Elbert County in Denver, CO has a unique asbestos abatement project to tackle – that of a public landfill and trash compactor site. The site has historically been used to dispose of roofing and building materials, much of which was from before the mid 1970’s when buildings were routinely constructed with an abundance of asbestos. The landfill has been the primary dumping site for such rubbish but then it is compacted into bundles and shipped off to another landfill.

Concern about asbestos at the site arose when a backhoe company began excavating the grounds in preparation to remove an old missile silo. Local residents in the area called in complaints to authorities that contaminants were being spread by the excavation. Subsequent soil tests and tests to the debris at the landfill showed the presence of asbestos. No charges were filed because the asbestos had not yet gone airborne, but rather was contained to the landfill site.

Upon learning of the presence of asbestos among other environmental contaminants, the excavating was ceased and the area was covered, pending professional asbestos abatement services.

Cory Stark, director of Elbert County Emergency Management determined that the backhoe company, Backhoe Services, was operating without having tested the soil first and without a formal contract with the city. As reported by the Denver Post, Backhoe Services could not be reached for comment.

Stark asserts that there has been no danger to local residents so far as the toxins have been contained. Still, local residents have remained cautious and concerned. They are now taking their trash and debris to an alternate dump site.

Asbestos diseases such as lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesotheliomaare the unfortunate result of asbestos exposure. If you have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, contact a mesothelioma lawyer at Sokolove Law today for a free consultation.

Asbestos

Only now, three full years after her conviction, is she finally sentenced, the woman responsible for endangering hundreds of illegal asbestos workers and innumerable members of New England communities. Albania DeLeon’s punishment is largely financial. She was ordered to pay $1.2 million restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and $370,000 restitution to AIM Insurance. Her prison sentence is a mere seven years, with three years of probation after her release. That seems mild compared to the death sentence handed down by most asbestos related illnesses, includingasbestosis, mesothelioma and other malignant cancers.

Here’s a crime that makes identity theft look gentle in comparison. Most of DeLeon’s customers were illegal immigrants who, rather than obtain fake documents from underground agencies specializing in identity theft, chose to bypass that step and go straight to a skilled trade.

Forget fake drivers licenses, how about fake asbestos abatement certifications? The place to buy those in Massachusetts, which thrived for six long years, closed up shop in 2007 when its owner, Albania DeLeon, was exposed and arrested. She had been selling certificates to people and placing them in jobs where they were supposed to be trained to perform asbestos abatement services, except they weren’t. The workers didn’t have to undergo training at DeLeon’s school, they just had to pay an extra $50 to bypass the federally-mandated 32-hour program and get the certificate.

The closing of the long-lived fraudulent Massachusetts school for asbestos removal training and certification was a high profile story back in 2007 when it happened. It was an even bigger story in 2008 when DeLeon fled the country after being charged with dozens of felonies. She sawed off the monitor locked around her ankle, abandoned her three-year-old child and disappeared. That should teach the feds not to merely house arrest someone who’s destined to be the first woman ever placed on the EPA’s most wanted fugitives list.

As reported by the Boston Globe in 2009, DeLeon wrote a three page letter to US District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton, part of which read: “I pray that God will forgive my soul and allow me to atone the rest of my life repaying and repairing the harm I have done. This is my solemn promise.” Although a prayer for forgiveness is not a solemn promise, one might gather from the letter that DeLeon sincerely wished to amend her wrongs. Unfortunately not. She fled the country. Nineteen months later, on October 30, 2010, DeLeon was arrested again in the Dominican Republic. Her actual sentencing took a while because the sincerely remorseful DeLeon secured herself a better lawyer for the hearing.

Although Cynthia Giles, the assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance says that “justice was served” in this case, we disagree. Sure, DeLeon was ordered to pay back the IRS and an insurance company for fraudulent tax return filings and claims, but the real loss occurred when more than 2,000 untrained, illegally certified asbestos workers were exposed to carcinogenic asbestos fibers or silicate minerals while unsafely removing asbestos from hundreds of New England schools, hospitals, churches and homes. In addition to the illegally certified asbestos workers, nobody knows how many children and other innocent members of the community were also exposed to asbestos fibers during these projects.

