Source: http://asbestosnewsdaily.com/state/568/pg/1/South_Carolina_Mesothelioma_Lawyer.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 00:11:15+00:00

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Over the past few months I’ve been devoting most of the space given to me to a look at Veterans Service Organizations, the Veterans Administration and a brief look at state services for veterans. In this month’s column I would like to digress somewhat and talk about death.
Yesterday afternoon I received a call from an attorney inIllinois. He was calling me in regards to my service onboard the USS Fiske (DDR-842) during the early 1960s. Specifically, he wanted to talk about that period of time that the Fiske spent in the Naval Shipyard atCharleston,South Carolina in the late winter and early spring of 1962.
Now, the Fiske was one of the hundreds of destroyers built just before and during World War II. [For those of you born after 1950 that was the period of time that theUSA, with the help of the British Empire (England,Australia,Canada,New Zealand andIndia)were fighting the forces of fascism (led byGermany andJapan with the occasional and reluctant help ofItaly and much ofFrance)]. That means that in 1962 the Fiske was over 16 years past that day in November 1945 when she became a commissioned part of our Navy. She saw no action during the period of hostilities but made significant contributions to the ‘clean-up’ after the treaties were signed. She cleared mines from theharbor ofVenice in 1946 and 1947. She also aided the Greek government in its overcoming the threat of a communist takeover orchestrated byYugoslavia and the Kremlin.
The Fiske received two Battle Stars for her service during the Korean Conflict and completed her first ‘Around the World’ cruise during that period. In other words she was well-seasoned and needed a bevy of long overdue repairs and updates when she entered the shipyard early in 1961. Most of her previous times spent in shipyards were for conversions and updates to weapons and electronics. This time she would receive much needed maintenance on her engineering spaces.
It is a long held tradition in the Navy that the most junior crewmen do the most menial and dirtiest jobs regardless of the individual’s training. So, when it came time to strip the insulation off all of the steam lines in the engineering spaces each department and division was required to send at least two people to participate in this effort. I was one of those ‘shanghaied’ into this task. We were formed into ‘Tiger Teams’ of five or six and given a section of piping to strip, bag and cart off to dumpsters placed on the fantail. These dumpsters held about two to three cubic yards and were replaced frequently. It was hot, dirty work and the air was filled with dust all the time. It is the composition and quantity of this dust that is important and very germane to the subject at hand—death.
It is a well known fact that man-children in their late teens and early 20s are immortal and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. We worked in our normal work dungarees—often shirtless and, most importantly, without dust masks. “Dust masks! We don’t needno stinking dust masks.” In fact I don’t recall they were ever even offered to us. The EPA—if it had existed in 1961—would have had a cow upon seeing this Dante’s Inferno of sweat and swirling dust being worked in without any breathing protection in sight. Those steam pipes had been wrapped in the best insulation known in the 1940s—asbestos—and sheathed with coarse canvas held in place with galvanized wire and huge staples.
The routine was this: Remove the wire and staples; unwrap the canvas (no easy task as much lead based paint had been applied over the course of 15 years); separate the molded sections of asbestos off the pipes; and place in bags for transport to the dumpsters. We followed this routine for about six or seven hours a day for a least a week. Most of us did wear cotton work gloves but none to the best of my memory ever wore a mask of any kind other than maybe a handkerchief over nose and mouth. That kerchief did cut down on the coughing from breathing that dust. We never gave a thought to the possible long term consequences of that job at the time. It took a phone call from a lawyer to get me to thinking about that period of time spent in the bowels of a ship that had been built to save the world for democracy.
The word he said that really got my attention was “Mesothelioma.” Now, everybody who has a TV set has probably heard that word spoken by some ambulance chasing lawyer trying to drum up business but when it was used in connection to the death of a shipmate of mine from that period in the early 1960s it got my attention. When I hung up the phone I ‘googled’mesothelioma and what I found was scary. Whereas lung cancer has long been associated with years of smokingmesothelioma is associated with exposure to asbestos dust. Even a relatively brief exposure to asbestos dust can—years later—lead to a particularly virulent, fast-moving cancer. The truly insidious thing aboutmesothelioma is that there are almost no early symptoms. There may be a small, dry hacking cough that produces little phlegm but that usually occurs later on in the course of the disease.
