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Sunday 31 March 2013

Washington Mesothelioma Lawyers

An Introduction to Asbestos and Mesothelioma

Asbestos is a deadly mineral that has been used in thousands of products. When microscopic asbestos fibers are inhaled or ingested, they can cause a number of diseases, including mesothelioma and lung cancer. Of the diseases caused by asbestos, mesothelioma is the most aggressive, attacking the internal lining of the lungs and abdomen. Mesothelioma typically does not develop until decades after the asbestos exposure occurred.

Asbestos in Washington

A number of work sites throughout Washington are linked to asbestos exposure including:

Everett
Todd Shipyard
Everett Pulp & Paper/Simpson Lee Paper Mill
Kimberly – Clark Paper Mill fka Scott Paper Mill

Boeing Aircraft Assembly Plant
Weyerhauser Lumber Mill

Fort Lewis
Fort Lewis Army Base

Longview
Longview Fibres Paper Mill
Crown Zellerbach Paper Mill
Weyerhauser Paper Mill
Longview Fiber Co.

Seattle
Lake Union Shipyard
Hydraulic Supply Fabrication Shop
Isaacson Iron Works
Sand Point Naval Air Station
Boeing Aircraft Assembly Plant 1
San Point Naval Station
Lockheed Shipyard (Harbor Island)
Todd Shipyard (Harbor Island)
Duwamish Shipyard

Tacoma
Asarco Smelter
U. S. Oil & Refining Oil Refinery
Kaiser Aluminum Plant
Hooker Chemical Plant
Boeing Aircraft Plant
Simpson Kraft Paper Mill fka St. Regis fka Chamion Paper Mill
Todd Pacific Shipyards, formerly Seattle-Tacoma (SEA-TAC)

Vancouver
Kaiser Shipyard
Boise Cascade Paper Mill
Columbia River Paper Mill

The majority of individuals who have been exposed to asbestos encounter the so-called "magic mineral" in their line of work, often due to inadequate safety precautions. Others are exposed to asbestos indirectly when they come in contact with the clothing of a family member involved in a high-risk asbestos occupation.

Asbestos has been widely used in many industrial products including cement, brake linings, roof shingles, flooring products, textiles, and insulation. When microscopic asbestos dust particles becomes airborne, they can be inhaled or swallowed and can cause serious health issues.

Common work environments where a mesothelioma or cancer patient may have encountered asbestos include shipyards, oil refineries, sheet metal plants, automotive plants, construction sites, and many more. Here is a complete list of occupations that have been linked to asbestos exposure.

Giving Back to Mesothelioma Patients & Families

In 2010, the Simmons Law Firm established the Simmons Mesothelioma Foundation, a private, non-profit organization dedicated to supporting research and advancing awareness about this rare cancer. The Foundation partners with established experts and thought-leaders in the mesothelioma research field. Learn more about the Foundation's current mesothelioma research partners.

As a long-time supporter of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation and the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, the Simmons Law Firm has an extensive history of supporting the fight against mesothelioma and cancer. The firm has also pledged over $10 million to establish the Simmons Cancer Institute at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. The institute provides extraordinary new resources to enhance treatments and implement the continuing search for a permanent cure. It is the largest single gift in the history of SIU and establishes the university as home to one of the leading cancer facilities in the United States.

Asbestos Exposure in Washington Today

Asbestos has not yet been banned in the United States. Its use is regulated, but it is still used in products today. Asbestos has been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a human carcinogen. This assessment is supported by the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), both of which believe that the future use of asbestos should be banned.

The following chart shows the higher-risk occupations for malignant mesothelioma along with their corresponding Washington employment numbers.

Occupation

Number Employed in Washington, 20061

Plumbers, pipefitters, steamfitters

14,346

Mechanical engineers

6,276

Electricians

19,461

Teachers, elementary school

28,998

Washington continues to be affected by mesothelioma and asbestos-related diseases. Consider the following:

  • CDC statistics show Washington's age-adjusted death rate for malignant mesothelioma to be between 11.5 and 23 deaths per million per year.2

  • The Environmental Working Group reported that there were up to 1,387 mesothelioma cases in Kentucky from 1979 to 2001.3

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  • At The Ferraro Law Firm, we concentrate on handling the most serious injury cases, such as cancers caused by asbestos, work place diseases such as mesothelioma victims, catastrophic accidents, medical malpractice, product liability, defective drugs and medical devices, environmental toxins, automobile defects and wrongful death. We also represent homeowners and litigate consumer protection cases, Qui Tam / Whistleblower matters, White-Collar Criminal Defense Representation, and the administering of receiverships.

    Read the biographies of our attorneys by clicking on their names.

