There are many building materials used in houses which were built before 1975 which can contain asbestos. It is found most frequently  wrapped around furnaces, boilers and heating ducts in the basement, but, in addition, was used in some types of blown-in insulation, vinyl floor tiles and linoleum, adhesive used to glued flooring to concrete, and siding shingles.

If you think that you may have asbestos-containing materials in your home, in most cases, it is not dangerous. If the material is in good condition, it’s best to leave it alone, since disturbing intact asbestos can create a hazard where there wasn’t one before as the fibers enter the air and potentially the lungs.

However, it is a good idea to inspect the materials regularly to make sure they haven’t begun to deteriorate. You should look for tears or damage from water or abrasion and if you find any suspicious areas, have them checked by a professional.

If you are considering a major repair or remodeling project, it’s a good idea to find out if there are any asbestos-containing materials in your home that might be disturbed during the work. And ensure that the company that does the removal is properly certified and follows procedures that will protect your family.

If you have been diagnosed with asbestos a related disease, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. Contact the Law Office of Brayton Purcell, LLP  at  (800) 598-0314 immediately, or contact us online for a free consultation.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reported that naturally-occurring asbestos can be found in 42 of California’s 58 counties and the most is in and around Humboldt County, in areas of San Benito and Monterey Counties, and in western El Dorado County.

“Naturally-occurring asbestos” means the mineral as a natural component of soils or rocks as opposed to the asbestos which is used in commercial products, mining or processing operations. The most common type of natural asbestos is chrysotile, but other types are also found in California.  The problem is that when rock containing asbestos is broken or crushed, asbestos fibers can be released into the air. This can then lead to health problems including lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis.

It appears that most California residents are aware of the hazards associated with exposure to asbestos in homes and buildings that contain materials made with the mineral, but Far fewer realize that it could be in the rock and soil around their homes, schools and work place.  Outdoor activities, such as construction projects that disturb the ground and create dust, can pose a health risk to anyone in the area.

If you have been diagnosed with asbestos a related disease, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. Contact the Law Office of Brayton Purcell, LLP  at  (800) 598-0314 immediately, or contact us online for a free consultation.

RPM International, whose consumer brands include Rust-Oleum, DAP and Zinsser, plans to spend nearly $800 million as part of an initial deal to fund a trust that resolves asbestos personal injury claims tied to a business owned by its Specialty Products Holding Corp.

The company, based in Medina, Ohio, has said that the agreement still needs the approval of the claimants as well as the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.

RPM has said that it will start funding the trust for current and future claimants with a $450 million cash payment and then make additional payments over the next few years until a total of $797.5 million in contributions, which are expected to be tax deductible, is reached.

RPM’s subsidiaries make specialty coatings, sealants and building materials for both consumer and industrial markets and their Specialty Products unit filed for Chapter 11 reorganization in May 2010. They subsequently deconsolidated the business but plan to reconsolidate the unit with its operations once the settlement plan is consummated.

If you have been diagnosed with asbestos a related disease, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. Contact the Law Office of Brayton Purcell, LLP  at  (800) 598-0314 immediately, or contact us online for a free consultation.

Asbestos is a mineral fiber found in rock and soil but in certain forms, it can cause respiratory problems, including scarred and inflamed lungs and also cancer.

Scientists have discovered naturally occurring asbestos in Clark County, and the discovery has stalled plans to build a $490 million highway detour around Boulder City, so traffic can move smoothly between Las Vegas and Arizona.

Asbestos becomes dangerous when it is disturbed and the particles get into the air and can be inhaled. This means that construction could turn deadly.

The construction of the road was due to begin last spring but was put on hold to allow testing and analysis and the results are due out shortly.

Asbestos if left undisturbed is not dangerous, it only becomes so when it becomes airborne, hence removing it leads to far more danger than leaving it alone. However, in the construction of the highway, explosives will be needed to cut a route through the hills, so the challenge becomes how to ensure that the construction workers and motorists are not affected.

If you have been diagnosed with asbestos a related disease, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. Contact the Law Office of Brayton Purcell, LLP  at  (800) 598-0314 immediately, or contact us online for a free consultation.

Perrin Conferences have announced that 11 judges, from the East, Central, and West regions of the United States, will attend its annual Asbestos Litigation Conference, scheduled for September 8-10, 2014, in San Francisco. Last year, the event drew more than 500 professionals to discuss all perspectives of asbestos litigation.

Nationally, the costs and damages associated with asbestos litigation have been estimated in the hundreds of billions of dollars over the past several decades, with far-reaching implications affecting all sectors of the economy. Every year, the court system, attorneys, clients, insurance companies, risk managers, and a whole range of affected businesses and other parties, grapple with the need to adjudicate or settle hundreds of thousands of asbestos related cases.