It can lay dormant for years and suddenly explode. There seems to be only one course of action to pursue if you feel that you may have been exposed to asbestos dust. That course is to have regular—annually if possible—chest x-rays and/or lung-function tests. Hopefully you can convince your doctor that these are necessary actions and—even more importantly—your health insurer covers the cost. With early detection there is hope. Unless detected early the survival rates are poorer than those of lung cancer associated with smoking—and we all know that is not very good.
Now that it is almost 40 years past that these events occurred I am fully aware of the fact that I am most assuredly not immortal and am currently unable to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Not even with a running start. We need to do the prudent things but not obsess over the things over which we have no control. To quote the great contemporary philosopher James Dean (1931-1955): Dream as if you’ll live forever. Live as if you’ll die today.
This column is dedicated to the memory of Robert Chaffee, BT2, USS FISKE (DDR 842).Fair winds and following seas, shipmate.
--Laura Boyle ofMichigan claims her recently deceased father, Angelo Cuchetti developed lung cancer after his work as a pipefitter and home remodeler at various locations from 1952 until 1979. Boyle will be represented by Robert Phillips and Perry J. Browder of Simmons, Browder, Gianaris, Angelides and Barnerd inEast Alton. Madison County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-120.
--Douglas Bradford ofSouth Carolina,a carpenter, laborer and maintenance man at various locations throughout theUnited States from 1957 until 1990,claims mesothelioma.Bradford was also secondarily exposed to asbestos fibers through his father, George Bradford, who worked as a laborer at ALCOA from the early 1920s until 1965, according to the complaint. Bradford will be represented by Brian J. Cooke of Simmons, Browder, Gianaris, Angelides and Barnerd inEast Alton. Madison County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-132.
A total of 12 newasbestos lawsuits were filed in Madison County Circuit Court throughout the week of Jan. 11 through Jan. 15.
--Elizabeth E. and Gary R. Batteiger ofMissouri claim Elizabeth E. Batteiger developed lung cancer after being secondarily exposed to asbestos fibers through her husband, who was a member of The Heat and Frost Insulators' Local #1 inSt. Louis. The Batteigers will be represented by Elizabeth V. Heller and Robert Rowland of Goldenberg, Heller, Antognoli and Rowland in Edwardsville. Madison County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-24.
--Flora Bonar ofLouisiana claims her recently deceased husband, Donald Bonar, developed mesothelioma after his work as a radio technician at various locations from 1956 until 1979. Bonar will be represented by Robert Phillips and Perry J. Browder of Simmons, Browder, Gianaris, Angelides and Barnerd inEast Alton. Madison County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-38.
--Marvin Carr ofIndiana alleges his recently deceased wife, Judith Ann Carr, developed lung cancer after her work as a laborer and home remodeler at various locations from 1968 until 1979. Marvin Carr will be represented by Robert Phillips and Perry J. Browder of Simmons, Browder, Gianaris, Angelides and Barnerd inEast Alton. Madison County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-35.
--Sheila Dickeson of Alabama claims her recently deceased father, Enoch Duncan, developed malignant mesothelioma after his work as a doffer and laborer for Profile Cotton Mills from 1951 until 1953; as a laborer for Lee Brothers Foundry from 1952 until 1953; as a carpenter for O.W. Powers from 1953 until 1959; as a doffer and laborer for Union Yarn Mills from 1959 until 1965; as a brick mason for W. Ernest Rhodes from 1965 until 1976; as a self-employed brick mason from 1977 until 1982; as a brick mason for Bruce Smith Masonry from 1983 until 1985; and as a brick mason for Troy Spurlin from 1985 until 1991. Dickeson will be represented by Elizabeth V. Heller and Robert Rowland of Goldenberg, Heller, Antognoli and Rowland in Edwardsville. Madison County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-26.