    Picture of James L. Ferraro

    James L. Ferraro

    Picture of David A. Jagolinzer

    David A. Jagolinzer

    Picture of Juan P. Bauta

    Juan P. Bauta

    Picture of Jeffrey H. Sloman

    Jeffrey H. Sloman

    Picture of Dino G. Galardi

    Dino G. Galardi

    Picture of Allan B. Kaiser

    Allan B. Kaiser

    Picture of Melissa Damian Visconti

    Melissa Damian Visconti

    Picture of David J. Finger

    David J. Finger

    Picture of Marc P. Kunen

    Marc P. Kunen

    Picture of Gregory S. Lynam

    Gregory S. Lynam

    Picture of Scott A. Knott

    Scott A. Knott

    Picture of Erica L. Brady

    Erica L. Brady

    Picture of Janpaul Portal

    Janpaul Portal

    Picture of Amanda Kessler

    Amanda Kessler

     

  • Attorney Brian Weinstein is the founding  partner of Weinstein Couture,  Seattle, Washington.  Brian started filing lawsuits for asbestos mesothelioma victims as soon as he became a lawyer in 1981. Over the last 30 years, Brian has achieved numerous significant asbestos verdicts, favorable appellate results and advantageous asbestos settlements nationwide on behalf of working men and women suffering from mesothelioma and other asbestos related diseases. His clients have worked at shipyards, power plants, refineries, paper mills and just about any type of industrial or commercial setting where one could be exposed to asbestos. Brian pioneered asbestos lawsuits for housewives suffering from mesothelioma who were exposed through their husbands work-clothes.  Brian has successfully tried asbestosis, asbestos related lung cancer and mesothelioma lawsuits in federal courts in New York, Georgia, Texas,  and New Mexico. He has won asbestos lawsuits in state courts in Washington, Illinois, Missouri, and Texas.  Brian has long been recognized as one of the nation’s leading asbestos  trial attorneys and a Super Lawyer by Washington Law and Politics. For 15 years  he has been rated AV by Martindale Hubble which is the highest rating one can achieve from his peers based on the quality of his work and adherence to the highest ethical standards.

    “A lot of the lawyers I went to school with just wanted to work on Wall Street,” Brian recalls. “But I had no interest in joining the corporate world. In fact, just the opposite; I knew I wanted to use my law degree to hold corporations accountable when they negligently make dangerous products and take advantage of working men and women just trying to support their families. Trying lawsuits for people suffering from mesothelioma by asbestos exposure has allowed me to do that.”

    After more than twenty years of successful law practice as a mesothelioma attorney, in 2004 Brian ran for and won a seat in the Washington State Senate representing a the suburbs east of Seattle. While in the Washington State Senate, Brian continued to advocate for the benefit of working families, focusing on consumer rights issues. After only two years in the Senate, Brian was honored with the chairmanship of the Consumer Protection and Housing Committee. Brian was also the prime sponsor of the Insurance Fair Conduct Act which punished insurance companies that unreasonably deny coverage claims or benefits. He also worked to pass a new law imposing a fiduciary duty on mortgage brokers toward borrowers – quite timely in the recent sub-prime crisis. After one four-year term, Brian decided not to run for re-election and to return to his law practice, where he continues to tirelessly advocate for asbestos victims and others harmed by defective drugs and medical devices. He has a special interest in birth defect caused by anti depressants and migraine drugs taken by pregnant women.

    Education

    Juris Doctorate, University of Texas Law School (with Honors) 1981

    Bachelor of Arts, Economics, University of Wisconsin – Madison (with Honors) 1976

    Memberships in Lawyer and Attorney Groups

    American Association for Justice

    King County Washington Bar Association, Seattle

    Tacoma-Pierce County, Washington Bar Association

    Washington State Association for Justice

    Washington State Bar Association

    Recognition, Awards & Honors

    Recognized as a Super Lawyer by Washington Law & Politics Magazine

    Pike Place Market Foundation, Seattle, Washington, Former Director of Board

    Public Stadium Authority – Appointed by Washington State Governor Gregoire, 2009

    Mesothelioma Lawyers Washington, D.C.

    Washington DC’s primary source of asbestos exposure is its historical buildings. When construction workers demolish, rehabilitate or update these buildings, they can easily come into contact with dangerous asbestos fibers, unless proper precautions are taken. According to the Environmental Working Group, at least 54 people died from asbestos exposure in Washington DC from 1979 to 2001.

    If you or someone you love has mesothelioma (asbestos cancer) due to asbestos exposure while working in Washington DC, attorneys Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason can help. Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason are mesothelioma lawyers with over 30 years of success. We have recovered millions of dollars in settlement compensation for mesothelioma patients and their families. We can guide you through the complicated mesothelioma legal process. Our attorneys provide a free mesothelioma case evaluation, and there is no up front cost to you for our services.

    Asbestos Exposure in Washington DC

    Many of the buildings and structures located in Washington D.C. were built during an age when asbestos was heavily used for insulation and as a fire retardant. Before its dangers were well known, asbestos was incorporated into roofing materials, floor tiles, millboard and other building products.

    Today, construction workers can be exposed to asbestos while demolishing and renovating these older buildings, unless proper precautions are taken. Safety procedures, such as dampening asbestos-containing materials, wearing disposable protective clothing and avoiding the use of power tools, need to be followed when working with older buildings.

    Workers who maintain these older buildings can be exposed to dangerous levels of asbestos as well, since asbestos was also used to line water pipes, HVAC ductwork, boilers and electrical conduits.

    Our Attorneys Can Help Victims of Mesothelioma in Washington DC

    If you or a member of your family has been affected by asbestos cancer in Washington DC or any state in the U.S., contact Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason. Whether your asbestos exposure was due to working at a contaminated jobsite or because you used asbestos-containing products, our mesothelioma attorneys will give you sound, legal advice. We have provided mesothelioma legal representation to clients across the United States for more than 30 years. We offer a free case evaluation and can fly to Washington DC to meet with you in person.

    If you are in need of mesothelioma medical information or treatment, please visit our list of Washington DC mesothelioma doctors.  Our mesothelioma attorneys are here to help.

    Call Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason for a free consultation.

     

     

 

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