by Luis Mon
For individuals stricken with asbestos related mesothelioma, there may be substantial compensation available if they act quickly to engage an experienced mesothelioma lawyer who is proficient in asbestos legal issues and proving asbestos exposure. Most often mesothelioma lawsuits end up with a settlement without ever going to trial or even into a court. In our experience, this is the preferred scenario for most families with a mesothelioma case.
Since the only known cause of mesothelioma in the United States is asbestos, the key to successful case is proving exposure to the product(s) responsible for the injury. That is why you need to hire an experienced asbestos related disease attorney.
This is not to say that the asbestos industry will simply give away any money.
The large corporations that we routinely go up against will hire some of the best attorneys that money can buy to defend and delay against paying compensation to you. This is why retaining an experienced mesothelioma lawyer with a background in this type of case can help you and your family get the asbestos settlement or verdict you deserve.
Coady law firm attorneys have represented many hundreds of clients stricken from asbestos related mesothelioma with compassion, diligence and success. They began their works in mesothelioma case 25 years ago, and they are still hard at it today.
For additional Mesothelioma Legal information, please visit their site at www.coadylaw.com.
The suit is on behalf of a woman who developed Mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos from brake repairs performed by her family members.
New York, NY (PRWEB) June 6, 2007 — The New Jersey mesothelioma attorneys Levy Phillips & Konigsberg, LLP, with offices also in New York, filed an asbestos mesothelioma lawsuit on behalf of a woman who was exposed to asbestos as a result of her husband and children performing brake work. The woman was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2002 and died from her illness shortly after mesothelioma treatments were attempted at Virtua West Jersey Hospital. The asbestos mesothelioma lawsuit, case number 03-0007, was filed in Middlesex County in central New Jersey and is set to proceed to trial this summer.
Brake dust, containing asbestos, can be released when a brake disk or drum is removed from a vehicle. The dust is frequently invisible to the naked eye, but if the brakes contain asbestos, then the dust released from the brakes will contain asbestos. The brake work, which will be at issue in this trial, was performed by the woman’s husband and children on the family’s cars in the garage and driveway of their New Jersey home from the 1960s through the 1980s. During the trial, it will be argued that the brand predominately used for the brake work was asbestos-containing Bendix brakes. The victim was unknowingly exposed to asbestos as a result of her laundering the dusty clothes and the used rags that were used by her husband and children after they performed the brake work. The victim would shake out the dirty clothes and dusty rags and then launder them. She performed the clean-up and laundry without any realization that she was neither in any danger nor that she was being exposed to asbestos-laden dust.
This asbestos mesothelioma lawsuit is coming on the heels of a new set of recommendations from the Environmental Protection Agency regarding automobile repairs and the importance of reducing or eliminating asbestos exposure from such work. The EPA in March 2007 released the guideline brochure entitled, “Current Best Practices for Preventing Asbestos Exposure Among Brake and Clutch Repair Workers” which is similar to guidance that EPA has been distributing since 1986. The EPA states in this publication that by using the recommended practices, home mechanics can minimize potential exposure to asbestos and reduce their potential risk of developing asbestos-related disease. For example, the EPA recommends not using compressed air or dry rags for cleaning. To visit the EPA website to learn more about how to lower the risks of asbestos exposure from asbestos dust while doing brake and auto repairs, please click on the following link: http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/pubs/brakesbrochure.html.
Symptoms of mesothelioma usually don’t appear until at least 15 years after the victim’s first contact or exposure to asbestos whether it is in workplace, the home environment or elsewhere. Exposure, even for a short duration, can cause mesothelioma. Asbestos fibers are microscopic and exposure can occur without one ever being aware of it. Asbestos mesothelioma lawsuits, may be brought when mesothelioma occurs not only in the people working directly with asbestos products but also in bystanders and family members who were exposed to the asbestos dust, as is the case here. Asbestos is the only known cause of mesothelioma, a cancer that occurs primarily in the lining of the lungs and the abdomen. Mesothelioma treatments can help prolong life, and provide palliative care benefits, but unfortunately there is no mesothelioma cure.
The New Jersey Mesothelioma Attorneys at Levy Phillips & Konigsberg, LLP have filed asbestos mesothelioma lawsuits on behalf of mesothelioma victims in the New York and New Jersey area for more than 25 years. The law firm has worked with some of the top mesothelioma doctors in the world including doctors whose practice focuses on the research of new mesothelioma treatments. Learn more about Levy Phillips & Konigsberg, LLP.