--Danny and Charlsie Elling of Oklahoma claim Danny Elling developed lung cancer after his work as a plumber at Archie Dupler Plumbing in 1971; as a carpenter for Jones Byrnes Construction from 1971 until 1972; as a plumber, pipefitter and laborer for Globe Construction from 1972 until 1973; as a plumber and pipefitter for Weatherby Godby Construction from 1973 until 1975; as a plumber and pipefitter for Ivey Plumbing and Electrical from 1975 until 1977; as a plumber and pipefitter for Republic Mechanical from 1977 until 1980; as a plumber and pipefitter for L&S Mechanical from 1980 until 1988; as a plumber and pipefitter for Adair Plumbing and Heating from 1988 until 1991; as a project supervisor for Advance Enterprises from 1991 until 2004; and as a self-employed shade tree mechanic from 1966 until now. The Ellings will be represented by Elizabeth V. Heller and Robert Rowland of Goldenberg, Heller, Antognoli and Rowland in Edwardsville. Madison County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-25.
--Marcell F. Jones ofIllinois claims her recently deceased husband, John H. Jones Sr., developed lung cancer after his work as a laborer and maintenance worker at various locations from 1966 until 1979. Jones will be represented by Robert Phillips and Perry J. Browder of Simmons, Browder, Gianaris, Angelides and Barnerd inEast Alton. Madison County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-36.
--Ventura and Rosa Maria Lopez ofCalifornia claim Ventura Lopez developed mesothelioma after his work as a sanitation worker, laborer, mechanic and foreman from 1963 until 1979 and as a mechanic at Soco Gas Company from 1975 until 1979. The Lopezes will be represented by Randy L. Gori of Gori, Julian and Associates in Edwardsville. W. Mark Lanier, Patrick N. Haines, C. Taylor Campbell, J.D. McMullen, William H. Barfield and Matthew P. McFarlane of The Lanier Law Firm inHouston will serve of counsel. Madison County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-29.
--Cora McGinn ofAlabama alleges her recently deceased husband, Stanley McGinn, developed mesothelioma after his work from 1962 until 1970 as a maintenance and repairman at Sears. Cora McGinn will be represented by Randy L. Gori of Gori, Julian and Associates in Edwardsville. W. Mark Lanier, Patrick N. Haines, R. Craig Bullock and J. Kyle Beale of The Lanier Law Firm inHouston will serve of counsel. Madison County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-27.
--John J. Meyer Jr. and Kristian Marie Meyer of Iowa allege John J. Meyer Jr. developed mesothelioma after his work as a general laborer in a machine shop in 1963; as a laborer for a service station in 1964; as a gas furnace installer and remover for Smith Plumbing and Heating in 1964; as a 10-foot boring mill operator at Hydro-Tile from 1964 until 1965; as a teletype operator and maintenance worker for the U.S. Army from 1965 until 1968; as a tire and muffler changer at Sears from 1968 until 1972; and as a boiler and refrigeration systems maintenance man at Sara Lee from 1972 until 1980. The Meyers will be represented by Randy L. Gori of Gori, Julian and Associates in Edwardsville. W. Mark Lanier, Patrick N. Haines, R. Craig Bullock and J. Kyle Beale of The Lanier Law Firm inHouston will be representing him. Madison County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-28.
--Roberta Mileski ofSouth Carolina, a clerk, laborer, beautician and health care aide worker at various locations throughout theUnited States from 1949 until 1978,claims mesothelioma. Mileski will be represented by Brian J. Cooke of Simmons, Browder, Gianaris, Angelides and Barnerd inEast Alton. Madison County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-19.
--Saundra Mosby ofIllinois claims her recently deceased husband, Leo Mosby Jr., developed mesothelioma after his work as an electrician and laborer at various locations throughoutIllinois andMissouri from 1959 until 2009. Saundra Mosby will be represented by Shane F. Hampton and Paul M. Dix of Simmons, Browder, Gianaris, Angelides and Barnerd inEast Alton. Madison County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-39.
