/The Star-LedgerWheelchairs and medical equipment left behind in the abandoned Clinic Building at Greystone.

But someone exploring Greystone over the summer left more than footprints. A spokeswoman for the state Department of Human Services, which oversees the old building, said vandals broke into the old administration building and defecated on an architectural model of the hospital that has replaced the old asylum.

Two men were charged with burglary and criminal mischief for causing $15,000 in damage, including wrecking furniture and doors and tampering with the phone system.

Aspell and another man allegedly joined them in entering the facility but went off on their own; they were charged only with burglary.

Ellen Lovejoy, the department spokeswoman said the suspects, none of whom is from New Jersey, read about the old hospital on a website.

"It's a liability issue," she said. Lovejoy added that hospital security has had to shoo away curiosity-seekers at least 30 times in the last few years.

In Cedar Grove, the Essex County Sheriff's Office instituted patrols of the old Essex County Hospital Center (also known as Overbrook) over the summer, arresting more than 30 young adults and juveniles, one from Florida.
Lostdestinations.comA cell block in the former Essex County Jail.

The once-magnificent Essex Mountain Sanitarium in nearby North Caldwell also attracted unwanted attention until its last buildings were demolished in 2002. The ruins of the former Essex County Jail, built in the 1800s and the site of hangings until 1902, still gets visitors, if Flickr.com is any indication.

THE DANGER INSIDE

Essex Sheriff Armando Fontoura listed the potential for problems with such expeditions: A fire lit to keep warm could rage out of control. Someone could fall through a rotting floor or get cut on broken glass or jagged metal. There's possible asbestos exposure. Kids seeking a place to partake of some mild refreshments might come across vandals intent on something more sinister.

"I don't see where the thrill comes in," Fontoura said. "I can think of a better way to get spooked. Join the Army. Join the Marine Corps. You want to get spooked? Go to Iraq."

Fontoura said the website of Weird NJ, the fanzine-turned-publishing-powerhouse that chronicles the secrets, legends and landmarks of the Garden State and beyond, encourages these incursions. Co-founder Mark Sceurman agreed to post a warning on the website, even though he believes the old Essex County Hospital Center has gotten renewed attention because of some recent filming there.

He also said his website and publications include disclaimers saying their work is not intended as a guide to trespassing.

"The magazine doesn't turn people into zombies who break the law," he said. "We hope."

Heather Shade, a former Garden State resident who now lives in El Paso, Texas, still archives her explorations through New Jersey, as well as Texas, New Mexico and California, at her website Lost Destinations.Shade, who is the co-author of "Weird Texas," said her family used to go on unorthodox field trips, investigating abandoned houses, roaming through graveyards, exploring caves.

"I had weird parents," she said.

She didn't realize there was a subculture devoted to exploring the debris of civilization until she moved to New Jersey. That's when she started organizing trips with friends, documenting their visits with cameras and posting them on the web.
Old Lambertville High School

Her favorite Garden State destination is the old Lambertville High School, built in the 1800s, remodeled in the 1920s and abandoned so long ago it's almost entirely overgrown. It's also reportedly haunted, adding to its allure, and there are a number of YouTube videos devoted to the building.

"The fact that a three-story old high school could be sitting here so long that trees could go through it, it's beautiful and sad at the same time," Shade says. "And a little bit creepy. Which is all the things I like."

Both Sceurman and Shade said they seek permission from property owners before attempting a visit to a site, although Shade admits she has ignored "No Trespassing" signs on occasion. On one memorable occasion, she came face-to-face with a neighbor with a shotgun. Once she explained what she was doing, he took her on a tour himself.

"I'm not one of those people who go in taking things out of houses," she said. "That really makes me mad. I'm more about promoting appreciation for the history of the place where you live, and who was there before you, and those lives that were in there before you. It's important for people to respect that. It's an old building that had a life and a history. It's a structure that meant something at one time."

Classroom blocked off after minor asbestos scare at Heyworth school

- Officials have cordoned off a classroom at Heyworth Junior-Senior High School after some ceiling plaster containing asbestos collapsed earlier this week.

Parents were notified of Wednesday’s incident with a letter from principal Jeff Asmus and also through the district’s telephone notification system, called SchoolReach.

The closed classroom houses a junior high science lab in the 1960 portion of the school. The discovery was made around 7:35 a.m., before students typically arrive for the day.

“We took the precautionary step to close off access to the entire junior high,” Asmus said. “We contacted our asbestos management company and they arrived within an hour to assess the damage.”

Officials believe a water leak caused the deterioration of the plaster. Asmus reported that air-quality test results are clear, and approval had been received to re-occupy the junior high wing.

Superintendent Randy Merker said the district took the measure to ensure safety of students and staff.

“The area involved was a fairly minor area, maybe 2 feet by 2 feet, but you never take chances with asbestos,” Merker said.

The science lab remained closed, with junior high science students sharing the high school lab, which is in a separate area of the school.

Merker said removal of the damaged ceiling is expected to begin Oct. 13 and be completed later that week. School maintenance staff is working to identify the source of the leak and will complete repairs once asbestos abatement has been completed.

Asmus said in the letter that under normal conditions, the ceiling plaster containing asbestos do not present health problems.

What is it and how does it affect the body? Layman’s terms -

As explained by a famous Mesothelioma Lawyer from Chicago. If you watch television throughout the day, you are sure to see commercials and segments from Mesothelioma Lawyers on asbestos-related injuries or even deaths as a result of being exposed to the particle.

