An anonymous donor has given a $3.58 million donation to the Hawaii cancer center to help aid the mesothelioma research work of its director, Dr. Michele Carbone, and her colleagues.

“Mesothelioma is a serious public health problem,” said Dr. Virginia Hinshaw, Chancellor of UH Mānoa. “We’re proud that Dr. Carbone’s team is leading the world in this area of discovery. This gift validates their efforts and will help them remain at the forefront of thoracic oncology research.”

The gift is the second largest one ever given to the UH Cancer Center. Dr. Carbone’s and researchers at the center recently released new findings relating to the presence of erionite – a material that causes mesothelioma – in rock materials that are used to pave roads in North Dakota.

The center has also conducted studies in Capadoccia, Turkey, a region where nearly 50 percent of the residents die of mesothelioma. There are currently plans for Dr. Carbone and collaborators to conduct a clinical trial co-sponsored by the Early Detection Research Network of the U.S. National Cancer Institute and the Turkish Ministry of Health to validate serum biomarkers they discovered for the early detection of mesothelioma.

“Private support is essential to solidify the UH Cancer Center’s role as the world leader in mesothelioma research,” said UH System President MRC Greenwood. “We look forward to furthering our work with donors to help the UH Cancer Center fulfill its vast potential as a transformative research enterprise for our state.”

Mesothelioma and asbestosis are both deadly illnesses that are caused primarily by prolonged exposure to asbestos fibers. If you were exposed to asbestos while working for a company and have since developed one of these illnesses, it may be worth pursuing amesothelioma lawsuit that could potentially result in a substantialasbestos settlement. If you think that a mesothelioma attorney could help prove your illness was caused by a specific entity’s negligence, please contact Sokolove Law for a free legal consultation.

Mesothelioma

According to the Concord Monitor, Jeanne Browne settled a lawsuit and agreed to pay the settlement to Sarah and Jonathan Sadowski, two Concord parents who brought the lawsuit against her following the birth of their daughter Emily in January 2009. Browne earlier surrendered her license to practice as a midwife.

In their lawsuit, the Sadowskis alleged that Browne – the founder of the Concord Birth and Wellness Center – did not properly manage their child’s birth and ignored several warning signs that Sarah experienced. Despite these risks, Browne did not bring in an obstetrician, or send Sarah to a hospital during the birth once she could not find the baby’s heartbeat.

Even after the birth when the child still had no heartbeat, Browne ignored Jonathan’s requests to quickly call an ambulance.

As a result, the Sadowski’s daughter was born with a severe brain injury. When the family brought a lawsuit against Browne, she voluntarily surrendered her license amid an investigation by the state Midwifery Council regarding the Sadowski’s case as well as others in which complaints were levied.

If you or a loved one have a child who suffered a birth injury due to a doctor or midwife’s error and now must pay for mounting medical bills and treatments, there may be legal action worth taking to pursue a birth injury settlement. Speak to a birth injury attorney at Sokolove Law today for a free consultation and to learn more about your legal options regarding a potential lawsuit.

Birth Injury

Nancy Lopez filed the asbestos lawsuit against the U.S. Engineering Co. for failing to take proper precautions to protect courthouse worker while handling asbestos, writes the Associated Press. For 27 years, Lopez had worked at the courthouse in Kansas City. Her complaint claimed she developed mesothelioma cancer from her asbestos exposure at the courthouse.

Lopez died from the disease in October 2010. The asbestos lawsuit settlement was awarded to her family late last month.

If you or a loved one were exposed to asbestos and later diagnosed with mesothelioma, call an asbestos attorney at Sokolove Law today for a free consultation.

Asbestos

Now, the Government Accountability Office (GOA) – a sort of congressional watchdog group that keeps an eye on government spending of taxpayer dollars – has published a report that reveals the somewhat secretive system of asbestos trust fund payouts.

The report looked at 52 asbestos trust funds that have paid out over 3,000,000 claims for a total of about $17.5 billion. The investigation was prompted by the fact that these asbestos trust funds don’t publish details about their activities, yet do make general information available. Attorneys representing asbestos companies or defendants — in asbestos lawsuits filed by mesothelioma victims – raised a stink about the secrecy of the details and implored congress to get involved. The investigation proceeded to determine if, in fact, these asbestos trust funds were keeping details secret.

The investigation revealed only “one trust’s financial report contained claimant names and amounts paid to these individuals.”

The defendants in asbestos lawsuits have been the critics of asbestos trust fund secrecy. They allege that asbestos lawyers and mesothelioma law firms oversee the operation of these asbestos trust funds to prevent them from revealing how much their clients have been paid. This, they further allege, allows some asbestos attorneys to file claims with multiple trusts that could contradict each other.

