A number of asbestos-related news items in Florida lately have renewed interest in asbestos cases and may make asbestos victims more likely to step forward:

1) William Aubin of Sarasota has received more than $14 million after a jury determined that his fatal abdominal cancer is linked to the asbestos Aubin worked with in the 1970s. Aubin’s family owned a construction company and used joint compounds made with asbestos fibers sold by chemical company Union Carbide and other companies like it. The joint compounds were not labeled to indicate they contained asbestos. Jurors found four companies, including joint compound manufacturers, liable in the case.

2) In the Lee County Summerlin Road project, workers for Posen Construction have begun an asbestos clean-up project. The work has been delayed for a number of months, after workers found material containing asbestos at the work site. No one has determined how the material got to the site. The Summerlin Road will likely not be completed until the end of the year due to the delay.

3) This summer, the Jackson County School Board has announced plans to start an asbestos abatement plan at at least two schools this summer. Marianna Middle school and Riverside Elementary School both have asbestos in the ceilings of the buildings. Once the asbestos was discovered, school officials decided to remove the substance over the summer, when children could not come into contact with the material.

4) The EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) has announced that the City of Marco Island and the main contractor on a 2006 Collier Boulevard road project have both violated at least six asbestos regulations. The city, in particular, is accused of not inspecting work sites for asbestos, of not removing asbestos materials before starting work, of not disposing of asbestos materials in a correct fashion, and of other offenses. Each violation of regulations has penalties of up to $37,500 a day.

Asbestos fibers have long been used on construction and building projects, as they are considered fire-resistant. However, since these fibers have been manufactured, it has been discovered that inhaling these fibers can lead to a type of virulent cancer known as mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is linked only to asbestos exposure and not to other risk factors. Asbestos fibers are not visible to the naked eye and can remain suspended in the air for some time, allowing workers to inhale the fibers. When the fibers are inhaled, this exposure can eventually lead to mesothelioma.

Due to the recent Florida asbestos news, some patients who have mesothelioma may become interested in contacting an attorney about an asbestos case. Florida personal injury attorneys have been helping other mesothelioma victims and may be able to help you. If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you may have a personal injury claim. You may qualify for a settlement which can help you pay for the best medical treatment and which can help your family.