People that work in the construction or manufacturing industries know all too well what asbestos is, but for the regular person with a desk job, the term ‘asbestos’ may need more explanation.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, “asbestos is commonly used as an acoustic insulator, and in thermal insulation, fire proofing and other building materials. Many products in use today contain asbestos.” The mineral asbestos has been extremely useful for the manufacturing of different goods such as floor tiles, paint, putties, and more. However, it’s also the leading cause for mesothelioma cancer, a certain serious and even deadly form of cancer that affects the mesothelium.

In fact, for the past 20 years, the number of people affected by asbestos related problems continues to grow. In the United States alone, there are 2,000 cases reported every year. So the questions being asked are how does asbestos affect the body and why?

What are asbestos particles?

Asbestos are so small like dusts that they can be inhaled by those who are exposed to them. The problem is that they can stick to the walls of the lungs and throat and will develop into different types of respiratory illnesses, including asbestosis and, of course, mesothelioma.

How does asbestos affect the body?

According to Wikipedia, “the inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause serious illnesses, including malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis (also called pneumoconiosis), calcifications in the lung, pleural plaques and a rare condition called pnuemothorax. Since the mid 1980s, many uses of asbestos have been banned in many countries.”

How long does it take to diagnose mesothelioma?

You can be exposed to asbestos during the manufacturing process ir when wearing or washing clothes exposed to asbestos for as long as 10 to 20 years. What’s worse is you will never even know that since symptoms don’t appear suddenly. It is important to know your exposure chances of asbestos to know when or if you should be test by a physician.

What are the health hazards of exposure to asbestos?

Exposure to asbestos may increase the risk factors of the following:

* Asbestosis–a chronic lung ailment that can causes shortness of breath, coughing, and/or permanent lung damage
* Lung cancer
* Mesothelioma–a cancer that affects the thin membranes that line the chest and abdomen
* Other cancers of the larynx, oropharynx, gastrointestinal tract, and kidneys

Who is at risk?

Nearly every person has been or will be exposed to asbestos at some point during their life. However, most do not become sick from their exposure. People who do fall ill from asbestos are usually those who are exposed to it on a regular basis, most often in a job where they work directly with the material or through substantial environmental contact. Studies show that family members of workers heavily exposed to asbestos face an increased risk of developing mesothelioma. This risk is thought to result from exposure to asbestos dust brought into the home on the shoes, clothing, skin, and hair of workers.

How can I decrease my risk?

To decrease these exposures, asbestos workers are usually required to shower and change their clothing before leaving the workplace.

By knowing the basics about asbestos and mesothelioma cancer, workers in the industry and family members of construction workers can be better armed to protect themselves and their loved ones from a potentially fatal disease.

Biden Benefits From Trial-Lawyer Donations, Backs Them in Votes

Oct. 11 (Bloomberg) -- Joe Biden has been an ally of trial lawyers throughout his tenure in the U.S. Senate, opposing every effort to curb lawsuits against businesses and doctors. The lawyers are returning the favor.

Five of Biden's 10 biggest lifetime campaign donors are members of law firms that specialize in bringing personal-injury cases, according to the firms' Web sites and the Washington-based Center for Responsive Politics. That ratio held up during his recent, unsuccessful run for the presidency.

While trial lawyers traditionally back Democrats, Biden, 65, the party's nominee for vice president, has gotten more money from the leading firms than any of the 16 other Senate committee chairmen and more than any Senate Democratic leader.

``The plaintiffs' lawyers would have an ally and dear friend in the White House if the Obama-Biden ticket wins,'' said Steven Hantler, who heads the nonprofit arm of the American Justice Partnership, a business-funded advocacy group that seeks to limit lawsuits at the state level.

There are no trial-lawyer firms among the top 10 donors to Senator Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential candidate, or Senator John McCain, the Republican nominee.

Biden -- a former trial lawyer himself and former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee -- voted against attempts by the Republicans who controlled Congress from 1995 to 2007 to rein in lawsuits.

Holding Steady

Even when other Democrats broke ranks during that period, Biden was steadfast. He declined to join Obama in backing a 2005 law that shifted most class-action lawsuits from state to federal courts, or Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont, who cosponsored legislation to set up a trust fund in lieu of asbestos lawsuits.

David Wade, a spokesman for Biden, said the Delaware senator is sticking up for the average citizen.

``Joe Biden has always believed that when CEOs and big corporations put profits before people, raiding pensions, polluting air and water, or putting dangerous drugs on the market, working folks injured through no fault of their own should have the right to seek justice,'' he said.

Amaya Smith, a spokeswoman for the American Association for Justice, the trial lawyers' trade group, declined to comment. The association's political action committee has given 95 percent of its donations in the 2008 campaign to Democrats.

White House Opposition

Biden's presence on the national ticket has business groups expecting that their campaign to impose limits on lawsuits will run into opposition in an Obama White House.

McCain, an Arizona senator, calls for restricting lawsuits against doctors as part of his plan to overhaul health care.

To be sure, Biden, who's been in the Senate for 36 years, has split with his party and supported corporations on some key votes. He supported the North American Free Trade Agreement and was one of only 18 Democrats in 2005 who voted for a bankruptcy bill that was the top priority of credit-card companies including MBNA Corp.

MBNA, which was based in Biden's home state of Delaware before being bought by Charlotte, North Carolina-based Bank of America Corp. in 2006, is Biden's biggest lifetime donor. The company's employees gave him $214,050.

Still, his advocacy for the lawyers has paid dividends.

Four of the five plaintiffs' law firms among his top donors have worked on behalf of victims of asbestos exposure -- SimmonsCooper LLC, whose employees and families contributed $196,050 from 1989-2008; Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos's firm, whose employees gave $156,250; Baron & Budd PC, whose employees donated $108,050; and Weitz & Luxenberg PC, whose employees gave $93,750.