If you were exposed to asbestos and subsequently diagnosed with mesothelioma, contact a mesothelioma attorney. If you have any questions about the details ofasbestos law and what is required to pursue a settlement, check out the information available on the Sokolove Law website as well as this Asbestos Resource website.

Asbestos

It may have occurred across the pond in London, but it is still always good to hear about successful childbirth injury lawsuits resulting in a settlement that will benefit those who have been harmed.

In the South London suburb of Tooting in 2004, Leo Whiten was born at St. George’s Hospital with cerebral palsy that was caused by a deprivation of oxygen that stemmed from doctors’ failure to perform a caesarean section birth when it was necessary.

Following the birth, the Whitens pursued a lawsuit against the hospital. In 2006, St. George’s Healthcare NHS Trust admitted that Leo’s injuries could have been prevented if appropriate action had been taken at the right time. The Whitens eventually won the lawsuit, gaining a £2.7 million (or approximately $4.4 million) settlement in the process.

“Leo is a delightful little boy but the injuries he suffered at birth mean that he will never be able to lead an independent life or work for a living. We are pleased to have been able to secure an award which will provide sufficient funds to ensure Leo can obtain the treatment and care he needs to give him the best possible quality of life both now and in the future,” said Tom Cook, the family’s solicitor.

Leo’s mother, Samantha Whiten, added that she had been worried about how her son’s cerebral palsy would be cared for properly in the years to come. However, she said that money from the settlement would help ensure that Leo will always be able to afford the best care possible.

“Like many parents who have a child with severe cerebral palsy our greatest long-term worry is how he will be cared for when we are no longer able to do this ourselves,” she said. “This settlement gives us the security of knowing that there will be funds available to pay for his care for the rest of his life.”

It’s good to see the Whitens have gotten justice for the birth injury that will affect their child for the rest of his life. If you or a loved one have a child who has cerebral palsy after suffering a birth injury, taking legal action may help you secure a similar monetary settlement. Speak to acerebral palsy attorney at Sokolove Law today to learn about any legal options regarding a birth injury lawsuit that may be available to you.

Cerebral Palsy

Rainy weather in Reading, Ohio, has lead to the closing of an elementary school so the building’s asbestos-laden roof can be properly and safely repaired following some water damage.

According to local television station FOX 19, Hilltop Elementary School closed last week so workers could get to the building’s roof to reinforce 35 square feet of weakened plaster that is known to contain asbestos. The plaster roofing was weakened during heavy rains that had hit the area during the week.

In order to prevent asbestos fibers from falling into the school during the construction, some workers remained inside to monitor the building and make sure conditions were safe for students to return the following week.

“Technically they don’t have to follow the EPA regulations,” said Bradley Miller with the Hamilton County Department of Environmental Services. “But the contractor has agreed to do everything in the US EPA regulations by wetting the material, placing it in bags in a wetted condition and then take it to an approved landfill for disposal.”

For those who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer that can be linked to asbestos exposure caused by a product or former employer, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Contact an experienced mesothelioma attorney to learn more about your rights, and to see if pursuing a mesothelioma settlement is in your best interest.

Asbestos

Birth injuries such as cerebral palsy are a life-long condition. So many adults who were born with cerebral palsy must cope with it as they live their lives, maintain families, and work full-time.

With the U.S. Labor Department celebrating October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we thought it would be appropriate to take a moment to honor cerebral palsy patients who contribute so much to the workforce.

Cerebral palsy is a term used for a group of conditions that are caused by injuries or abnormalities of the brain and nervous system that most often occur while the baby is still in the womb. Many times, cerebral palsy can develop due to medical negligence.

Severe cases of cerebral palsy often require regular medical assistance and can significantly hamper one’s ability to move. However, other cases may be much more manageable and allow the individual to live a mostly independent and self-sufficient life, which may include pursuing a full-time career.

National Disability Employment Awareness Month was created to help appreciate the work that disabled individuals do in the workplace every day that may otherwise go unnoticed, said Kathy Martinez, the assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy.

“Return on investment means hiring the right talent,” said Martinez. “Workers with disabilities represent all skill sets and are ready to get the job done. This year’s theme focuses on improving employment opportunities that lead to good jobs and a secure economic future for people with disabilities and the nation as a whole.”

National Disability Employment Awareness Month also attempts to instill ideas of creating a welcoming and inclusive workplace for people with disabilities so they can gain dignity, respect and self-determination through their profession.