--Doris Orr ofIndiana claims her recently deceased husband, Robert Orr, developed mesothelioma after his work as a laborer, machinist and maintenance worker at various locations from 1951 until 1979. Doris Orr will be represented by Robert Phillips and Perry J. Browder of Simmons, Browder, Gianaris, Angelides and Barnerd inEast Alton. Madison County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-37.
--Jack Hair ofSouth Carolina claims the recently deceased Keith Hairdeveloped mesothelioma after his work in the U.S. Navy from 1960 until 1987. Jack Hair will be represented by Richard L. Saville Jr., Ethan A. Flint and Stephen C. Jones of Saville andFlint inAlton. Madison County Circuit Court case number: 09-L-1262.
--Leo Hampton Collins Jr. and Hazel Louann Collins ofSouth Carolina claim Leo Hampton Collins Jr.developed lung cancer after his work as a pipefitter and shipfitter from 1945 until 1951 and as a laborer and maintenance man from 1950 until 1990. The Collins will be represented by Elizabeth V. Heller and Robert Rowland of Goldenberg, Heller, Antognoli and Rowland in Edwardsville. Madison County Circuit Court case number: 09-L-1210.
yA total of six newasbestos lawsuits were filed in Madison County Circuit Court throughout the week of Jan. 4 through Jan. 8.
--Carl and Ellen Filus ofMichigan claim Carl Filus developed lung cancer after his work as a member of the U.S. Army from 1971 until 1973, as a brake assembler at Chevy Gear and Axle from 1969 until 1970, as a laborer at Metal Coat from 1973 until 1975 and as a service representative from 1976 until 2006. The Filuses will be represented by Randy L. Gori and Barry Julian of Gori, Julian and Associates in Edwardsville. Madison County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-2.
--James M. Follis ofSouth Carolina claims his recently deceased father, John S. Follis,developed mesothelioma after his work as a manufacturer of roof tiles for CertainTeed in 1946 and as a millworker and electrician for Nabisco from 1946 until 1982, according to the complaint. John S. Follis was also secondarily exposed to asbestos fibers through his father, who worked as a laborer, according to the complaint. James M. Follis will be represented by Elizabeth V. Heller and Robert Rowland of Goldenberg, Heller, Antognoli and Rowland in Edwardsville. Madison County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-6.
--Richard Brockman ofSouth Carolina, a pipefitter and pipe welder from 1962 until 1979,claims lung cancer. Brockman is represented by Robert Phillips, Perry J. Browder and Rosalind M. Robertson of Simmons, Browder, Gianaris, Angelides and Barnerd inEast Alton. Madison County Circuit Court case number: 09-L-856.
--Lona J. Cribley of Michigan claims her recently deceased husband, Billy G. Cribley, developed lung cancer after his work as a member of the U.S. Marine Corps from 1954 until 1956, as a farmer from 1956 until 1960, as a worker for Gulf Stream Coach from 1960 until 1967, as an oil well insulator from 1967 until 1969, as an insulator and painter from 1970 until 1977, as a laborer for General Motors from 1977 until 1990 and as an insulator from 1997 until 2004. Lona Cribley is represented by Elizabeth V. Heller and Robert Rowland of Goldenberg, Heller, Antognoli and Rowland in Edwardsville. Madison County Circuit Court case number: 09-L-859.
--Fred L. Hall Sr. and Betty D. Hall ofSouth Carolina claim Fred L. Hall Sr.developed mesothelioma after serving in the U.S. Navy from 1946 until 1949 and after working at the Charleston Naval Shipyard from 1952 until 1964 and at the Naval Weapons Station from 1964 until 1970. Hall is represented by Elizabeth V. Heller and Robert Rowland of Goldenberg, Heller, Antognoli and Rowland in Edwardsville. Madison County Circuit Court case number: 09-L-730.
--Curtis and Alice Hines ofIndiana claim Curtis Hines developed mesothelioma after his work as a janitor from 1960 until 1962 and from 1979 until 1983 and as a boatswain's mate at various locations. The Hinesare represented by Donald M. Flack of Flack Law Office inWoodRiver. Madison County Circuit Court case number: 09-L-738.
