New York Personal Injury Laws

Diseases Caused by Asbestos Exposure

Let’s talk about some of the diseases that exposure to asbestos can cause. Hi, I’m Joe Williams. I’m a mesothelioma and asbestos attorney in New York City. I can answer some questions for you as to the asbestos related diseases that are widely accepted in the medical and scientific community. These would be broken down into two types of diseases.

Non-Cancerous Diseases

The first are what we call scarring diseases, which are not cancerous diseases. The second are malignant diseases, which are a cancer process. So the first two diseases I’ll talk to you about is asbestosis and pleural plaque. Asbestosis is a fibrotic scarring of the inside of the lungs. The doctors will call it the parenchyma or the meat of the lung. A fibrotic scarring on the inside of the lungs, which can cause a lot of disability. It’s not cancer, but it can be quite serious.

The next non-cancerous disease is known as pleural plaques. And the pleura is a sac-like lining outside the lung. So if you think of a piece of saran wrap. That’s the texture of the pleura. And the pleura can develop scarring from the asbestos fibers that a worker breathes in over the course of their life. On a CAT scan, or even sometimes on an X-ray, these show up as what’s called as pleural plaques. Again, not cancer but can be serious.

Cancerous Diseases

With respect to the cancerous diseases, there’s two that I want to focus on today. The first is lung cancer. Lung cancer is a cancerous tumor, a malignant tumor in the meat of the lungs, in the lung parenchyma. And the second cancerous diseases caused by asbestos that I want to focus on today, and it’s certainly the most important asbestos related disease because of the severity of it, is malignant mesothelioma.

Malignant mesothelioma of the pleura is a cancerous tumor that grows on that pleura surface that I described a moment ago, that saran wrap-like sac that surrounds the outside of the lung. This malignant mesothelioma tumor grows in a diffused pattern. If you think the rind of a grapefruit. Sometimes people think of a cancerous tumor as, what we call like a golf ball tumor. Malignant mesothelioma doesn’t grow in that way. It’s more of a diffused pattern, like the rind of a grapefruit, and it’s caused by exposure to asbestos.

Now I’m sure you have many other questions about the disease pattern and the diseases caused by asbestos, and we can answer those questions. I’m Joe Williams and everyday at our firm, we handle cases from mesothelioma victims and their families. And we certainly can answer your questions, and we’d be happy to do that. I hope you found this video informative, and I thank you very much for watching.

Boiler Makers Exposed to Asbestos

You’re a boiler maker, and you built boilers and powerhouses in large industrial and commercial buildings. Now, you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma and you’re trying to figure out all the ways that you could have been exposed to asbestos.

Hi. I’m Joe Williams. I’m a mesothelioma trial attorney in New York City, and I can answer questions about the ways that boiler makers were exposed to asbestos.

A union boiler maker built the boilers in the powerhouses, built the boilers in the largest structures in the cities in America. I can talk to you about one particular client of mine who was a union boiler maker, who worked in the local powerhouses here in New York City. His work involved construction and erecting huge multistory boilers, in some circumstances ten stories high, in powerhouses, in power generating stations. This work involved working with and sawing with a saw asbestos block, mixing asbestos cement and applying it to different parts of this boiler apparatus, using this mixed asbestos cement and applying it to steam pipes and hot water pipes, working with flange gaskets, cutting asbestos-containing gaskets to put between metal flanges on pipes, working with packing inside of valves and inside of pumps. This boiler maker that I’m speaking of, this former client of mine, was exposed to asbestos in all of these ways.

These are just some of the exposures that a boiler maker would have. You have questions about how a boiler maker was exposed to asbestos? We can answer those questions. I’m Joe Williams. At our office, we represent victims of mesothelioma everyday. I invite you to call our office at the number below and we’ll answer your questions. Thank you.

Stresses of Mesothelioma

You’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma. You’re suffering, you’re feeling lousy, and you’re just not sure if you’re going to go ahead and pursue your legal rights from your exposure to asbestos. Perhaps it’s just too difficult, or too much to handle right now. Hi, I’m Joe Williams. I’m a mesothelioma trial attorney in New York City. I’d like to talk to you about the stresses that a client faces when dealing with a diagnosis of mesothelioma.

