New York Personal Injury Laws

Dentists and Dental Technicians Exposed to Asbestos

Did you know that dentists and dental technicians are being diagnosed with mesothelioma from their work in dental labs years ago?

Hi, I’m Joe Williams. I’m a mesothelioma trial attorney, and I want to talk to you about some of these exposures to asbestos. So someone who now is an older gentleman, and is a dentist, and has been a dentist their entire career is diagnosed with mesothelioma, and they’re trying to figure out how could they have been exposed to asbestos, because all their doctors are telling them that the mesothelioma diagnosis is from asbestos. It’s caused by asbestos. So they journey back on the history of their life to determine if there’s ever a time when they worked with asbestos.

 Possible Ways of Exposure

And what we’ve found is that back when they were in dental school, they worked making crowns, and they used a method called the lost-wax method. And what that means is that wax is placed into an object, and it is used to make a mold for the crown. But what’s important about this process is that the lining underneath the wax is an asbestos-containing paper, and it’s used to withstand the high heat of when this mold is placed into the oven.

Now the dental technician – or the dental student in the example I’m giving, who later became a dentist – had to cut that paper and manipulate it, and it’s made of asbestos. And in doing that repeatedly over a course of time, exposed that person to asbestos dust, asbestos fibers that they breathe, which cause them to – decades later – be diagnosed with mesothelioma.

 Contact Us with Questions and Concerns

Now I’m telling you this information, because you have questions about Mesothelioma and how it is caused. I’m Joe Williams. At my office, we deal with issues like these every day, and we answer questions every day for mesothelioma victims and for their family members .

If you have questions, I invite you to contact our office, and we’ll answer your questions.

Thank you.

Mesothelioma Claim Availability

You’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma and you want to bring a claim, but you assume that after all these years, the companies that made asbestos products or used asbestos products, they must be out of business. How could you possibly bring your claim?

Hi. I’m Joe Williams. I’m a mesothelioma trial attorney, and I can give you some information about the asbestos companies and how you can make claims against these companies.

 Bankrupt Companies and Companies In Business

It’s important to recognize that many of the companies that made asbestos products, and many of the companies that used asbestos products, many of them have filed for bankruptcy protection. They’ve gone out of business. Other companies that used asbestos with their products have not gone out of business. They’re viable corporate entities still in business. So, we have bankrupt companies and companies who are in business. It’s important to know that when claims are considered for mesothelioma victim and their family, both avenues must be traveled – claims against companies that are out of business and bankrupt, and claims against companies that are in business and viable.

Making a Claim against Out of Business and In Business Companies

The viable companies, we go after them with a lawsuit, and we bring an action against them based upon the facts and evidence of the individual mesothelioma victim’s case. For the companies that are out of business – companies who made bags of asbestos insulation that was put on pipes, companies that made asbestos gaskets and all kinds of asbestos products – many of them have filed for bankruptcy protection. But, the courts have required them to set up trust funds so that future victims of mesothelioma will be compensated for their exposures to asbestos from that product. It’s a condition of them being able to reorganize their business and stay in business.  A victim of mesothelioma can make claims against the money that was put into trust for that very purpose. It’s important to know that there’s up to 60 trusts that have been established for these bankrupt companies, and those trusts have been funded with up to $30 billion.

 A Lawsuit Versus A Claim

So, a mesothelioma victim can make claims against companies that are in business, through a lawsuit, and that same mesothelioma victim also has the opportunity to make claims against the companies who have gone out of business by making claims to the trust – claims to that $30 billon that’s being held in trust for claimants just like that mesothelioma victim.

You have questions about mesothelioma, about the claims that can be made for a victim of mesothelioma? I’m Joe Williams. At our office, we handle these claims everyday. We help victims of mesothelioma and their families each and every day. Give us a call at our office and we’ll answer your questions. Thank you.

Protecting Your Rights

When you’re injured on the railroad, the railroad will do everything they can to minimize your wage loss claim. They’ll try to interfere with your medical treatment. They’ll harass you. They may fail to offer you overtime you’re entitled to receive under the contract. They can penalize you in many different ways but the Federal Railroad Safety Act says they can’t do that to you as an interstate railroad employee. You can file a claim with OSHA and if OSHA doesn’t decide the claim within seven months, you can bring a lawsuit in the federal district court. At the Maurer Law Firm, we know how to protect your rights under the Federal Railroad Safety Act.

Recovering Medical Bills

Can a victim of Mesothelioma recover the medical bills that they incurred through their legal case? Hi, I’m Joe Williams. I Mesothelioma trial attorney in New York City, and I can tell you that the answer to this question is definitely, yes. In every case I’ve ever handled, in all the years I’ve been representing Mesothelioma victims, every victim and their family stresses to me the stress that they have over the large amount of medical bills that they are incurring.

