Senators are backing speedy pay to asbestos sickest, according to a new Reuters article released May 11th: The sickest asbestos victims would be paid the quickest under changes approved on Wednesday by the Senate Judiciary Committee to legislation to create a $140 billion compensation fund. The voice vote came as the committee continued to refine…
Category Archives: Mesothelioma
Libby, Montana saga may complicate asbestos fund bill
Should people living in asbestos-affected areas be given special consideration when it comes to the U.S. asbestos fund bill? WASHINGTON, May 4 (Reuters) – An asbestos tragedy in Libby, Montana, which has allegedly sickened hundreds of people, could complicate efforts by U.S. lawmakers to curb the explosion of asbestos injury lawsuits. When work resumes May…
Breakthrough Test for Mesothelioma
Researchers on the other side of the world have come up with a simple test to figure out whether someone has mesothelioma. Australian researches have “developed a world-first blood test which could help in the early detection of mesothelioma, a deadly asbestos-related cancer of the lung lining.” “The non-invasive blood test developed by University of…
Asbestos Bill Being Filed Despite Disputes
Reuters reported on April 19th that Sen. Arlen Specter’s Asbestos Bill is going to be filed, despite ongoing disputes. The bill proposes that a $140 billion compensation fund be set up for asbestos victims. The point of the bill, according to Specter, is to “take asbestos claims out of the court system” so that they…
Auto Workers Union Backs U.S. Asbestos Fund Plan
Reuters is reporting that the Auto Workers Union is backing a proposal for an asbestos fund: WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A plan to create a $140 billion asbestos compensation fund picked up an important labor endorsement on Wednesday from the United Auto Workers, one of the largest labor unions in North America. The UAW’s legislative director…
Asbestos Still a Major Concern in Australian Schools
Think the asbestos problem is going away anytime soon? Think again. Unfortunately, this is not one environmental / health issue that’s going to be swept under the rug and forgotten about too easily. (even if all the companies involved eventually file for bankruptcy) Bayside Bulletin of Australia reports: Asbestos is present in more than half…
U.S. Chamber of Commerce thinks many asbestos lawsuit claims are fraudulent
Apparently the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (completely representing businesses, including ones that are being sued for exposing people to asbestos) is on the offensive — asking the Justice Department to investigate claims that they feel are fraudulent. If fraudulent claims are being filed then that would definitely be something worth investigating. The question to ask,…
‘From Crisis to Cure’ for Deadly Asbestos-Related Cancer
‘From Crisis to Cure’ for Deadly Asbestos-Related Cancer ‘From Crisis to Cure’ for Deadly Asbestos-Related Cancer Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation Initiates Over $1M in New Research SANTA BARBARA, Calif., March 31 /PRNewswire/ — The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation has awarded its largest series of research grants ever, creating new hope for those who suffer from…
USG hopeful for resolution to asbestos claims
More news about the giant asbestos lawsuit fund: Chicago-based wallboard maker USG Corp. held out hope Tuesday that it can resolve its asbestos dilemma despite a crimp in plans to create an asbestos trust fund. USG is fighting what it considers bogus asbestos claims in court, though CEO William Foote has said the company intends…
SV40 not implicated in mesothelioma
The Mount Sinai School of Medicine reports today that a “new highly sensitive approach shows no evidence of SV40 in tumors,” and that “SV40 [is] unlikely to be [a] factor in asbestos related cancers.” Here is the text of the article: SV40 does not have a role in the majority of malignant mesotheliomas — a…