Blocking Trust Fund

Biden voted in 2006 to block legislation setting up a $140 billion trust fund for victims of exposure to asbestos and curbing lawsuits that have bankrupted almost 80 companies. Leahy of Vermont cosponsored the measure, and 13 Democrats voted to bring it to the Senate floor. The supporters couldn't muster enough votes and the legislation died.

Biden ``thought it was dead wrong that if the trust fund ran out of money for the victims, they couldn't even get their rights back,'' said spokesman Wade.

He was on the losing side in February 2005 when the Senate approved legislation shifting most class-action suits to federal courts from state courts. Among the Democrats backing the measure were Charles Schumer of New York and Obama of Illinois. The bill passed, 72-26, and was signed into law.

Securities Suits

Ten years earlier, Biden voted no while 20 other Democrats, including Senator Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, helped override President Bill Clinton's veto of legislation curbing class-action securities lawsuits.

Even with Biden's record, business groups favoring limits on lawsuits have mostly stayed out of the presidential race, in contrast to their effort four years ago against John Edwards, the Democratic vice presidential nominee.

``John Edwards actually was a plaintiffs' lawyer,'' Hantler said. ``There was some understandable heartburn.''

Asbestos Home Inspections Can Help Prevent Exposure

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that has been used in thousands of products across the globe. The mineral is composed of fibers that are flexible and soft, yet durable and very resistant to heat and fire. Because of this unique combination of characteristics, asbestos became a very useful material in many domestic and industrial applications. However, this mineral is very toxic and is known to cause a range of terminal health conditions, such as asbestosis, mesothelioma cancer, and lung cancer. This is why homeowners are advised to contact a home inspector to have their residence checked for contamination.

Asbestos was widely used across the United States from the late 1800s until the 1980s, when scientific evidence had long proven the hazards of human asbestos exposure. This mineral can still be found in numerous products on the American market, just in smaller quantities than previously allowed. Found in domestic products ranging from ovens to ironing boards to clothing, asbestos was also avidly added to construction materials, such as insulation, siding, roofing, cements, shingles, and pipe coverings, to name a few.

Due to its prevalence in the construction industry, millions of homes and buildings across the country are contaminated with asbestos. Many of these structures are older and the asbestos-containing materials are breaking down with age and pose a greater risk of releasing carcinogenic fibers. Those who are concerned about materials in their home that may contain asbestos should hire a certified master inspector to assess the home for potential contamination.

Some areas of the country are known as “asbestos hotspots” due to the prevalence of asbestos in various industries, public structures, and private residences. One of these hotspots is found in the New England area, where the American asbestos industry found its roots. For example, according to the Environmental Working Group Action Fund, Massachusetts holds the nation’s No. 8 spot for mesothelioma-caused deaths. This implies that asbestos exposure in the state could be among the highest in the nation. However, contacting a Massachusetts home inspector could help to reduce and even prevent unnecessary asbestos exposure.

Numerous advances in technology have evolved the home inspection industry into an efficient process utilizing techniques such as infrared technology that help to quickly assess areas of concern within a home. Having a home inspected for asbestos contamination is an expedient and cost-effective way to determine the risk of asbestos exposure within the residence, and this simple process could be the single most important step to preventing hazardous exposure.

Redlands Police Department Council forms committee to quickly address facilities needs

REDLANDS - Mayor Pro Tem Pat Gilbreath and Councilman Mick Gallagher volunteered to form a subcommittee that will look into what options the city has in relocating its Police Department.

The subcommittee will be pressed for time, as the Police Department has been displaced for more than a month, and its efficiency is suffering because the department's personnel is spread out through the city.

"We are working on a very compressed schedule," said Community Development Oscar Orci. "There are serious efficiency issues that need to be addressed."

Orci said the subcommittee will be required to meet one or two times per week and need to come back before the council in January and present the options available to the city regarding Safety Hall.

Safety Hall, built in 1961, housed the Police Department's patrol division, records bureau, jail and dispatch center. The building also housed the Drug Court and police and corrections team and the city's credit union.

On Sept. 4, the Police Department began moving its personnel out of Safety Hall, a day after the council voted unanimously to approve the expenditure of $140,482 for costs connected to the relocation of the Police Department.

Most of the department's uniformed personnel have been moved to the second floor of Police Annex at 30 Cajon St.

The rest have been moved to either the west substation at 1150 Brookside Ave., or the North Substation at 1568 N. Orange St.
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On Tuesday, Police Chief Jim Bueermann said the Police Department needs a home and needs it soon.

"I can't begin to tell you what a challenge it's been to not have a sufficient headquarters," he said.

In November 2007, cracks were found in concrete wall panels where the crossed steel beams are anchored. The beams supported the roof of the old council chambers, a room the Police Department plans to turn into a new dispatch center.

The city hired W Tan Engineering to conduct engineering studies on the building in preparation for the move.

Tan recommended additional work to design supports for the structure and repair or replacement of the wall panels.

The department closed the room to the public and began preparations for the repairs. The rest of the building, which was not affected by the structural defects Tan noted, remained open for police services.

In August, asbestos was discovered in the ceiling and floor tiles of the building at the beginning of construction for an earthquake retrofit to ensure the building's ability to withstand a strong earthquake.

On Aug. 5, the City Council authorized $41,000 to remove the asbestos issue while engineers studied the other structural issues.

During construction at Safety Hall, crews found roofing material in the building that created an extra burden on the structure, said Rosemary Hoerning, head of the city's Municipal Utilities and Engineering Department.

A city staff report said that construction at Safety Hall is on hold until the future of the building is determined.

During the discussion on Tuesday afternoon, Nelda Stuck, president of the Redlands Historical Museum Association, reminded the council that the Police Annex was earmarked in 2000 to become the site for the museum.

