Asbestos Found in Ceilings at Clinton, NY College Residence Hall

Like countless older schools throughout the nation, administrators at Hamilton College in Clinton, NY face issues regarding aging school and other campus buildings that pose possible asbestos exposure risks to students, faculty and staff. Those exposed to the dangerous carcinogen face a lifelong risk to develop asbestos disease.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease such as mesothelioma, asbestos lung cancer or asbestosis, please complete the form on this page for more information about your legal options.

In February 2010, a Hamilton College student publication reported on asbestos concerns at the college’s Bundy Hall Residential housing complex. Testing for the carcinogen was conducted at Bundy Hall during the college’s winter break, where the ceilings tested positive for the presence of asbestos.

While a representative for the school’s facility and planning department assured students there was no health risk because the asbestos materials were encapsulated, engineers had recommended that locations where the ceilings were cracked would need to be repaired.

One of the recommended precautionary measures was to instruct building residents to disassemble bunk beds to prevent potential contact with the ceilings.

Potential Health Risks Exist for Those Living or Working in Bundy Hall
Should asbestos fibers in the affected ceilings become airborne, those who live or work in the residence hall face a lifelong risk to develop an asbestos disease. Over the years, countless individuals have been diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases even though their exposure to the dangerous carcinogen was extremely limited.

One of the reasons for the risk to remain significant even for those with minimal exposure is due to how asbestos affects the lungs. On a microscopic level, asbestos fibers have sharp, jagged edges which cause them to attach to lung tissue when they are inhaled rather than being expelled by coughing or sneezing.

Over a period of several decades, the asbestos fibers will cause healthy lung tissue to scar. Over a 30-40 year latency period, the scarring can eventually cause any number of chronic breathing disorders to develop, including asbestosis, emphysema, pleural plaques disease or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In more serious cases, the asbestos-scarred lungs will begin to produce the abnormal cells that cause mesothelioma or lung cancer tumors to grow.

How Weitz & Luxenberg Can Help
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, our lawyers we may be able to help you to seek justice for your illness and file a lawsuit on your behalf.

Please complete the form on this page for a free and confidential review of your potential asbestos lawsuit or request a free copy of our asbestos sourcebook. A Weitz & Luxenberg representative will contact you as soon as possible.