The GAO report stated that 98% of asbestos trust fund claims go through what is called an expedited review process, which requires a claim form and some documentation that asbestos exposure happened. Perhaps the lawyers representing the asbestos companies want mesothelioma victims to have to go through much more than that to get the compensation they deserve?

According to the report, 65 percent of asbestos trust funds treat claims information as confidential and privileged. Defendants and insurers want the details to be available to them so they can reduce the value of the claims awarded to mesothelioma victims in court.

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with mesothelioma and suspect it’s due to asbestos exposure, contact a mesothelioma attorneyat Sokolove Law for a free consultation. Also, write to your local congressman about keeping the details of asbestos trust fund settlements confidential and out of the hands of the asbestos companies

Asbestos

Now, the Government Accountability Office (GOA) – a sort of congressional watchdog group that keeps an eye on government spending of taxpayer dollars – has published a report that reveals the somewhat secretive system of asbestos trust fund payouts.

The report looked at 52 asbestos trust funds that have paid out over 3,000,000 claims for a total of about $17.5 billion. The investigation was prompted by the fact that these asbestos trust funds don’t publish details about their activities, yet do make general information available. Attorneys representing asbestos companies or defendants — in asbestos lawsuits filed by mesothelioma victims – raised a stink about the secrecy of the details and implored congress to get involved. The investigation proceeded to determine if, in fact, these asbestos trust funds were keeping details secret.

The investigation revealed only “one trust’s financial report contained claimant names and amounts paid to these individuals.”

The defendants in asbestos lawsuits have been the critics of asbestos trust fund secrecy. They allege that asbestos lawyers andmesothelioma law firms oversee the operation of these asbestos trust funds to prevent them from revealing how much their clients have been paid. This, they further allege, allows some asbestos attorneys to file claims with multiple trusts that could contradict each other.

The GAO report stated that 98% of asbestos trust fund claims go through what is called an expedited review process, which requires a claim form and some documentation that asbestos exposurehappened. Perhaps the lawyers representing the asbestos companies want mesothelioma victims to have to go through much more than that to get the compensation they deserve?

According to the report, 65 percent of asbestos trust funds treatclaims information as confidential and privileged. Defendants and insurers want the details to be available to them so they can reduce the value of the claims awarded to mesothelioma victims in court.

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with mesothelioma and suspect it’s due to asbestos exposure, contact amesothelioma attorney at Sokolove Law for a free consultation. Also, write to your local congressman about keeping the details of asbestos trust fund settlements confidential and out of the hands of the asbestos companies.

Asbestos

According to WSAZ-TV, a New York jury awarded Ronald Dummitt $16 million for past pain and suffering, along with an additional $16 million for future pain and suffering he must endure as he battles mesothelioma that was caused by asbestos exposure in the Navy.

During the eight-week trial, it was determined that Dummitt was exposed to asbestos while working in the fire and boiler rooms of U.S. Navy ships between 1960 and 1977. Much of this exposure occurred when he had to repair Crane Co.-manufactured valves that utilized asbestos-containing pads, gaskets and packing. Furthermore, the jury found he was also exposed to asbestos when working with Elliott Turbomachinery Co., Inc.-manufactured deareating feed tanks that also used asbestos pads and manhole gaskets.

“Mr. Dummitt may not have been awarded a Congressional Medal of Honor or a Purple Heart but I, and all that have come to know him, recognize that he is a true American hero… Unfortunately, no man can give Ronald Dummitt’s health back to him. This verdict represents all that a just and civil society can do to redress the harm caused by culpable companies who fail to protect innocent workers whether on the job or in the line of duty,” said Timothy Eves, Dummitt’s attorney.

Navy veterans who previously worked in naval bases and have now been diagnosed with mesothelioma may be able to bring a mesothelioma lawsuit against companies who manufactured or sold asbestos products that were used on the ships. Contact amesothelioma lawyer in order to learn more about asbestos law and find out if you or a loved one may be able to receive an asbestos settlement.

Mesothelioma

For the many hundreds of Libby, Montana asbestos victims who have died, become gravely ill, or have lost loved ones to the negligent and criminal actions of W.R. Grace, the latest news from the proud and rugged town is almost too much to bear.

According to an Associated Press investigation, the Environmental Protection Agency has known since 2008 that two large piles of woodchips on the edge of town might be contaminated with unknown levels of deadly tremolite asbestos, but kept the information quiet. They even allowed Libby residents to haul the material away by the truckload for use in city parks, cemeteries and playgrounds.

Now Libby, the worst Superfund site in America, might be entering a fresh wave of contamination from the very material that the EPA has been trying to eradicate for the past 11 years. The EPA did not stop the hauling of the wood chips until March when the AP began its investigation. All of this despite $370 million spent by the EPA over the past 11 years cleaning up Libby.