Source: www.PRWEB.com
CHARLESTON - A former West Virginia couple filed an asbestos suit against 77 different companies, claiming the husband is ill because of their negligence concerning asbestos safety.
Donald and Virginia Schwartz, now residents of Arizona, filed a suit April 24 in Kanawha Circuit Court. Donald Schwartz was employed as a steamfitter, superintendent, foreman, project manager and president of Pittsburgh Mechanical Supplies.
Schwartz worked in the heating and air conditioning business and plumbing and construction business. He also worked in various steel mills, power plants and industrial and commercial worksites in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina and Arizona, where he claims he came in contact with asbestos-containing products
He claims he was exposed to asbestos from Foster Wheeler boilers, Union boilers, Riley Stoker boilers, General Electric turbines, and Westinghouse turbines.
According to the suit, on Feb. 12, 2007, Schwartz was advised he suffered from malignant mesothelioma. He now has malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis and pleural plaques.
Schwartz claims he has in the past and will continue to pay large medical bills. He has and will suffer pain and inconvenience, loss of enjoyment of life, and suffer a shortening of his life span.
He, through attorney Craig Coleman, seeks punitive and compensatory damages.
The case will be assigned to a visiting judge.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number 07-C-802
Source: The Record, www.wvrecord.com
The Columbia University Mesothelioma Center in New York City reports similar findings. “The average age of our peritoneal mesothelioma patients is 51.7,” said Dr. Robert N. Taub, Milstein Professor of Clinical Medicine and Director of the Columbia University Mesothelioma Center in New York City. “And less than fifty percent had immediately recognizable asbestos exposure.”
“Asbestos-related diseases, like many occupationally and environmentally induced diseases, are routinely underreported. It is imperative for clinicians and health care providers to thoroughly investigate and accurately report the diagnosis of disease, as well as record, not only the immediate cause of death, but also significant underlying conditions,” said Richard Lemen, PhD, MSPH, Assistant Surgeon General, USPHS (Ret.) and ADAO Science Advisory Board Co-Chair. “Only through better reporting will we ever understand the true impact of asbestos-related health conditions or the affect prevention has played in controlling these highly preventative diseases.”
“As workplace exposures come under better control, the percentage of environmental exposures continue to increase,” said Arthur L. Frank, MD, PhD, Chair, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Drexel University School of Public Health, ADAO Science Advisory Board Co-Chair.
“ADAO is being contacted by young fathers and mothers in their late 20s and 30s who are seeking medial resources and support because they have been recently diagnosed with asbestos-caused diseases,” said Linda Reinstein, Executive Director and Cofounder of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization. “Our patient profile program will continue as asbestos exposure and deaths continue to claim more lives. Prevention is the only cure for asbestos diseases.”
The 1990 patient profile no longer represents the patient of today. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reported in 1986 that the median age was nearly 70 and approximately fifty percent had occupational exposure. Other studies estimated that eighty percent of patients were men. In 1999, more than one-third of mesothelioma deaths occurred in just five states (California, Florida, Pennsylvania, New York and Ohio).
The occurrence of asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis, is growing out of control. Studies estimate that during the next decade, 100,000 victims in the United States will die of an asbestos related disease - equaling 30 deaths per day.
About Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization
Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) was founded by asbestos victims and their families in 2004. ADAO seeks to give asbestos victims a united voice to help ensure that their rights are fairly represented and protected, and raise public awareness about the dangers of asbestos exposure and the often deadly asbestos related diseases. ADAO is funded through voluntary contributions and staffed by volunteers. For more information visit www.asbestosdiseaseawareness.org.
CONTACT: Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) Doug Larkin Director of Communications 703-250-3590 x1245 Cell: 202-391-1546 doug@asbestosdiseaseawareness.org
Source: Business Wire
Rosetta Genomics, Ltd has announced that it has partnered with NYU Medical Center with the aim of developing a line of early detection diagnostic products for lung, and Mesothelioma cancers.
The early detection test will mainly target over 45 million Americans who are at an increased risk of lung cancer due to smoking, as well as those who have been exposed to asbestos fibers. The test will utilize Rosetta Genomics’ proprietary protocol to extract microRNAs from a simple blood draw.