This diagnosis is a terrifying diagnosis. The doctor sits you down, and perhaps after a biopsy, talks about this bizarre word, mesothelioma, that you probably never heard before. Perhaps tells you about what it is and what can happen, and all of the very fearful things that you could be in for as a victim of mesothelioma. Perhaps the very last thing in the world you’re thinking about is, “Well, let me pursue a legal case related to my asbestos exposure.” My response to you is, I totally understand. A lot of my clients say the same thing. It’s a very normal reaction.

What I tell my clients, and I’ve had many clients say this to me, and what I always tell them is, as the lawyers who for a living every day represent victims of asbestos exposure, persons who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, at least half of our task is focused on taking those stresses away from you. Handling your case in such a way so that it doesn’t stress you out. Not bothering you with all the minute details and stressors that you don’t need in your daily life.

Things like a deposition – that sounds like a horribly daunting thing to have to go through. Well, in most mesothelioma depositions that we do, we either go to the victim’s home, or we do the deposition in a hotel conference room right near their house, so that they don’t have to travel. Travelling for someone who’s sick is very difficult. It’s really the last thing you want to do is get in a car, or a car service, and travel out to a lawyer’s office. In my circumstance, my office in New York City.

Things like signing papers. In a normal case, clients travel to the lawyer’s office. In a mesothelioma case, the lawyer for a mesothelioma victim understands what the victim is going through. We go to you. The lawyers go to your house. We sit with you, and talk about your concerns and your problems.

Medical bills – these kinds of things stress out the family members, and the victim themselves, all these medical bills that pile up. Well, it’s important to have a process in place to deal with the bills from Medicare, and to deal with the bills as they pile up, and to know that in a mesothelioma case, one of the claims in the case is for repayment of those very medical bills. The point I’m trying to make

Personal Injury Lawsuit Timeline

I’m Ira Maurer with a public service law tip. If you’re a personal injury victim, one of the questions you probably have is if I commence a lawsuit to recover my damages, how long is it going to take? There are numerous factors that will govern exactly how long a lawsuit will take. Where you bring the lawsuit is one important factor. You can bring it in New York State Supreme Court or you can bring it in the Federal District Court if you meet the criteria.

 Recovery Process Is Important

Second of all, where you are in your medical treatment is a very important part of the equation. If you recover quickly from an injury, it’s possible to settle a case before even starting a lawsuit. Insurance companies may be interested if they’re clearly responsible for your injury in settling out a case without having to spend a lot of money for a law firm to defend them.

So what happens if your injury takes a long time to be treated? Well I always recommend that you take your time. The last thing you ever want to do is settle a case prematurely before you know the full extent of your injuries. Are you going to be left with a disability? Are you going to have some problems with your earning capacity? Are you going to earn less money? Are you going to need further treatment that will cost money? All these things take time to answer. So the more serious the injury, an injury that may require surgery or multiple operations, these are things that all can impact on how long it takes for a lawsuit to come to conclusion. The best thing you can do is ask these questions when you go in to see a personal injury lawyer.

For more information, contact the Maurer Law Firm at maurerlaw.net.

Tylenol Health Risks

Previously on You Be the Judge, 37-year-old Antonio Benedi felt a case of the flu coming on. After taking the recommended dosage of Tylenol for three consecutive days he ended up in coma, near death, and was in desperate need of a liver transplant. One culprit and each year 450 deaths, 26,000 hospitalizations, 56,000 emergency room visits, 100,000 calls to Poison Control Centers. The suspect? A very common, everyday drug.

Acetaminophen Dosages

When people hear about the dangers of Tylenol or acetaminophen they often assume that Tylenol only harms people who abuse the medication or who don’t follow the directions. Is this true? And is the recommended dosage safe? It is widely asserted that a daily intake of 7,000 milligrams can severely damage an adult’s liver, but the level at which such damage begins to occur is predicted to be much lower. Levels as small as 2,000 to 4,000 milligrams have been implicated in approximately 10% of deaths related to acetaminophen, proving that the medication does not have to be abused to cause harm.