 Making A Claim for Medical Bills

I can tell you, just like I tell every one of them, that in every Mesothelioma case we assert a claim in the case for the repayment of the medical bills. What that means is that we bring a lawsuit against the companies who exposed our clients to asbestos. As part of that lawsuit, one of the claims that we make is that our client has incurred significant medical bills, and that those companies should have to pay those bills, because they caused them to contract this unfortunate cancer.

Breaking Down The Medical Expenses

These bills can be extensive. A Mesothelioma victim’s treatment can include surgery or multiple surgeries. It can include chemotherapy, multiple rounds of chemotherapy. It can also include radiation, as well as well as numerous office visits.

All these things are obviously very expensive, and the bills can really add up, adding stress to an already stressful situation. I can tell you that as part of the legal case, we seek to recover payment of these bills from the companies we bring the case against.

 Further Questions and Concerns, Contact Us

Now, I’m sure you have many other questions about how medical bills are taken care of as part of a legal case. I can answer those questions. I’m Joe Williams, and in our firm we handle these cases every day. We represent Mesothelioma victims every day.

I encourage you to call the number on your screen below, that’s my office number, and we’ll answer your questions. Thanks so much for watching.

Railroad Companies Already Making Their Case

It’s very important if you’re an injured railroad worker, that you hire an experienced law firm as soon as possible. The reason is, the railroad has a whole system that goes into effect right away. They have all sorts of departments that collect evidence, they take witness statements, they reenact your injury. And before you know it, they’ve tied up the defense of the case before you’ve gotten out of your hospital bed.

You need an experienced attorney who knows how the railroad industry works, understand the law, what the proof is that’s required to win your case. We can help you at the Maurer Law–

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

Dry Cleaner Exposed to Asbestos

Did you know that workers in a dry cleaner can be exposed to asbestos and get mesothelioma? Hi. I’m Joe Williams. I’m a mesothelioma trial attorney, and I want to talk to you about some of the exposures that workers in a dry cleaner setting can have to asbestos.

 How Do Dry Cleaners Expose Asbestos

A dry cleaner is a commercial business wherein clothes are laundered and pressed. In order to do that, steam presses exist at the dry cleaner. Now, the steam, and this is some years ago, was created by equipment, a boiler.

And that boiler would be covered with asbestos, and the pipes from that steam-generating boiler would be covered with asbestos steam pipes. The steam is fed to a press machine. In many circumstances the press consist of two metal surfaces that push down on clothes, and basically iron them or press them.

And on the two metal surfaces, the coding of that metal surface is a pad on each of the surfaces. And that pad, some years ago, was made of asbestos to handle the high heat of the steam that is penetrating through the pad and into the clothes to steam the clothing.

And because of the high heat, and because of the commercial use of these steam presses in which hundreds of garments was steamed by day, the pads would wear out very quickly and have to be replaced. Often the pads would burn on to the press, and have to be torn off.

And the worker in the dry cleaner would be exposed to asbestos from those pads, and the use and the replacement of the pads on a regular basis. Additionally, in large commercial settings where laundry is done, large commercial washers and dryers has asbestos components.

 Asbestos Exposure Continued

In the United States Navy, the ships had washers and dryers that had asbestos components. And the workers who worked on these machines, had to deal with these components which included asbestos gaskets and asbestos insulation.

And that work exposed them potentially to asbestos, which could cause mesothelioma years later, years, decades, after the work was done. I’m telling you all this because you have questions about mesothelioma. I’m Joe Williams.

 Contact Us With Questions and Concerns

At my office we handle mesothelioma cases every day, and we answer questions for mesothelioma victims and for their families each and every day, and we deal with these issues constantly. If you have questions, please feel free to contact my office. We’ll answer your questions. Thank you very much.

Maintenance Man Diagnosed With Mesothelioma

You worked as a maintenance man, and now you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma, and you’re wondering how did you get this disease? Hi, I’m Joe Williams. I’m a mesothelioma trial attorney, and I want to give you some information about the potential asbestos exposures that maintenance men would have confronted while they were at work and on the job.

Possible Exposures To Asbestos

Now a maintenance man in a building is responsible for the entire building. If it’s a six story apartment building, or an 80 story skyscraper in Manhattan, a maintenance worker or maintenance man could have duties and responsibilities throughout the building. For example, in an apartment building, a maintenance man might have to everyday work on maintaining the boiler system. Older boilers sometimes needed water poured into them. Boilers have to be checked. If there was a necessary repair that had to be made, if it was a simple one, a maintenance man could effectuate that repair. If it involved plumbers or tradesmen coming into the site, the maintenance man would be on site supervising. Why is that important? Because the boilers years ago were covered with asbestos insulation, and work with the boilers, whether by the maintenance man himself or by others in his vicinity, could cause asbestos dust to go into the air, exposing everyone in the room to asbestos that could cause mesothelioma.

