Air Force vet alleges company's products exposed him to asbestos

A former United States Air Force worker has filed a mesothelioma lawsuit against a company, alleging that its products exposed him to the asbestos that led to his mesothelioma diagnosis. Walter Leggett has claimed that United Technologies Corporation (UTC) is responsible for his asbestos exposure and subsequent cancer.

Leggett was a mechanic, electrician and machine operator for the Air Force from 1955 through 1977. He was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2011. Mesothelioma is a deadly form of cancer attacks the lungs or abdominal cavity and can take decades to develop.

Asbestos is a cancer-causing material used in construction and insulation most heavily from the 1940s through the 1970s. Thousands of workers are affected every year by asbestos exposure, and lawyers predict companies could face thousands of asbestos lawsuits after exposing employees to the substance without warning or safety gear.

New York company faces more than $80,000 in fines for asbestos exposure

A New York company has been ordered to pay $83,000 in fines related to asbestos exposure. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) investigated Lorice Enterprises in August 2012 after the state raised health concerns, eventually finding nine violations.

Lorice allegedly did not test the levels of asbestos in the area or provide its workers with any safety gear to prevent asbestos exposure. The exposure was classified as willful, meaning the company knowingly broke the law and exposed its workers to potential health problems related to asbestos.

Asbestos exposure has been directly linked to severe diseases, including asbestosis and mesothelioma cancer. Mesothelioma is a lethal form of cancer that can take decades to develop and attacks the lungs or walls of the abdomen.

Ohio school under criminal investigation after having students remove asbestos

Ohio students as young as 13 spent several weekends removing asbestos from a YWCA at the direction of their school. The students from the Buckeye Education School were allegedly not provided any protection or told that the debris contained the cancer-causing material asbestos.

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency began investigating the school in December 2012 after receiving a complaint from the neighborhood. The agency reported that exposed pipes, flooring tiles, and duct fabric were all filled with asbestos.

Asbestos exposure is the primary cause of mesothelioma cancer, a deadly form of cancer that can attack the lungs and abdominal cavity. When disturbed, millions of asbestos fibers fill the air. If inhaled, the fibers can lead to asbestosis or mesothelioma, which may take decades to develop.