Considering that a single capsule of extra strength versions of acetaminophen is 500 milligrams, as few as four capsules might damage the liver. This is particularly concerning when you realize that bottles containing 500 milligram capsules of acetaminophen say that the maximum daily dosage is eight pills. 8 times 500 milligrams a total of 4,000 milligrams.

To add to the confusion around this medication, prescription drugs containing acetaminophen often have warnings about liver failure and even death, but the over-the-counter versions do not.  In 2009 the FDA recommended that the adult daily dosage for acetaminophen be reduced from the current maximum of 4,000 milligrams to no more than 3,250 milligrams.

McNeil Consumer Healthcare, a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary and the manufacturer of Tylenol, responded that they feared the recommendations could have the effect of steering consumers away from their drugs. To this day the company has not reduced the recommended dosage.

Selling Tylenol & Acetaminophen Over-The-Counter

Consider the following facts:

One, hundreds of the drug users die annually and tens of thousands are hospitalized. Two, over-the-counter forms do not warn of liver failure or death while prescription forms often do. Three, acetaminophen is the number one cause of acute liver failure. Four, the maximum dosage and the manufacturer’s recommended safe dosage leave no room for human error. Five, warnings on the label about alcohol are not very clear. Six, there are no warnings on the label about taking the medication while fasting. See the previous episode for details about taking acetaminophen with alcohol or while fasting. Seven, alternative medications are available that yield the same benefits and far fewer risks. Eight, many experts believe if Tylenol were introduced as a new drug today it would not be approved.

The damaging effects of acetaminophen are linked to over 100,000 Poison Control Center calls, 56,000 emergency room visits, 26,000 hospitalizations, and more than 450 deaths each year.   One final thought, if the side effects and risks linked with acetaminophen were associated with a dietary supplement, it would be pulled from the market immediately.

By: Edward Lake

Two Different Judicial Systems

Here in the United States, we have two separate and distinct judicial systems. Each state has its own court system, and the US Government has its own federal court system. An experienced attorney is going to know exactly whether or not your case belongs in state or federal court. At the Maurer Law Firm, we will be able to evaluate your case and tell you what’s in your best interest. If you have questions about where your case needs to be brought, call the Maurer Law Firm. I’ll be able to tell you exactly whether or not your case should be in state or federal court.

World Trade Center Builders Exposed to Asbestos

Did you know that dry wall installers at the World Trade Center site were exposed to asbestos?

Hi, I’m Joe Williams, I’m a Mesothelioma trial attorney, and I can answer some question that you might have about Mesothelioma exposures at the World Trade Center site.

Now, the World Trade Center, composed of seven different buildings, was the most massive construction project of its time when it was building, staring in the late 1960s and into the 1970s. And the internal walls of what was primarily office buildings were built with sheetrock. So we’re talking about massive quantities of sheetrock that was installed at the World Trade Center site by Union Drywall installers.

 Different Exposures of Asbestos

Now, when these boards of sheetrock were put up, in between the seams of each of the boards at the entire site, joint compound was installed. And it was either in a dry mix, it was mixed with water, or it was already premixed and came out of a bucket. But either way it was put between the seams wet, allowed to dry, and then sanded down. And usually tradesmen did two or three coats of this, sanding it down between each coat. And that happened throughout the entire site.

 Asbestos Products Banned

Now why is that important? It’s important because up until 1977 most joint compound continued asbestos. In 1977 the Consumer Product Safety Commission banned the use of asbestos in joint compound. But before that time and during the construction of the World Trade Center, that joint compound had asbestos in it. It exposed all of these Union Drywall workers and other tradesmen who worked in the area to large quantities of breathable asbestos dust.

Now, you have Mesothelioma and you have questions about asbestos exposure, especially exposure that could have happened at the World Trade Center site. I’m Joe Williams and our law firm we handle cases for victims of Mesothelioma and their families every single day. I invite you to give us a call and we will be very happy to answer your questions. Thank you.

Cases Involving Transvaginal Mesh

When you go to a doctor, you usually assume the solutions they recommend won’t hurt you, and if there are risks you expect them to tell you so. But no matter how well-intentioned medical professionals are, the safety of their recommendations depends on the source of their information. Consider cases involving the transvaginal mesh patch.

