Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

The Monroe County, Pennsylvania, Housing Authority has undertaken an effort to remove asbestos pipe insulation from several housing projects in Stroudsburg, Stroud Township and East Stroudsburg, but assures residents there is no danger, according to a recent story in the Pocono Record. The measure is simply a preventative action to prevent future asbestos exposure, officials say.

The housing projects include residences along Garden Street, Hawthorne Terrace, Normal Street and Taylor Street, which were constructed in the 1950s. Asbestos in these structures covers pipes as insulation. According to the Pocono Record, an engineer hired by the Housing Authority has assured the organization that the asbestos materials are not hazardous in their present state, as they are not releasing any airborne particles that might be a threat for inhalation or ingestion.

Asbestos causes diseases including asbestosis, which is a severe scarring of the lungs, and mesothelioma, a deadly form of cancer that affects the lining of the lungs and, more rarely, the abdomen.

The news report says the Housing Authority will hire a properly certified asbestos abatement company to remove the asbesots, and all precautions will be taken to protect residents during the removal. Work is expected to begin April 15.

While the Texas Supreme Court reviewed an appeal by seven asbestos manufacturers in order to determine an appropriate forum for trial, plaintiff Austin Richards died of mesothelioma. According to the report published by BusinessInsurance.com, the defendants – businesses based in Texas – said trying the case in their home state violated Texas civil code, because Richards lived in Maine. They argued trying the case in Texas would be an “inconvenient forum” for them, as it would be difficult for them to travel to Maine to depose witnesses.

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The deadline is approaching to file for Zonolite Attic Insulation (ZAI) claims against the insulation manufacturer W.R. Grace. According to the Grace Bankruptcy Claims Information Site, to preserve a claim against W.R. Grace & Co. and related entities, all persons and entities with ZAI claims must file on or before Oct. 31, 2008. This ruling affects property-related claims that could include the cost of abatement or removal, the diminution of property value, economic loss or other property-related claims allegedly caused by ZAI manufactured by Grace.

According to the site, ZAI is a loose-fill, non-roll vermiculite home attic insulation that may contain naturally occurring asbestos.  It was sold from the 1920/1930s to 1984, and it was sold or manufactured by Grace under the brand name of “Zonolite Attic Insulation” and under other brand names, including: Attic Fill, House Fill, Home Insulation, Zonolite Insulating Fill, Econofil, Quiselle Insulating Fill, Sears Micro Fill, Ward’s Mineral Fill, Wickes Attic Insulation, Attic Plus, Mica Pellets Attic Insulation, Unifil and Cashway Attic Insulation.

ZAI may have a glittery granular appearance. The granules are shaped like a small nugget and expanded like an accordion and may have a silvery, gold translucent or brownish cast. After years in the attic, the granules may darken to black or gray. ZAI may be found underneath subsequently installed insulation of other types such as rolled fiberglass insulation.

There is a helpful Question & Answer page on the W.R. Grace Bankruptcy Claims Information site.

BEASLEY ALLEN IS NOT INVOLVED IN THE ZONOLITE LITIGATION. THIS INFORMATION IS MERELY PROVIDED AS A SERVICE TO THOSE WITH ZONOLITE INSULATION. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT FILING A ZAI CLAIM, PLEASE VISIT THE GRACE BANKRUPTCY CLAIMS INFORMATION SITE at www.graceclaims.com to download the forms necessary to file your claim.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled that a 2004 law imposing stricter rules on those suing for asbestos-related injuries can be applied to cases pending before the legislation was passed, a move that could frustrate thousands of people seeking claims.

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According to a news release from the claims processing agent for W.R. Grace & Co. Bankruptcy, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware has set a Bar Date for Zonolite Attic Insulation (ZAI) claims to be filed in the W.R. Grace Bankruptcy case. To preserve a claim against W.R. Grace & Co. and related entities (”Grace”), all persons and entities with ZAI claims must file on or before Oct. 31, 2008. Grace filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code on April 2, 2001. More information and a downloadable claim form is available on the WR Grace Bankruptcy Claims Information Site.

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A report published by the Insurance Journal on May 28 says a group of Spanish workers injured by asbestos-containing insulation while working on Navy ships docked in Spain can sue the manufacturer of the insulation in New Jersey — where the products were produced.

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In August 2007, Occupational Health & Safety magazine reported that a Virginia man was jailed for using homeless people to do improper asbestos removal in a government building in Roanoke.

According to the report, two-time convicted felon John Edward Callahan was sentenced to 21 months in prison for improperly removing cancer-causing asbestos from a government building in Roanoke, Va., without following federal environmental laws according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Callahan also used homeless men to conduct the work.

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A Superior Court in Los Angeles awarded former Navy sailor John R. “Jack” Davis $35.1 million in compensatory damages for his diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer linked to asbestos. Davis was diagnosed in January 2007.

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In October 2007, the Government Accountability Office conducted an investigation into the Environmental Protection Agency’s role in investigation and clean-up of factories that once produced asbestos-contaminated vermiculite insulation.

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