The history of National Disability Employment Awareness Month dates back to 1945, when Congress enacted a law declaring the first week in October each year “National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week.” By 1988, Congress expanded it to the full month of October and adjusted the name accordingly. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy has handled awareness responsibilities for the month since 2001.

If you or a loved one have a child who suffered a birth injury and now suffers from a form of cerebral palsy that may have been caused bymedical malpractice or negligence, it may be worth considering a birth injury lawsuit. Speak to a birth injury lawyer at Sokolove Law today to learn more about the legal options that may be open to you.

Cerebral Palsy

We hear a lot about how mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases are caused by “microscopic” asbestos fibers. Easily inhaled, these tiny spear-like fibers of death become embedded into the delicate linings of the lung where, over time they can lead to scarring and eventually, mesothelioma cancer.

But how small is small?

This old advertisement from the infamous asbestos leader Johns-Manville shows how impossibly small asbestos fibers are: over 1500 of them bundled together are smaller than a human hair.

What is perhaps more astonishing then the relative size of asbestos fibers is the fact that their size was once a selling point for the global asbestos industry.

Asbestos

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is getting involved in an unfortunate case of potential discrimination against a mother with a child suffering from cerebral palsy.

HUD officials announced this week that they have charged the landlords of an Iowa apartment building with violating the Fair Housing Act after refusing to properly accommodate the family, which has a seven-year-old daughter who suffered the childbirth injury.

As part of her treatment, the girl had previously received a Labrador retriever as a medically-prescribed emotional support animal. However, when the mother and daughter moved into an apartment owned by John and Nancy Meany, the landlords refused to modify a “no pets policy” for the apartment.

Despite the mother’s ability to provide documentation of the need for the dog to live with her daughter from her pediatrician and therapist, the landlords still refused to allow the dog unless they received a $200 deposit and a $25 monthly rent increase.

The mother and daughter felt the need to move, and eventually did so to another apartment that cost more and was farther away from the daughter’s school.

“Threatening parents with eviction for requesting an emotional support animal for a child with disabilities or charging more for having one is against the law,” said John Trasviña, the HUD assistant secretary for fair housing and equal opportunity. “HUD is committed to ensuring that landlords comply with fair housing laws and provide the accommodations that may be necessary for tenants with disabilities to have the same opportunities to enjoy their homes.”

According to the HUD’s Fair Housing Act, it is “unlawful for landlords to refuse a reasonable accommodation in their rules, policies, practices, or services when needed to provide persons with disabilities an equal opportunity to use or enjoy a dwelling.” Landlords are also not allowed to “impose different rules and restrictions” under such circumstances.

While this is a very unfortunate and sad situation, hopefully the HUD’s intervention will help this family get the help they need. Regardless, this situation shows the difficulties – and expenses – that come with caring for a child with a birth injury. If you would like to pursue a cerebral palsy lawsuit against the doctors who caused your child’s birth injury, contact a birth injury attorney at Sokolove Law today.

Cerebral Palsy

As the nation prepares to reflect upon the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, a new report suggests a link between exposure to toxic chemicals released after New York’s World Trade Centercollapsed and the development of cancer in firefighters who toiled at ground zero.

The study, released in the British medical journal The Lancet, found that 9/11 firefighters are 19 percent more likely to develop cancer than those who were not at the Trade Center wreckage, according toThe New York Times.

Study leader Dr. David J. Prezant said the findings indicate an “increased likelihood for the development of any type of cancer” but noted that they were far from conclusive.

Toxic substances found at the site of the 9/11 attacks, such asasbestos and jet fuel, can trigger diseases that may take decades to develop, such as mesothelioma.

A portion of New York City was covered by a cloud of fine powder after the towers fell. A study released after the terrorist attacks by the Virginia firm HP Environmental reported that the powder creating this toxic cloud contained asbestos. In fact, the asbestos particles were so pulverized in the explosion that most were smaller than what could be detected by the EPA’s standard testing method. After adjusting the test to check smaller fiber concentrations, the study concluded that there was an “overwhelming concentration” of the ultrafine asbestos particles.