When this medical implant came on the market it was celebrated as a solution to pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence in women. As with all such products, much of the marketing targeted doctors. Manufacturers showed the research they conducted and recommended this new device as a quality solution for the doctors’ patients. Doctors studied the information they were given and did their best to understand the risks and benefits, but when a device is first put on the market little is actually known about it. Going off of what information they’ve been given, doctors concluded whether they believe this product would be good for their patients.

What Manufactures Do Not Tell Consumers

Manufacturers of such products are expected to disclose the related risks, but sometimes manufacturers haven’t conducted enough research to know all the risks and other times they simply hide some of what they do know leaving doctors and patients with only part of the story. The transvaginal mesh patch turned out to be a product with many problems. Six women have already taken these companies to court and the juries have found in favor of the women.

In fact, juries have been so disgusted that they have ordered these big corporations to pay penalties. Because of this implant women have suffered the following problems: mesh erosion; when the mesh erodes and protrudes through the vaginal wall, organ perforation; when the mesh erodes and cuts other organs such as the bladder, extreme pain, POP or SCOI recurrence, urinary problems, scarring of the vagina, infection, bleeding, nerve damage, and pain associated with sex. Many women have undergone multiple surgeries, sometimes more than a dozen follow-up surgeries because of the pain and damage caused by the implants.

Endo & Ethicon Litigation

One manufacturer, Endo, has already begun the settlement process with many thousands of patients. Another manufacturer, Ethicon, has already settled a case of their own. All cases like this have a limited timeline for filing complaints so victims can be compensated. We don’t know the exact timeline, but with Endo wrapping things up with victims of their implant we can only recommend that you move quickly to ensure that your case is positioned for the best possible result. We know this is a personal topic and can be difficult to talk about.

If you’ve been injured by the transvaginal mesh patch, we invite you to call us. Our team is here for you. We do care about you and we want to help you determine whether you can be compensated for your losses, and you don’t need to worry about any fees. If we take a case on your behalf we will only get paid if and when you do. Call today for a free consultation at 888-LAW-8500. That’s 888-529-8500.

By: Steven Gacovino

Asbestos Exposure to Mesothelioma Diagnosis

How long does it take to get mesothelioma from exposure to asbestos? Hi. I’m Joe Williams. I’m a mesothelioma trial attorney in New York City. And to answer this question, we have to talk about the concept that doctors and scientist refer to as latency.

What latency basically means is the time from exposure to a known carcinogen, to the time when that patient is diagnosed with cancer. And to illustrate the point, I want to give you an example. Let’s say that I have a cough, and I cough into my hand.

I now have those germs on my hand. I then go and I meet you socially and say, “Hi, how are you? I’m Joe Williams. Nice to meet you.” And we shake hands. I then transfer, unfortunately for you, those germs to your hand.

You then wipe your face or your mouth, and the germs go into your system. Well, not surprisingly, three days later you start coughing. That cough, that cold, had a three day latency period. It’s very similar when we talk about mesothelioma.

The difference is the time frames involved. And it’s widely accepted by doctors and scientist throughout the world, that there is a very significant latency period for mesothelioma. From the time of exposure, perhaps a powerhouse worker working in a powerhouse in the ’50s.

Or a machinist mate on a aircraft carrier in the US navy in World War 2, could today be diagnosed with mesothelioma. The latency period, again widely accepted by the entire medical community, could be that long.

Anywhere from 20 years, 15 years, all the way up to 60 or more years, from the time of that exposure to asbestos to the time when that diagnoses of mesothelioma is made. Why is that important? It’s important because the nature of this disease requires us to journey back, and evaluate those exposures that occurred decades, sometimes many decades ago.

And it’s important to be able to take a thorough occupational history, to figure out all the possible exposures to asbestos for a mesothelioma victim. Now, you may have many more questions about latency as it relates to mesothelioma, and I can provide the answers.

I’m Joe Williams, and in our firm we deal with these issues every day. We represent victims of mesothelioma every day, and we can answer your questions, and we’ll be happy to do that. So look at the number below and call our office, and we’ll answer your questions. Thank you very much for watching. I hope this was informative.