--Wilbert and Joyce Jones of Missouri claim Wilbert Jones developed lung cancer after his work as a laborer in Jeanerette, La., from 1960 until 1964, as a laborer for Blue Line Chemical Company and Switzer Candy Company from 1964 until 1966 and as a laborer at Independent Packing House from 1966 until 1970 and at Anheuser-Busch Brewery from 1970 until 2001. The Jonesare represented by Elizabeth V. Heller and Robert Rowland of Goldenberg, Heller, Antognoli and Rowland in Edwardsville. Madison County Circuit Court case number: 09-L-731.
--Joshua J. Wise of Illinois claims a recently deceased man, Eddy Lee Grady, developed lung cancer after his work as a laborer at International Vermiculite Co. from 1965 until 1969, as a butcher at Girard Meat Locker from 1966 until 1968, as a carpenter at Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad from 1969 until 1970, as a carpenter at National Homes from 1972 until 1974, as a laborer at Hulcher Train Wrecking from 1973 until 1974 and as a laborer for Springfield Plastics from 1975 until 1976. Wise is represented by Elizabeth V. Heller and Robert Rowland of Goldenberg, Heller, Antognoli and Rowland in Edwardsville. Madison County Circuit Court case number: 09-L-732.
--Merton Yeomans of Illinois, a radar operator, loader and electrical inspector at various locations through Illinois, Indiana andSouth Carolina from 1943 until 1986,claims mesothelioma. Yeomans is represented by Myles L. Epperson of SimmonsCooper inEast Alton. Madison County Circuit Court case number: 09-L-383.
A new report has foundSouth Carolina ranks 22nd in the nation in the number ofdeaths caused by diseases related to asbestos.
The Environmental Working Group ofWashington,DC, says at least 628 people inSouth Carolina died from asbestos-related diseases between 1979 and 2001.
CharlestonCounty leads the state in the number of asbestos-related deaths with at least 180. The report says only 42 counties in the nation reported more asbestos death thanCharleston.
Officials say theCharleston area tops the list because asbestos were once widely used at the old Charleston Naval Shipyard.
The report analyzed government data on two asbestos-related diseases: mesothelioma and asbestosis.
Facts: Thomas Firth, a 72-year oldSouth Carolina resident, suffered frommesothelioma caused by asbestos exposure. Firth was diagnosed with mesothelioma in November, 2006 and died from this fatal disease on July 13, 2007.
Following less than 5 hours of deliberations, the jury returned a $700,000 dollar verdict in favor of the Firth family. The jury found that the Garlock gaskets and packing were a substantial factor in causing Thomas Firth’s mesothelioma and death. The jury concluded that the company negligently failed to warn Thomas Firth and others of the inherent dangers of working with their asbestos products.
“We are so happy for Firth family. While Garlock has admitted outside of the court room that their products can cause cancer they refuse to do so in the court room. It was satisfying to hear the jury unanimously find that Garlock’s asbestos products were dangerous and that Garlock is responsible for this terrible loss to the Firth family,” said Chris Panatier, lead counsel for the Firth family.
Atlanta developer John Dewberry is moving ahead with preliminary plans for a 120-room hotel to fill the long-vacantMendelRiversFederalBuilding nearMarion Square.
Next week, the City ofCharleston’s Planning Commission will weigh the first of a handful of zoning and design approvals necessary before redevelopment begins.
Dewberry purchased the more-than 2-acre site for $15 million in early 2008, including the seven-story building, constructed more than 40 years ago, as well as a large parking lot behind it.
The property is zoned for most any commercial use, says Yvonne Fortenberry, the city’s director for design, development, and preservation, but special permission is required for a hotel. She added that a hotel would fit with previously suggested uses. And, since the building is structurally sound, Fortenberry added the only major issue is asbestos.
Initially, many observers expected the building would be destroyed to advance broader development plans for the entire site, but the nonprofit Historic Charleston and other preservationists suggested potential developers and the city take a second look at its significance.
“Charleston represents a wide spectrum of architectural styles spanning several centuries, and this building represents another important chapter in the city’s architectural continuum,” Historic Charleston noted in a 2007 newsletter.

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