“A test that will be able to detect cancer at an early stage using a simple blood draw will have far reaching implications on the fight against cancer,” noted Dr. Harvey Pass, Professor and Chief, Division of Thoracic Surgery and Thoracic Oncology at NYU Medical Center. “MicroRNAs have been shown to hold great potential as effective biomarkers for various cancers, and I believe that NYU Medical Center’s vast experience with lung cancer and Mesothelioma, coupled with Rosetta Genomics’ expertise in the microRNA field, will allow us to successfully advance this much needed test forward.”
Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos. In this disease, malignant cells develop in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers most of the body’s internal organs. Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or have been exposed to high levels of asbestos fibers.
Source: http://www.rosettagenomics.com/
|
Purpose
This is a study to determine the safety, tolerability, and anti-tumor effectiveness of an oral investigational drug, suberoylanilide
hydroxamic acid, in the treatment of advanced malignant pleural mesothelioma.
| Condition | Intervention | Phase |
|---|---|---|
| Mesothelioma Lung Cancer |
Drug: MK0683, vorinostat, Suberoylanilide Hydroxamic Acid (SAHA) / Duration of Treatment PD or unacceptable toxicity Drug: Placebo / Duration of Treatment PD or unacceptable toxicity |
Phase III |
MedlinePlus related topics: Lung Cancer; Mesothelioma
Study Type: Interventional
Study Design: Treatment, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo Control, Parallel Assignment, Safety/Efficacy Study
Official Title: A Phase III, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Oral Suberoylanilide Hydroxamic Acid (SAHA) in Patients
With Advanced Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Previously Treated With Systemic Chemotherapy.
Further study details as provided by Merck:
Primary Outcomes: Overall survival and safety/toxicity.
Secondary Outcomes: Overall objective response, response duration, progression-free-survival dyspnea score on LCSS-Meso and Forced Vital Capacity
change.
Expected Total Enrollment:
660
Study start: July 2005
Eligibility
Ages Eligible for Study:
18 Years and above,
Genders Eligible for Study: Both
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
Location
and Contact
Information
Please refer to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT00128102
Toll Free Number
1-888-577-8839
United States, Alabama
Call for Information, Birmingham, Alabama,
35294-3300,
United States; Recruiting
United States, California
Call for Information, San Diego,
California, 92123,
United States; Recruiting
Call for Information, Los Angeles,
California,
90095-7313,
United States; Recruiting
United States, Colorado
Call for Information, Aurora, Colorado,
80010,
United States; Recruiting
United States, Georgia
Call for Information, Atlanta,
Georgia, 30322,
United States; Recruiting
United States, Illinois
Call for Information, Chicago,
Illinois,
60637-1460, United States; Recruiting
United States, Maryland
Call for Information, Bethesda,
Maryland,
20892-4264,
United States; Recruiting
Call for Information, Baltimore, Maryland,
21201,
United States; Recruiting
United States, Minnesota
Call for Information, Minneapolis,
Minnesota, 55455,
United States; Recruiting
United States, Missouri
Call for Information, Saint Louis,
Missouri,
63110-1093, United States; Recruiting
United States, New York
Call for Information, New York,
New York,
10021-6007,
United States; Recruiting
United States, Ohio
Call for Information, Cleveland, Ohio,
44195,
United States; Recruiting
United States, Oregon
Call for Information, Portland,
Oregon, 97213,
United States; Recruiting
United States, Pennsylvania
Call for Information, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania,
19104, United States; Recruiting
Call for Information, Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania,
15232,
United States; Recruiting
Australia
Merck Sharp & Dohme (Australia) Pty Ltd., South Granville, NSW 2142,
Australia; Recruiting
David Woolner
64-9523-6075
Canada, Quebec
Merck Frosst Canada Ltd., Kirkland,
Quebec, H9H 3L1,
Canada; Recruiting
Francois Bertrand, Dr.
1-514-428-2641
Germany
Msd Sharp & Dohme Gmbh, Haar, 85540,
Germany; Recruiting
Ottfried Zierenberg, Dr.
49 89 4561 1102
Italy
Merck Sharp & Dohme (Italia) S.P.A., Roma, 191,
Italy; Recruiting
Gianfranco Botta, Dr.
+39 06 36 191 187
Netherlands
Merck Sharp & Dohme B.V., HAARLEM, 2031 BN,
Netherlands; Recruiting
Gerard Van Leijenhorst, Dr.
31 23 515 3306
Spain
Merck Sharp & Dohme De Espana, S.A.E., Madrid, 28027,
Spain; Recruiting
Jorge Gonzalez-Esteban, Dr.
