ASBESTOS IN THE NEWS
Feds order Conn. firms to pay $300K fine for improper disposal

February 27, 2009 -- A long-standing case of asbestos handling disposal violations at a 19th century New Haven, Conn. building under renovation has come to a close with an agreement reached between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut.

The federal authorities agreed to impose fines totaling $300,000 against two Connecticut companies, Anderson-Wilcox Corp. (AWC) and Cutting Edge Concepts II, LLC (CEC) for their improper handling and disposal of asbestos at the renovation site.

Both companies were charged with numerous violations of the federal government's Clean Air Act (CAA) after the two firms began renovation of a large commercial building owned by CEC. The property is located at 116 Crown Street in New Haven and dates back to the late 19th century.

Asbestos exposure can lead to a variety of lung ailments, including mesothelioma, a highly aggressive and incurable form of cancer. No safe level of exposure to asbestos fibers has ever been established, and the illegal asbestos handling procedures at the New Haven construction site put the health of workers and the general public at risk, according to the EPA.

The truth about asbestos

Medical authorities estimate that in the next decade more than 35,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with the deadliest form of asbestos-related cancer, mesothelioma. The 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.

Seek compensation . . .

Weitz & Luxenberg has protected the legal rights of workers for 25 years – longer than most law firms in the nation. And in that time the firm's mesothelioma lawyers have won several billion dollars in verdicts and settlements for clients.

If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, and seek FREE legal guidance and answers to your concerns, please notify us through the communication form below. We will pursue your claim with vigilance to help you pay for medical bills, future and past lost wages, and damages. There is no cost to you until we win a settlement or a verdict.