Since the annex, the old city hall, is being used by the Police Department, museum supporters have been in limbo.

"It's been eight and a half years since you designated the old city hall as the site of the museum," Stuck said. "We just wanted to put the museum back on your radar."

The council also voted to appropriate money to permanently relocate the Police Department's dispatch center to Fire Station 264 at 1270 W. Park Ave.

The council voted unanimously to appropriate $95,000 from the Public Facilities Fund to move the police dispatch center.

County Office Building Gets Written Up For Poor Conditions

Inspection By State Department Of Labor And Industry Cites Possible Risks, Prompted By Complaint

By Luther Johnson


A state agency issued Page County a citation following an inspection of the county office building on South Court Street. The inspection found possible risks to both employees and the public.

County officials are in the process of addressing the violations of Virginia’s Occupational Safety and Health Laws.

“We have e-mailed a copy of the citation to all occupants of the building,” said Henry Mikus, the county’s director of public works.

The Virginia Department of Labor and Industry cited five concerns the county needed to address:

• Pigeons nesting in the attic, creating large amounts of waste that can infiltrate the building, and not providing proper personal protection equipment for maintenance workers that may enter the area.

• The presence of asbestos inside the building, such as asbestos wrapped pipes in the basement.

• Entrances to areas where asbestos may be present was not properly signed.

• No asbestos awareness training had been provided to employees that perform housekeeping and other mechanical operations.

• Walls on the second floor had the presence of lead paints, which had chipped and formed piles.

Mikus said the inspection was done following a complaint about the conditions in the building.

The offices and public areas of the building are kept to the first floor, with the upper area of the building remaining empty.

On Monday, the county expected to have an asbestos survey of the building done, according to County Administrator Mark Belton. Once the survey was done, he said, the county would have it cleaned up, along with the lead paint.

Asbestos training for employees is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 10, while county workers would be ensuring all public spaces in the building that had openings where anything from the attic could seep down would be covered and sealed.

The issue of the county office building has been long discussed by the board of supervisors, with no clear plan of action determined.

“It’s not to say the supervisors are being wishy-washy,” said Belton, citing that on the six-member board, four have to come to an agreement before action could go further.

“Right now, no four share the same opinion,” said Belton.

Currently the supervisors have $2.3 million set aside in a county office building construction fund, with an estimated $3.5 million needed for the project. The actual cost, however, still depends on which plan the supervisors vote to move forward with.

The office building is leased from the school board. In the deed, it is stated that should the county vacate the building, the property would revert back to the school board. Belton said this causes legal issues supervisors are concerned about, while considering options.

One option the supervisors have discussed would be to build on the empty lot, across from the courthouse, purchased in 2003 at a price of $120,000. The old school building would then be torn down, and the space used for parking.

Another option utilizes the Atwood property purchased in November 2007. The 9 acres cost the county more than $600,000, and would be used to build a new office complex and potentially a new facility for the Luray Rescue Squad.

Supervisors have also considered the option of renovating the current building, with no new estimation of the cost involved.

Electrician files asbestos complaint against 13 corporations

10/8/2008 1:00 PM
By Kelly Holleran

A man recently diagnosed with mesothelioma filed an asbestos suit against 13 defendant corporations, claiming the disease was wrongfully caused.

Bruno Dobler claims he was diagnosed with the disease Oct. 31, 2007, according to a lawsuit filed Sept. 29 in Madison County Circuit Court.

Dobler says he worked form 1959 until 2000 as an electrician, engineer and owner and manager of an electric motor repair business at various locations, according to the lawsuit.

Dobler states his exposure was foreseeable and should have been anticipated by the defendants, according to the lawsuit.

He claims his disease was caused after he was exposed to and inhaled, ingested or otherwise absorbed asbestos fibers.

Dobler alleges the asbestos-related disease has disabled and disfigured him and has and will continue to compel him to expend and become liable for large sums of money for hospital, medical, and other health and services necessary for the treatment of the disease.

Dobler also has and will continue to experience great physical pain and mental anguish as a result of the disease, he claims in the lawsuit.

Mesothelioma hindered and prevented Dobler from pursuing his normal course of employment, according to the suit.

As a result, he lost large sums of money, he claims.

In the two-count lawsuit, Dobler seeks sums in excess of $50,000 and compensatory damages in excess of $50,000.

He also seeks punitive damages in an amount sufficient to punish the defendants for their misconduct and to deter similarly situated parties from committing like acts of misconduct in the future.

He is represented by Robert Phillips and Perry J. Browder of SimmonsCooper LLC in East Alton.

Marlboro gets rights to Psychiatric Hospital property

MARLBORO — The state has granted the township exclusive rights to buy the Marlboro Psychiatric Hospital property for the next six months.

The decision, passed down by the State House Commission on Monday, is "a good first step" toward ensuring the township has control over the future of the 411-acre site off Route 520, Mayor Jonathan Hornik said.

"There's always a danger that the state could look to liquidate an asset without involving Marlboro Township," Hornik said.

"We're all going to work together to come up with a strategy to meet everybody's needs," Hornik said. He added that area legislators also pushed for the exclusivity deal.

"For Marlboro, it's to turn this into a positive, community-based asset to the town; and for the state, it's to maximize the proceeds they can receive because of obvious budget concerns," Hornik said.

State Treasury Department spokesman Tom Bell said the state is looking forward to "disposing of this property," and the agreement "sets up the parameters for coming to a conclusion within a specific time period." Should the state and the
township not be able to reach an agreement within the next six months, the state may hold a public auction and sell the property to the highest bidder, Bell said.

The township has been negotiating on and off for the purchase of the property since the state closed the hospital in 1998. Previous incarnations of plans for the site have included a Fortune 500 company headquarters, complete with an adjoining golf course and convention center.

