ASBESTOS IN SMITHSONIAN
Museum worker settles asbestos-injury lawsuit against Smithsonian Institution

The Smithsonian did not keep complete records on asbestos-containing materials within its buildings, so workers had insufficient information as to the whereabouts of the toxic substance, and how to work around it.

The attorneys at the personal injury law firm of Weitz & Luxenberg have decades of experience defending victims’ rights in practice areas that include: accidents/general injury, dangerous drugs, medical malpractice, and environmental pollutants.

Breaking News

December 15, 2009 - A 54-year-old former employee of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum has been awarded a $233,000 settlement ending his asbestos-related lawsuit against the Washington, D.C.-based institution.

Richard Pullman, a former exhibit specialist, worked for the museum for 28 years, during which time he frequently had to saw and drill into the interior walls of the museum.

Those walls contained asbestos, he and his colleagues learned last year, around the same time he was diagnosed with asbestosis, a lung disease caused by inhaling airborne asbestos fibers.

According to the terms of the settlement published in the Washington Post, Pullman received $154,000 in August and will receive $79,000 in severance pay. The Smithsonian also agreed to pay 65 percent of his health insurance for nine months.

The Smithsonian commissioned an independent report to look into the asbestos situation, and the consultant recommended changes in procedures and training, and further inspections to locate toxic substances throughout the massive complex that attracts thousands of tourists every year.

The truth about asbestos

Asbestos was widely used throughout the 20th century as a building and insulating material, and is a serious health risk for those who work in construction or on renovation projects.

Although asbestos is heatproof, flame-resistant, strong and durable, and therefore useful in a number of building applications, it is also a known carcinogen and can lead to mesothelioma, a cancer that strikes the membranous lining of the lungs and thoracic cavity.

Mesothelioma has a poor prognosis and can take up to 50 years to fully develop, making both diagnosis and treatment difficult. On average, a patient diagnosed with mesothelioma dies within 18 months of learning that he or she has the disease.

Time to seek justice

Weitz & Luxenberg has protected the legal rights of asbestos-injured workers since 1986. And in that time the firm's asbestos lawyers have won several billion dollars in verdicts and settlements for clients injured by occupational asbestos exposure.

If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma and seek a free case review, please notify us through the communication form on this page. We will pursue your claim with vigilance to help you pay for medical bills, lost wages, and suffering.

Please know, the firm works on a contingency basis so there is no cost to you until we obtain a verdict or reach a settlement in your favor.