ASBESTOS NEWS UPDATE
Metro-North railroad halts roof repair work after asbestos complaint

November 7, 2008 – The New York State Department of Labor (DOL) ordered a halt to roof repair work on a railroad storeroom located at the Metro-North Croton-Harmon station after receiving a tip that recent heavy rain was causing asbestos material to leak from the structure.

Asbestos materials are often found in roofing tiles, asbestos ceilings and the insulation of old buildings, particularly in railroad yards where the use of asbestos was common throughout the last century. A licensed asbestos-removal contractor was already involved in the roof repair work at the Croton-Harmon station before the DOL received the tip about the asbestos leaks.

Air-quality tests were underway to ensure asbestos fibers were not becoming airborne. Though rains caused asbestos material to leak from the structure, all air samples have come back negative, said a spokesman for Metro-North. Before Metro-North can resume work, the DOL requires the company to devise a plan for dealing with the new asbestos problem.

Inhalation of airborne asbestos fibers can cause serious and fatal illnesses, including asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.

Time to seek justice!

Despite the health problems linked to asbestos exposure, asbestos is still imported and used in the United States. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. imported and used an estimated 1,820 tons of asbestos in 2007.

Government sources estimate that in the next decade more than 35,000 people nationwide will be diagnosed with the deadliest form of asbestos-related cancer, mesothelioma. This disease is most often the result of industrial workplace exposure to asbestos – and usually contracted through employers’ blatant disregard for the health and safety of their workers.

That’s why people diagnosed with mesothelioma and their family members have strong cases in court. Weitz & Luxenberg has protected the legal rights of workers for 25 years – longer than most law firms in the nation. And in that time its attorneys have won several billion dollars in verdicts and settlements for its clients.

If you have a mesothelioma injury, please complete the form on this page for a free evaluation of your legal rights. There is no cost to you until we win a settlement or a verdict.