But earlier proposals have been delayed by roadblocks, which include the Department of Environmental Protection's 2004 decision to reclassify much of the site as protected watershed area. The move drastically limited development, and cut the value of the property from roughly $30 million to between $6 million and $9 million, according to earlier estimates by township officials.

Hornik said the township is awaiting a new appraisal of the property from the state, but added that "any value presented to me from 2004 might as well have been from 1884, the markets have changed so much."

He added he believes the state, in coming up with a cost for the property, should take into account the Township Council's July vote to rezone the tract for redevelopment. The new redevelopment plan calls for a 200-acre expansion of
Monmouth County's Big Brook Park, and public projects such as a community center or indoor recreation facility.

The plan also permits uses including wellness, sports and swim centers, as well as child and adult day care facilities. Hornik has said he believes the site, because of the environmental restrictions, would not be able to support big-box retail or residential development.

Results of a new environmental study at the site are being compiled by Birdsall Engineering, Hornik said, adding that the study also could impact the purchase price. Preliminary environmental studies found asbestos and oil contamination on
the grounds.

Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande applauded the State House Commission's decision, for which she said she, Sen. Jennifer Beck and Assemblyman Declan O'Scanlon, all R-Monmouth, have been advocating in a bipartisan effort with Hornik, a Democrat.

"After years of stops and starts, we finally seem to be moving in the right direction, to the credit of everyone involved," Casagrande said in a prepared statement. "After all Marlboro has been through, with the overdevelopment and the corruption associated with it, it is imperative that the township be given every opportunity to control its own destiny and develop this large property with the best interests of Marlboro in mind."

Alesha Williams Boyd: (732) 308-7756 or AWilliams@app.com
In your voice

Springfield building falls for parking lot

By JIM KINNEY
Business writer

SPRINGFIELD - The four-story building at Taylor and Chestnut streets in Springfield is coming down to make room for a parking lot.

"When you look around, Springfield needs parking," said Michael J. Brisbois, the site's owner.

He purchased the building at auction form the city in May for $63,000 according to land records at the Hampden County Registry of Deeds.

The building had been empty for at least 30 years, Brisbois said.


Brisbois said he's also leased adjacent property. He's working with the BSC Realty, owners of other property in the neighborhood including the Mardi Gras strip club at Chestnut and Worthington streets. He said the new parking lot will be managed by the same parking lot operators who run other lots in the neighborhood.

Brisbois said he has no plans to build on the site.

Brisbois said he hopes Associated Building Wreckers can have the property graded flat and paved with a temporary layer of asphalt in three weeks or so.

A permanent paving job will have to wait for spring, he said.

Demolition was slowed when Associated Wreckers found more asbestos contamination in the old building than was thought and had to remove an old oil tank from the property. Demolition ended up costing $148,000, Brisbois said.

"An entire project I expected to cost $250,000 will end up costing more like $325,000, he said.

Council to take up asbestos issue

ONEIDA - It's asbestos déja vu as the topic lands on the City of Oneida Common Council agenda again for the burned-out Stanton Box Company on North Warner Street.

Last month council voted to request proposals for a pre-demolition asbestos survey of the site.

On Tuesday, council will vote whether to accept a proposal from East Syracuse-based ENSR to do the job.

Last month council voted to have ENSR perform the project management, inspection and air monitoring for the asbestos abatement project at the old school on Elizabeth Street.

The World War II Honor Roll Plaque in the lobby of the Armory may soon be on display at American Legion Post 169. The organization has asked the city to loan the plaque to display at its North Main Street location for one year.

If the common council gives its OK, it will be with conditions. It's asking the Legion to hang a smaller plaque in its place at the Armory to let the public know that the Honor Roll plaque is on display at the American Legion. Council is also asking that a plaque be installed near the World War II Honor Roll Plaque to indicate it's on loan from City Hall.

Council meets Tuesday at 7 p.m. in council chambers in city hall.

Rhode Island A Johnston Demolition Company Face Fines for Clean Air Violations

(Boston, Mass. Oct. 6, 2008) - A Johnston, R.I. demolition company faces a penalty of $256,320 for alleged violations of the Clean Air Act (CAA) and the National Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Asbestos (Asbestos NESHAP).

In 2004 - 2005, the Bilray Demolition Company, Inc. demolished the former Seaboard Foundry in Johnston, following a fire that occurred at the facility. When the Rhode Island Department of Health inspected the facility during the demolition, it found asbestos-containing materials in the facility.

EPA alleges that Bilray failed to thoroughly inspect for asbestos prior to demolishing the facility, failed to provide EPA with prior written notification of its intent to demolish, failed to adequately wet asbestos during its stripping operations, failed to keep asbestos adequately wet until it was collected and contained for disposal, and failed to properly dispose of asbestos waste.

The CAA and Asbestos NESHAP require owners and operators of demolition and renovation operations to follow certain inspection and notification requirements prior to beginning such operations, and to abide by specific work practice and waste disposal requirements when the owners and operators will disturb regulated asbestos-containing material. Violations of these requirements can pose significant health risks to the communities where demolitions or renovations occur, as well as to employees conducting these operations, who could have been exposed to asbestos fibers during these activities.

In September 2005, Bilray conducted asbestos abatement at the facility. Bilray removed eighty-one cubic feet of regulated asbestos-containing material from the facility at that time.

For more information:

Asbestos victims face new hurdles

A GOVERNMENT bid to cut business red tape could mean dying asbestos victims losing vital time, a legal expert has warned.
From this week, employers are no longer legally required to store their insurance records for 40 years.

This means those suffering from the killer condition mesothelioma could find it harder to trace insurance records.