A maintenance man is responsible for the tenant spaces in the building. In an apartment building for example, a tenant moves out, that apartment has to be painted. The walls had to be prepared and smoothed out. Cracks or holes in the walls had to be filled with joint compound. Joint compound contained asbestos before 1977. When it was sanded down, the dust would go in the air, exposing anyone in the room, including the maintenance personal, to asbestos dust, dust that can cause mesothelioma.

A lot of apartments and a lot of commercial spaces had floor tile that contained asbestos. When it was removed or replaced, chipping up the old floor tile caused asbestos dust. Cutting, sanding, installing new asbestos floor tile caused asbestos dust to be breathed by any worker, any person in the area of the work.

These are all potential exposures that maintenance men, maintenance personal, could have during the course of their work. It’s the lifetime work around asbestos that causes mesothelioma.

 Contact Us with Questions or Concerns

Why am I telling you all this? It’s because you have questions about mesothelioma and what types of exposures maintenance personal could face when they’re working on the job.

I’m Joe Williams, and at our office we handle cases for victims of mesothelioma everyday. We deal with these issues everyday. I invite you to call our office and we’ll answer your questions. Thank you.

Dangers of Distracted Driving

You’re driving down the road, and you see that guy, the one holding-up traffic because his attention is one his cellphone. You shout at him, “Really?” You think to your self, “That idiot is going to hurt somebody.” Some people just don’t mixed their phone and driving as well as you do. Well, at least you think you mixed them well.

Let’s consider this thing called: distracted driving. Let’s call it any activity that can divert a person’s attention from the primary task of driving, such distraction include: grooming, texting, eating, changing the radio station, talking on a cellphone and so forth.

Humans have long claimed the ability to multitask, and with our current culture, technology saturation at an all time high, people believe more than ever that they are good multitaskers. While it’s possible to do more than one thing at a time, the human brain is incapable of devoting sufficient attention across multiple tasks, when just one of them require much attention.

Earl Miller Distracted Driving Research

MIT, neuroscientist, Earl Miller, puts it bluntly. You’re not paying attention to one or two things simultaneously. He says, “You’re actually switching between them very rapidly.” Even the things we do very well, with little conscious thought, can be a big bite out of the mental capacity which has strict limits by nature. Talking on the phone is easy, but it uses up mental capacity, and depending on the conversation, it can eat up most or all of our attention.

Dr. Miller says, “We’re mistaken when we believe we’re paying attention to everything around us when we multitask.” Psychologist say we’re also prone to inattentional blindness, that’s the failure to notice something even when we’re looking right at it. One of the most famous study to show this phenomenon involved an invisible gorilla. Participants watched a video of six people passing basketballs, and counted how many times the players wearing white passed the ball. In the middle of the video, a woman in a gorilla suit walks into the middle of the screen, thump her chest, and then leaves. About 50% of the participants didn’t even notice the gorilla – they were demonstrating inattentional blindness.

Consider the Following Factors that Can Affect Inattentional Blindness.

One: Obviousness

This has to do with the object’s ability to catch our attention. For example, especially on a rainy day, a gray car pulling out in front of your car would not be as conspicuous as a bright red car.

Two: Expectation

When we expect certain things to happen, we might overlook or blackout to what actually is happening. For example, if we expect the car up the road to be moving, when it’s really stalled, we may not realize we’re approaching the stalled vehicle at high speed. Three: capacity. As stated earlier, we can spread our attention around only so far. Even when we are expert at something, the activity consumes a certain amount of attention. Talking on the phone, texting, dialing: each demands part of our mental capacity, and can easily compete for the same resources we need for staying aware of our surroundings.

Distracted Driving Risk

Distractions can blind the mind the things around us, and driving is one of the most dangerous activity the average american engages in, with approximately 33,000 traffic fatalities annually. So we have a choice, will I pretend to be an expert at multitasking while driving, and put my mind at greater risk for inattentional blindness, increasing the possibility that I will harm other, and myself too, or will I choose to drive cell free with myself off as many distractions as possible and devote my mind to safer driving?

Take the pledge to drive cell free at www.drivecellfree.net. You can also download our free eBook: Distracted Driving, The Multitasking Myth. It will tell you more about the psychology behind inattentional blindness, bust the myth that talking on the phone is the same as talking to someone in the car, give you interesting and practical facts and statistics surrounding distracted driving, and explain some of the legal ramifications of distracted driving – go to www.drivecellfree.net. Finally, to help make our street safer, we invite you to share this video with your friends and family.

By: Steven Gacovino