By bringing all parties affected together in a constructive dialogue, the conference offers mutually beneficial insight and information sharing on current and emerging trends in an atmosphere of learning and networking.

If you have been diagnosed with asbestos a related disease, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. Contact the Law Office of Brayton Purcell, LLP  at  (800) 598-0314 immediately, or contact us online for a free consultation.

Asbestos is a substance which has been used by mankind for centuries. It is no wonder, then, that ceasing to use the substance has proven incredibly difficult, even after asbestos was proven to be deadly to human beings. As will be seen in the following video there are still experts who claim that there is a safe way for asbestos to be used and incorporated into American society, so long as the right kind of asbestos – a kind which supposedly poses little risk to people’s lungs – is used.

http://youtu.be/RZm7u6z6tLI

As can be seen at the end of the video there are those in the medical community who continue to be adamantly against using asbestos, even a kind which supposedly poses very little risk. But as long as asbestos continues to have its defenders, and continues to be legal, it is likely that it will continue to sicken people with deadly illnesses.

If you have been diagnosed with asbestos related disease, or if a loved one has died from an asbestos related illness, such as lung cancer or mesothelioma, contact the Law Office of Brayton Purcell, LLP  at  (800) 598-0314 immediately, or contact us online for a free consultation.

Asbestos was, and continues to be, used in a wide variety of products which are manufactured for both household and industrial applications. Though it is no excuse, it is no surprise that companies fought so hard to continue to use the substance, even after it became clear that asbestos exposure led to serious illnesses such as lung cancer and mesothelioma. Modern consumers would be absolutely shocked at the vast number of everyday items which either contain asbestos or were manufactured with the substance in the past.

In the following video, you will see walk through of a typical Australian home with an expert pointing out various areas where asbestos related products were used. This video was produced for the Australian market, but it is just as relevant for those living in the United States.

Companies which relied on asbestos for the manufacturing of their products put consumers and workers in grave danger. Many people have fallen ill with asbestos related diseases, diseases from which they will never recover. If you or someone you know has suffered the results of asbestos related disease, such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, or lung cancer, contact the Law Office of Brayton Purcell, LLP  at  (800) 598-0314 immediately, or contact us online for a free consultation.

Asbestos has been used in industrial applications across the Western world for well over hundred years, and has been used by mankind in general for thousands of years. But despite this widespread use, health officials have known for decades that asbestos exposure can be fatal. Given this fact, many people wonder why asbestos was used in so many products over the years, and wonder why governments of various countries, knowing the risks, did not do more to protect their citizens. As can be seen in the following video, various business interests worked diligently over the years to ensure that a steady supply of asbestos laden products would continue to be introduced into the market.

Sadly, many people’s lives have been ruined by asbestos exposure, exposure which could have and should have been prevented. The fact that asbestos causes irreparable damage to the human body, and has been studied for over 100 years in this regard, makes asbestos exposure one of the most well documented industrial hazards in modern history. But, business leaders decided that it would be more cost effective to deny the fact that asbestos was causing severe respiratory illness in workers, leading to hundreds of thousands of anguishing and unnecessary deaths.

If you or a loved on have developed asbestos related disease, please contact the California asbestos and mesothelioma accident attorneys of Brayton Purcell, LLP, immediately at (800) 598-0314 for a free consultation, or contact us online

A disturbing new trend among American manufacturers is causing alarm among those who are responsible for protecting American citizens from defective products and services.

In an attempt to limit their liability, some American manufacturers, and makers of other products, are attempting to trick consumers into waving their legal rights to sue for defective products.  The attempt is so surreptitious that it’s almost difficult to believe: companies are beginning to put wording on their web sites such that if you perform such actions as downloading a coupon, or liking the company on a social media website, according to the verbiage you will effectively be waving your right to sue the company or join in a class action lawsuit against it.

This is an attempt by companies to limit their liability payouts by forcing consumers to deal with the companies directly in an arbitration setting.  By limiting consumers’ access to the U.S. court systems, these companies hope to be able to avoid some of the larger rulings for damages that they have seen in previous years.  This essentially amounts to companies looking to shield themselves from being liable for their negligence and outright deception against the consumer.

We have seen over the years that American companies have been willing to cover up the fact that they were aware of the damaging affects related to asbestos and mesothelioma.  It is unconscionable that a consumer may unwittingly waive his or her right to seek just compensation for injuries sustained due to a defective product, simply because they used a company’s coupon years before they were made aware of the company’s deceptive practices and the dangers involved with the company’s products.

The California asbestos and mesothelioma accident attorneys of Brayton Purcell, LLP, are experts in helping those who have been exposed to asbestos. Call us today at (800) 598-0314 for a free consultation, or contact us online.