Roger Maddocks, leading industrial lawyer at Irwin Mitchell Solicitors, Newcastle, warns time could be lost in compensation claims involving people dying of mesothelioma, an industrial disease caused by exposure to asbestos, which afflicts many ex-industrial workers in South Tyneside.

He said: "Employers will no longer have to keep backdated evidence of their Employers' Liability Insurance, and this means we will not easily be able to identify the insurer responsible for the time at which exposure occurred."

Mr Maddocks has argued that following the law change, insurers should be obliged to contribute towards a central pot of money to provide a safety net for victims when insurers cannot be traced.

And in another move, fresh calls were made this week for a controversial legal decision on pleural plaques to be overturned.

Pleural plaques is scarring of the lung issue, caused by exposure to asbestos, which can lead to full-blown mesothelioma. But the right to compensation for pleural plaques was overturned by the House of Lords last year.

The Government later published a consultation paper in response to mounting pressure to either overturn the decision or provide an alternative solution for those diagnosed with the condition.

Martin Bare, past president of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, said the fact the Scottish Parliament had already proposed legislation to overturn the decision would make it 'inherently unfair' if Westminster did not follow suit for victims in England and Wales.
He said: "The Government should follow the Scottish Parliament's lead and overturn the Lords' decision."

Madison County law firm big Biden donor

WASHINGTON — Employees of four law firms specializing in asbestos suits were four of the top 10 donors to Joe Biden's failed presidential campaign, records show. Among them was SimmonsCooper, a Madison County firm that has a close relationship with members of Biden's family.

Campaign records and interviews reflect a long and mutually beneficial relationship between the Illinois law firm and vice presidential nominee Biden, who as a senator from Delaware has been a steadfast supporter of trial lawyers.

From 2007 to Sept. 2, top asbestos-law firm employees donated $171,000 to Biden's presidential campaign.

All told, Biden's Senate campaign funds have received $4.9 million from law firms since 2003, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan campaign finance watchdog group.


On two occasions, Biden voted against legislation that would have severely cut into the profits of firms handling asbestos cases. The bill was intended to offer relief for companies facing an avalanche of asbestos-related suits, like the ones filed by SimmonsCooper.

Biden and other opponents said the measure would have stripped victims of their right to sue, a principle Biden has embraced throughout his Senate career, said David Wade, a Biden campaign spokesman. Asbestos is the catalyst for a potentially deadly lung disease called mesothelioma.

Americans are "tired of big powerful corporate interests writing the rules and sticking it to the little guy," Wade said in an e-mail responding to questions from the Post-Dispatch. "In Joe Biden, they've got a champion with a 35-year Senate record defending victims' rights to have their day in court and hold big interests accountable."

LONG RELATIONSHIP

No firm's members in recent years have contributed more to Biden's efforts than those of SimmonsCooper LLC, which has branches in East Alton, Chicago and El Segundo, Calif.

Since 2001, SimmonsCooper employees have contributed $196,050 to Biden's Senate and presidential campaigns.

The relationship between Biden's family and SimmonsCooper runs deeper than campaign donations. In 2005, as the Madison County Record originally reported, SimmonsCooper partnered on some of its asbestos cases with a Delaware firm that Biden's son Beau had just joined.

The Los Angeles Times reported recently that in 2006, Biden's brother James and youngest son, Hunter, secured a pledge for a $2 million investment from SimmonsCooper for a hedge fund company the Bidens wanted to purchase.

The Bidens collected half the investment from SimmonsCooper but later returned the money when the deal fell through, according to Nicholas Gravante Jr., a lawyer representing Hunter and James Biden.

Wade said Beau and Hunter Biden's relationship with SimmonsCooper has nothing to do with the senator.

"Hunter Biden met Jeff Cooper (SimmonsCooper's former managing partner) several years ago, and they became good friends and socialized together long before they went into business," Wade said. "Sen. Biden's opposition to the asbestos bill was well-established long before his son represented mesothelioma victims."

SimmonsCooper declined to comment for this story.

But Cooper told the Times last month that SimmonsCooper teamed up with the Delaware firm — Bifferato, Gentilotti & Biden — partly because of his friendship with Beau Biden and partly because it was "one of the best firms in the state." Said Cooper, "It was only natural that we worked with my friend Beau Biden and his firm."

SimmonsCooper partner Michael Angelides told the Times that the firm supports a lot of Democrats and described Biden as "a real champion for consumer rights issues."

ASBESTOS BILL

A former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Biden twice helped block legislation that would have established a trust fund, bankrolled by insurers and companies with asbestos claims against them, to provide financial support for asbestos victims. In exchange for paying into the fund, the companies would have been shielded from asbestos lawsuits.

In 2004, Biden argued that the trust fund could not guarantee compensation for all victims, and he successfully attached an amendment allowing victims to return to court if the fund ran out of money.

The bill's Republican supporters argued that the trust fund would help ensure that the people who were actually sick received support, instead of allowing trial lawyers to intimidate businesses into settlements.

"While the personal injury lawyers are busy making themselves into millionaires, they are depriving the truly sick of available resources," Sen. Orrin Hatch said in a Senate speech in 2004.

Under the weight of Biden's amendment, the bill collapsed.

"He consistently opposed the asbestos bill because it was unfair," Wade said. "He thought it was dead wrong that if the trust fund ran out of money for the victims, they couldn't even get their rights back."

The Senate took up a similar asbestos measure two years later, with a heftier trust fund — $140 billion — for asbestos victims.

At the time, an independent study showed there had already been more than 700,000 lawsuits filed alleging asbestos-related illnesses, including mesothelioma. The litigation costs and insurance claims associated with asbestos claims had amounted to more than $70 billion, bankrupting almost 80 companies, according to the Office of Legislative Policy Analysis.