The 9/11 first responders, including firefighters, police, and other emergency personnel, “were exposed to a whole soup of carcinogens,” said Dr. Philip J. Landrigan of. Dr. Landrigan is the director of environmental and occupational medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in Manhattan and a leading expert on asbestos toxicity. He is also the principal investigator of a related report published in The Lancet on the health effects of the attacks on recovery and rescue workers.

However, Dr. James Melius, administrator of the New York StateLaborers’ Health and Safety Trust Fund and a peer reviewer of the firefighter study, warned that it “would probably not be enough to persuade federal officials to include cancer as one of the diseases covered under the Zadroga Act.”

The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 (H.R. 847) was called into law by President Obama in 2010 and it statesthat those who have 9/11 related health conditions may be eligible for health care under this law.

If you were diagnosed with mesothelioma and suspect you wereexposed to asbestos at ground zero, you may be entitled to financial compensation. To learn more about your legal options regarding a possible mesothelioma settlement, please contact an asbestoslawyer.

Asbestos

The International Mesothelioma Program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston continue to make progress in malignant mesothelioma research. The scientists and doctors involved with the project are looking for information that will lead to better adjuvant therapies for the rare and deadly disease. Adjuvant therapies are treatments given to help boost the effectiveness of other treatments. In the case of malignant mesothelioma, the term “adjuvant therapies” typically refers to treatments that are administered to patients after they have had tumors surgically removed.

In a recent study, scientists used mice to test potential adjuvant therapies. Human mesothelioma cells were introduced into the test mice, allowed to metastasize (to grow), then surgically removed. This procedure turned the mice into workable test subjects for testing ne mesothelioma adjuvant therapies.

One of the therapies researchers studied on the mice was “intracavitary chemotherapy,” which means applying the chemotherapy drug, paclitaxel, into the cavity of the body around the site where the tumor has been removed just prior to closing the incision. The results of this test on the test mice were encouraging.

In a report published in the Annals of Thoracic Surgery, “Paclitaxel-laded Expansile Nanoparticles in a Multimodal Treatment, Model of Malignant Mesothelioma,” the researchers state: “Treatment with [paclitaxel] improved overall survival in the setting of [the surgery], suggesting that [it] merits further evaluation for intracavitary drug delivery following the surgical resection of malignant mesothelioma.” What this means is that this particular adjuvant therapy may be successful in the survival of mesothelioma patients.

Advancements such as these are very important to patients of malignant mesothelioma, as the cancer is serious and fatal.

For those who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer that can be linked toasbestos exposure caused by a product or former employer, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Contact an experienced mesothelioma attorney to learn more about your rights, and to see if pursuing a mesothelioma settlement is in your best interest.

Mesothelioma

The International Mesothelioma Program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston continue to make progress in malignant mesothelioma research. The scientists and doctors involved with the project are looking for information that will lead to better adjuvant therapies for the rare and deadly disease. Adjuvant therapies are treatments given to help boost the effectiveness of other treatments. In the case of malignant mesothelioma, the term “adjuvant therapies” typically refers to treatments that are administered to patients after they have had tumors surgically removed.

In a recent study, scientists used mice to test potential adjuvant therapies. Human mesothelioma cells were introduced into the test mice, allowed to metastasize (to grow), then surgically removed. This procedure turned the mice into workable test subjects for testing ne mesothelioma adjuvant therapies.

One of the therapies researchers studied on the mice was “intracavitary chemotherapy,” which means applying the chemotherapy drug, paclitaxel, into the cavity of the body around the site where the tumor has been removed just prior to closing the incision. The results of this test on the test mice were encouraging.

In a report published in the Annals of Thoracic Surgery, “Paclitaxel-laded Expansile Nanoparticles in a Multimodal Treatment, Model of Malignant Mesothelioma,” the researchers state: “Treatment with [paclitaxel] improved overall survival in the setting of [the surgery], suggesting that [it] merits further evaluation for intracavitary drug delivery following the surgical resection of malignant mesothelioma.” What this means is that this particular adjuvant therapy may be successful in the survival of mesothelioma patients.

Advancements such as these are very important to patients of malignant mesothelioma, as the cancer is serious and fatal.

For those who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer that can be linked to asbestos exposure caused by a product or former employer, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Contact an experiencedmesothelioma attorney to learn more about your rights, and to see if pursuing a mesothelioma settlement is in your best interest.

Mesothelioma