Although regulators are unsure about the exact levels of contamination, tests conducted in 2007 showed asbestos fibers on four out of 20 wood samples. While this might appear to be a relatively small sampling, any new asbestos exposure is deeply troublesome for the asbestos victims who have already lost so much to Grace’s folly.

W.R. Grace (of Cambridge, MA) bought the Zonolite vermiculite mine in Libby in the 1960s, and was fully aware that the vermiculite was contaminated with tremolite, a particularly dangerous form of asbestos. Exposure to tremolite asbestos can cause asbestos related diseases such as asbestosis, asbestos lung cancer and mesothelioma cancer. At its peak, the mines employed 200 townspeople, who worked in dirty, dusty conditions to mine the vermiculite, which was used for a popular insulation material.

Mine owners dismissed workers’ health concerns over the dust, calling it “nuisance dust” and allowing them to work without safety equipment. Workers carried the dust home, exposing family members to the deadly asbestos. Waste rock from the mines was doled out to townspeople and was used for fill in playgrounds, running tracks, baseball fields, yards and other home construction projects.

The dangers spread far beyond Libby. Zonolite was spread across the nation via a network of processing plants. A popular DIY pour-in insulation, Zonolite can still be found in an estimated 35 million homes across the country.

To date, hundreds of Libby residents have died and many more have become sick. It’s unknown how many have died nationwide from Libby asbestos. Grace was never prosecuted for their negligence.

“We thought we were coming to an end and now we have this issue all over again,” said Lerah Parker, who used truckloads on the material on her property.

It’s estimated that over 1,000 tons of the potentially dangerous material was used within Libby, and as much as 15,000 tons were sent outside of the town.

Montana U.S. Sen. Max Baucus said he would start his own inquiry into the use of the bark and wood chips.

“The people of Libby have already been poisoned in the name of greed and I won’t allow them to be poisoned again because of negligence,” said Baucus.

Any concerns about the danger of the piles was brushed off by the man making money from selling the material. Paul Rummelhart said he was “sick and tired of those (asbestos) victims” hampering the town’s economic revitalization. He said he intends to sell more of the material if given the chance.

Asbestos

In an attempt to shed light on the life of his friend Glen Haerle, as well as two other men who were born with cerebral palsy, Bollinger’s first documentary film will focus on the medical condition and the challenges it can bring to the everyday lives of those who are afflicted with it.

Called The Cohesion Project, the film is independently produced between Bollinger and Kim Surowicz and is expected to have a budget of approximately $20,000.

In addition to documenting events such as a hike Bollinger took with Haerle up the 6,288-foot Mount Washington, the documentary will also feature New York comedian Josh Blue and hedge fund manager Rich Donovan, both of whom have cerebral palsy. The film will also include interviews with other notable individuals who were born with cerebral palsy, such as Ontario’s Lieutenant Governor David Olney and author John Quinn.

“John Quinn has cerebral palsy and he summed it up like this: I want to be judged on my ability and not dismissed because of my disability,’’ Bollinger said, according to the Asbury Park Press. “One of the things I get from all the people we have interviewed is they want to be judged on what they do and who they are, and that’s it.’’

Hopefully Bollinger’s film will help to reveal the issues that cerebral palsy victims must regularly endure and raise awareness for a condition that is sometimes caused by medical error. If you or a loved one have a child who was born with a birth injury such as cerebral palsy that may be attributable to medical error, contact a birth injury attorney at Sokolove Law today to learn more about your legal options.

Cerebral Palsy

The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) recently announced it would be hosting an “international livestreaming” of the film Breathless on its website on September 26 at 6:30 pm EST. The film, which was directed by Canadian filmmaker Kathleen Mullen, details the death of her father from asbestos diseases caused by work in Canadian mines.

The film also addresses the controversy surrounding the Canadian asbestos industry. The screening will precede a fifteen minute question and answer session via Twitter with Mullen and ADAO Co-Founder Linda Reinstein.

“ADAO is thrilled to be able to bring this critical issue to the forefront through the incredible film, Breathtaking. It is through the new avenues of digital technology and social media that we are seeing awareness about asbestos hazards expand rapidly around the globe,” said Reinstein.

Hot Coffee is another film that recently premiered on HBO as part of the network’s Summer Documentary Series. While not dealing with asbestos lawsuits directly – it tells the story of Stella Liebeck, an elderly woman who sued McDonald’s for money she needed to cover medical costs after the restaurant’s coffee severely burned her – mesothelioma support groups have come out in support of the film since mesothelioma lawsuits are similar in many ways to Liebeck’s suit and faced similar criticism over the years.

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

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