But Biden continued to express concern that victims would get shut out.

"The real problem is that there are a lot of people out there suffering from the effects of asbestos," Biden said during Senate floor speech in 2006. "There are not a lot of companies out there with the money to pay all of these claims. There is the concern that some of the very companies we have to go to, to recover from, may very well declare bankruptcy."

He added, "The victims are not in this bill."

The bill fell one vote shy of the 60 it needed to end a filibuster, and it has not been resurrected.

Ed Murnane is president of the Illinois Civil Justice League, a business advocacy group that lobbies for tort reform and supported the Senate legislation.

"It's unfortunate that this legislation was not passed," he said in an interview this week. "I assume there will be other attempts to do it, but there's a lot of politics involved."

Murnane said things have improved in Madison County, where SimmonsCooper is filing fewer asbestos cases.

"Hopefully the election is not going to result in the door opening once again, the door that appeared to be closing."

'TERRIBLE INJUSTICE'

Michael Thornton, a partner at Boston-based Thornton and Naumes LLP, whose firm practices asbestos litigation and raised money for Biden's presidential bid, said the asbestos legislation constituted a "terrible injustice."

"Sen. Biden has been a trial-lawyer advocate for many terms in the Senate," Thornton said. "We represent victims, we think it's in the best interest of our clients, if they have an opportunity, to go to court. Sen. Biden agrees."

Before the asbestos bill was derailed, SimmonsCooper started trying some of its asbestos litigation in Delaware, with the help of the firm where Biden's son practiced.

"SimmonsCooper didn't hire Beau," Wade said. "He litigated the cases in Delaware, he handled the documents, managed the court proceedings, did the work, and was compensated as co-counsel."

SimmonsCooper continues to rely on the firm as its local counsel, although Beau Biden has left the partnership. He is now Delaware's attorney general and the captain of a National Guard unit awaiting deployment to Iraq.

In addition to SimmonsCooper, Biden's presidential bid received campaign donations from employees at other law firms that specialize in asbestos litigations, including the Law Offices of Peter Angelos, New York's Weitz & Luxenberg and Thornton and Naumes LLP.

Risks of Mesothelioma Forces Fremont Manufacturing Plant to Inform Employees about Asbestos

A former manufacturing plant in Fremont, California has been asked to provide employees with information about asbestos. Public health officials have said that former and current employees must be informed about the potential impact of asbestos exposure they may have experienced while working at the plant.

According to a recent report from the Federal Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry, workers at the Flintkote Company may have been exposed to low levels of asbestos between 1967 and 1979.

In addition, the report says that anyone who lived with an employee of the Flintkote Company during those years may also be at risk of asbestos exposure because employees often transported asbestos fibers home on their clothing, skin, and hair.

Asbestos is known to cause several forms of serious disease, including asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that affects the mesothelial linings of the body’s organs. The disease most commonly develops in lining of the lungs, which is known as pleural mesothelioma, and typically appears between two and five decades after initial asbestos exposure.

The heavy use of asbestos in construction materials is the reason why former Flintkote employees are at risk. Between the years of 1967 and 1979, the company produced and manufactured fire-resistant wall boards containing asbestos.

In 2004, the Flintkote Company entered bankruptcy due to asbestos-related lawsuits.

Health officials say that former Flintkote workers, as well as household members of those workers should contact a doctor with experience concerning asbestos-related diseases. They should also receive regular check-ups, quit smoking, and learn more about asbestos to protect their health.

The report additionally warns that fibers may have been released into the nearby neighborhood during the years Flintkote manufactured asbestos-containing wall boards.

Government Payout relief for asbestos victims

A NEW Government scheme will make it easier for sufferers of asbestos-related cancer to get desperately-needed compensation.

More sufferers of mesothelioma, which is always fatal, will now be eligible for up-front payouts.

Derbyshire is considered a hotspot for the disease because of its history of heavy engineering. At least 300 people in the county have died from it in the past 30 years.

It is thought that there are about 75 people in the county currently suffering from the disease but exact figures are unknown.

In the past, the Government gave financial support for workers struggling to get compensation from companies that no longer existed.

But it would not help claimants who were thought to have a good chance of eventually winning money from firms that still existed, or companies that took them over. These claims might have been successful in the end, but often only after the sufferer had died.

Now both classes of claimant will be supported with a lump sum of about £10,000 within six weeks.

And for the first time, payments will be made to those exposed to asbestos from a relative, such as through their overalls, or who were exposed to asbestos environmentally – perhaps living near a factory that used asbestos.

Joanne Carlin, co-ordinator of Derbyshire Asbestos Support Team, said: "It is a good thing that anyone can get a payment now. I think it is going to be mainly women who benefit – who may have inhaled fibres from their husband's or son's overalls. We don't get many of them coming to us but that's maybe because they didn't know they could claim."

Steve Gillingham, of Grosvenor Street, Allenton, who was diagnosed with mesothelioma in July, has been unable to apply for a lump sum because his former employer still exists.

The 51-year-old did not expect any money to come through until after he had died.

But under the Mesothelioma Scheme 2008, which began accepting claims yesterday, he can expect a payment in the region of £10,000 before Christmas.

Mr Gillingham said: "This will make my life a lot easier. At the moment we have nothing in the bank, so whatever amount it might be, it will be a very nice Christmas – I cannot plan beyond that at the moment.

"In the past a lot of sufferers have spent the last months of their lives battling to get compensation."

Ms Carlin said it was unknown how many people in Derbyshire would benefit from this scheme.

But the Government anticipates it will be good news for about a third of people diagnosed with mesothelioma.