34 91 3210726
Sweden
Merck Sharp & Dohme (Sweden) AB, Sollentuna,
192 07, Sweden; Recruiting
Roger Juhlin, Dr.
46-8-626-1 458
United Kingdom, Hertfordshire
Merch Sharp & Dohme Ltd., Hoddesdon,
Hertfordshire, EN11 9BU,
United Kingdom; Recruiting
John Young, Dr.
44 1992 452341
Study chairs or principal investigators
Medical Monitor, Study Director, Merck
More Information
Study ID Numbers:
2005_010
Last Updated:
April 6, 2007
Record first received:
August 5, 2005
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
NCT00128102
Obsolete Identifier:
NCT00265577; NCT00290784
Health Authority: United States: Food and Drug Administration
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on April 12, 2007
AS an epidemic of asbestos-related cancer looms nationally, hospital bosses are awaiting new guidelines on steps to take after a patient is diagnosed.
Mesothelioma is a fatal cancer of the lining of the lungs, caused by inhaling asbestos fibres.
The use of asbestos is now banned and guidelines on handling the building material have become stricter.
But an epidemic is due from 2011 to 2015 as people exposed to asbestos in the 1960s and 1970s are diagnosed with the disease.
Doctors at the East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust diagnose between 10 and 20 patients with mesothelioma every year.
The Trust is currently referring suitable patients - that are willing to take part - for clinical trials and surgical procedures involving new drugs.
A spokesman for the Trust said: “Shortly new guidance is expected, which is likely to recommend that all cases of mesothelioma are discussed in one meeting covering the whole of Hertfordshire and south Bedfordshire - the area of the Mount Vernon Cancer Network.
“This will allow expertise to be developed by a small number of people and ensure that nobody misses out on the right advice.
“The Trust is already engaged with its partners in the local network to make sure that it is ready to implement the new guidance once it is published.
“It is important to remember, however, that until such time as a treatment is found that holds out the possibility of a cure, the aim will be to make sure that patients with mesothelioma have their quality of life enhanced as far as is possible.
Source: http://www.thecomet.net
SACLAY, France–(BUSINESS WIRE)–CISBIO, a developer and marketer of diagnostic assays for the
quantification of tumor markers, announced that the MESOMARK®
Assay, the world’s first in vitro test
for managing patients with mesothelioma, an aggressive and deadly form
of cancer, has been approved by the United States Food and Drug
Administration (FDA). The MESOMARK®
test is developed and manufactured by Fujirebio Diagnostics, Inc.
of Malvern, PA; CISBIO is the exclusive distributor of MESOMARK®
in Europe, where it is currently undergoing evaluation for
clinical use.
The MESOMARK® test is
now accessible to physicians across the U.S. for monitoring patients who
have been diagnosed with epithelioid or biphasic mesothelioma. This
minimally-invasive tool requires only a blood sample.
The transition of the MESOMARK®
test from research to clinical usage will be significant in
managing mesothelioma, which mainly affects individuals who have been
exposed to asbestos in the workplace. An estimated 10.000 new cases are
diagnosed in industrialized countries each year. Although recent
progress has been made in chemotherapy and surgical techniques for
treatment, diagnosing and monitoring remain difficult. Current testing
methods used to determine patient treatment can be invasive and costly.
The MESOMARK® Assay
is a manual enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) that identifies a
group of molecular markers called soluble mesothelin-related proteins
(SMRP). Released into the bloodstream by mesothelioma cells, elevated
levels of these proteins are found in cancer patients.
The approval was given under the FDA’s
Humanitarian Device Exemption (HDE) program, which authorizes companies
to market medical devices to treat or diagnose diseases which meet
certain criteria.
About CISBIO
CISBIO develops, manufactures and markets diagnostic assays for the
quantification of tumor markers and other biomarkers in clinical
biology. European leader in nuclear medicine, CISBIO is also an
established developer of technologies that are used in assay development
and drug screening procedures to enhance drug discovery. The company
produces a selection of biological reagents and methods used by
pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as well as contract research
organizations (CROs). Headquartered in Saclay, France, CISBIO is owned
by the Belgium consortium RadioPharma Partners. For more information
contact CISBIO on +33 (0) 169857325.
MESOMARK® is a
registered trademark of Fujirebio Diagnostics, Inc.
Source: http://home.businesswire.com