Angela Cox, whose husband, Derek, died from the disease at the age of 63, in 2002, did not receive any compensation until after her husband's death.

Mrs Cox, 62, of Swadlincote, said: "If I had got the money when Derek was alive, it would have made him feel better and it would have helped me pay for things like my taxi fare to the hospital, which cost £30 a time."

Asbestos Related disease causes Wisconsin man to Sue 31 companies

A Wisconsin man and his wife have filed an asbestos suit against 31 defendant corporations, claiming the mesothelioma with which the man was diagnosed was wrongfully caused.

Amado Torres-Padron and Laurentina Torres claim Amado was diagnosed with the disease in June, according to a lawsuit filed Oct. 1 in Madison County Circuit Court.

They say Amado worked from 1945 until the mid 1990s as a railroad worker, ranch hand and foundry worker throughout Texas, Illinois, Kansas and Wisconsin.

They state Amado's exposure was foreseeable and should have been anticipated by the defendants, according to the lawsuit.

They claim his disease was caused after he was exposed to and inhaled, ingested or otherwise absorbed asbestos fibers.

The couple alleges the asbestos-related disease disabled and disfigured Amado and has caused substantial medical costs. Amado also has and will continue to experience physical pain and mental anguish, they claim in the lawsuit.

Mesothelioma hindered and prevented Amado from pursuing his normal course of employment, according to the suit.

As a result, he lost large sums of money, the couple claims.

Because of the disease, Laurentina claims she has been deprived of Amado's support, devotion, care, society and consortium.

In the four-count lawsuit, the couple is seeking sums in excess of $50,000, punitive and exemplary damages in excess of $100,000, compensatory damages in excess of $50,000, plus costs.

They are represented by Richard L. Saville, Jr., Robert J. Evola, Ethan A. Flint and David J. Page of Alton.

Do You Have A Case For A Lawsuit? Legal Right To Sue?

Mesothelioma is a cancer usually caused by exposure to asbestos either directly or indirectly. As it can take up to 50 years for the cancer to appear it can be very difficult to ascertain where, when and how the exposure occurred.

Mesothelioma is a cancer usually caused by exposure to asbestos either directly or indirectly. As it can take up to 50 years for the cancer to appear it can be very difficult to ascertain where, when and how the exposure occurred.

The exposure to asbestos can often be as a result of either working in an industrial environment where asbestos was used. Cases have been made and compensated where relatives have become infected after handling clothes of workers that have been contaminated with asbestos. The disease is caused by inhaling asbestos fibre which scar the lungs and continues to do so even after the exposure to the fibre has stopped.

Asbestos was used in many different industrial operations, but mainly as a fire resistant material used as insulation. Other known instances of where asbestos fibres were used are in the manufacturing and servicing of engine gaskets and break linings.

Mesothelioma Lawyers specialise in taking on the cases of people who have been diagnosed with this condition and putting together a structured case for compensation. This can be time consuming, difficult and takes a lot of research to obtain the full details to make a case. Employers are responsible for the safety of their workers. If it is proved that they have been exposed to asbestos through their job either past or present, the compensation awarded by the courts for Mesothelioma cancer can be substantial.

So do you need a Mesothelioma Lawyer?

A good Mesothelioma Lawyer will understand the complicated nature of any claim and be will able to advise you on the level of compensation you should seek based on the facts of your individual case. Mesothelioma litigation is a very complicated process as the symptoms usually take at least 10 years to show. A lot of investigation is required which can involve having to go back over 50 years to gain evidence of your exposure to asbestos.

Mesothelioma lawyers will know what benefits you are entitled to and how you can claim them, even if your relative has already died of mesothelioma. Once you are diagnosed with the condition you are entitled to industrial injury benefit.

As you can imagine instructing a Mesothelioma Attorney to act on your behalf is going to be very costly, as in some cases they will have to go over 50 years to find convincing evidence. Having said this, however, many lawyers will work on a no-win no-fee basis. They will initially discuss your case with you and decide on the circumstances of your claim. From this initial consultation they can usually decide if you have a good case and then work on a contingency fee basis. A contingency fee is the lawyers cut of any payment awarded to you. The asbestos industry can also pay you financial compensation if it is claimed. You may also be eligible for legal aid to get your case to trial. These are all things a competent mesothelioma lawyer will be able to advise you on.

If you or one of your loved ones is diagnosed with Mesothelioma cancer you will almost certainly have been exposed at some time in the past and probably over 10 years ago to asbestos fibres. You may not even have known you were being exposed to asbestos. In the unlikely case that you did, you may not have realised your employer had a legal obligation for your safety.

Cases of Mesothelioma Litigation can be very complicated and Mesothelioma Lawyers need to highly qualified and skilled in handling the whole litigation process. They will be continually updating their knowledge of Mesothelioma cancer and its causes along with the requirements to get a case to court.

If you have been affected by this disease your quality of life may have, or will in the future suffer by having being infected with Mesothelioma.

You need to consider all your options regarding litigation but you may well benefit considerably by making contact with a Mesothelioma lawyer and discussing your options.

Your Legal Rights as an Asbestos or Mesothelioma Patient

National Cancer Institute (NCI) Online
Use http://cancer.gov to reach NCI's Web site.

If you or someone you know has mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, you owe it to yourself and your loved ones to make sure that your rights are protected.

What your rights are varies depending on many factors such as your residence, where you were exposed to asbestos, and the location of the responsible asbestos companies.

Each state has its own laws as well as its own deadlines/statutes of limitation for allowing victims of asbestos disease to file lawsuits.

In addition to your physician, it is also important to speak with an attorney who specializes in mesothelioma claims in order to determine just what recourse is available to you and if you are entitled to any financial compensation.