Author Archives: Frank Pasternak

About Frank Pasternak

Managing Partner of Pasternak & Zirgibel S.C.

Asbestos Trusts

Asbestos trusts are the topic of a recent law firm’s national t.v. commercial I saw on CNN and Secrecy of asbestos trusts basically explains why that is.  The bottom line for the asbestos victim suffering from mesotheliom or asbestosis is that you should find a lawyer or law firm in your state, here it’s Wisconsin, that works with the asbestos trusts. 

The system is set up in a way such that it is essentially impossible for an asbestos victim to actually file their own claim against asbestos trusts.  It’s likely easier to handle your own medical malpractice trial.  In fact, it’s so difficult to make a claim against the asbestos trusts that most personal injury lawyers will not handle cases against asbestos trusts, which is why my law firm often receives referrals from other lawyers of clients suffering from mesotheliom or asbestosis.

If you are looking within Wisconsin to make a claim related to asbestos-related disease and potentially Wisconsin asbestos companies or the asbestos trusts, then contact us.  Do similarly, if you want to find a lawyer out of state to make claim against asbestos companies or the asbestos trusts.

Wisconsin Asbestos Removal

Wisconsin asbestos removal instructions are being offered by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services  for free from 1-5pm Tuesday at Northcentral Technical College in Wausau.  The sessions are meant to help contractors and property managers and owners address changes to the Wisconsin administrative code that relate to asbestos abatement.  In older properties, asbestos maybe found in flooring, caulks, mastics,  fireproofing materials, ceiling tiles and sidings as well as other building materials.  During the asbestos abatement process, these materials are dealt with carefully so as not to release asbestos dust into the air.

WR Grace Asbestos Criminals

Here’s a Bloomberg article describing how one of those poor asbestos companies (sarcasm, see last post) was warned about how it was killing the people of Libby, Montana with its asbestos-laced vermiculite.

Closer to home, Wisconsin companies facing asbestos litigation or alleged to have some link to asbestos or mesothelioma include:

Alfa Laval Flow, Kenosha
Algoma Hardwood, Algoma
Allen Bradley, Milwaukee
Allied Glove Corporation a/k/a Allied Glove & Safety Products Corporation, Milwaukee
Allied Insulation Supply Co, Milwaukee
Allis Chalmers, Milwaukee
American Brass, Kenosha
A.O. Smith Corporation, Milwaukee
Appleton Coated Papers, Appleton
Appleton Gas Plant, Appleton
Appleton Wire, Appleton
Aqua-Chem Inc., Milwaukee
Army Corp of Engineers, Milwaukee
A W Chesterton Company
Badger Ordnance Works, Baraboo
Badger Meter Inc., Milwaukee
Badger Paper Mill, Peshtigo
Bay Shipbuilding, Sturgeon Bay
Bergstrom Paper, Appleton
Beloit Corporation a/k/a Regal-Beloit Corporation, Beloit
Blatz Brewery, Milwaukee
Brake Parts Inc., Manufacturer of Raybestos Brand Brakes, Waupaca
Briggs & Stratton Corp., Wauwatosa
Bucyrus-Erie a/k/a Bucyrus Foundry a/k/a Bucyrus International, Inc., South Milwaukee
Building Service Industrial Supply Inc, West Allis
Burger Boat, Manitowoc
CBS Corporation, New York
Charmin Paper, Green Bay
Christy Corporation, Sturgeon Bay
Cleaver Brooks, Milwaukee
Colt Industries, Janesville
Columbia Hospital, Milwaukee
Consolidated Paper, Wisconsin Rapids
Copes Vulcan Inc., Madison
Cooper Industries Inc, Houston
Cooper Power Systems, Franksville
Crucible Steel Casting, Milwaukee
CSR Limited, New Orleans
DaimlerChrysler Corporation, Kenosha
Dana Corporation, Brake and Chassis, McHenry, Illinois
Delphi Energy & Engine Management Systems, Milwaukee
Dielectric, Menomonee Falls
Eaton Corp
Eaton Electrical Inc
Edgewater Power Plant, Sheboygan
Falk Foundry, Milwaukee
Federal Mogul Corporation, Manitowoc
Federal-Mogul Corporation Piston Rings and Liners, Schofield
Federal-Mogul Corporation Sintered Valve Train and Transmission Products Waupun
Federal-Mogul Corporation Piston Rings and Liners, West Allis
First Wisconsin Center, Milwaukee
Fort Howard Paper Mill, Marinette
Foster Wheeler Energy Corp
Fox River Paper, Appleton
Garlock Sealing Technologies LLC
General Casting, Milwaukee
General Electric Company, Business Units: GE Capital, GE Industrial Systems, GE Lighting, GE Medical Systems, GE Plastics, GE Power Systems, GE Supply, Various Locations
General Motors Corporation, Delphi Electronics (formerly Delco), Milwaukee
General Signal Corp, Muskegon
Georgia-Pacific, Green Bay
Gladfelter Company, Neenah
GM Assembly, Janesville
Grede Foundries, Milwaukee
Harnischfeger, Milwaukee
Hennes Services Inc, West Milwaukee
Holy Family Hospital, Manitowoc
IMO Industries Inc
Industrial Holdings Corp
Ingersoll Rand
International Paper, Green Bay
Ipsen International Inc, Springfield, IL
J.I. Case, Racine
JP Pulliam Power Plant, Green Bay
Kewaunee Nuclear Plant, Kewaunee
Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Neenah
Kraft Foods, Beaver Dam
Ladish, Cudahy
Manitowoc Company, Manitowoc
Manitowoc Shipyard, Manitowoc
Marine Plaza, Milwaukee
Marquette Cement Plant, Milwaukee
Metlife Inc
Midalco Ltd
Miller Brewery, Milwaukee
Milwaukee Valve Company, Milwaukee
Mirro Aluminum, Manitowoc
Mosinee Paper, Mosinee
Neenah Foundry, Neenah
Nekoosa Edwards Paper, Nekoosa
Nelson Dewey Station, Cassville
Nicolet Paper, De Pere
Nohl Corp, Milwaukee
Northern States Power, La Crosse
Northridge, Milwaukee
Oak Creek Power Plant, Oak Creek
O I Inc
Owens Illinois Inc
Pabst Brewery, Milwaukee
Parkland Builders, Janesville
Pelton Steel, Beloit
Peterson Builders, Sturgeon Bay
Plastics Engineering Co., Sheboygan
Pope & Talbot, Eau Claire
Port Washington Power, Pt Washington
Rockland Builders, Janesville
Rexnord Nordberg, Milwaukee
St. Regis Paper, Rhinelander
Riley Power Inc
Rock River Power Plant, Rock River
Rockwell Automation, Milwaukee
Southridge, Milwaukee
S.C. Johnson, Racine
Saint Francis Hospital, Milwaukee
Saint Lukes Hospital, Milwaukee
Saint Michaels Hospital, Milwaukee
Secure Horizons
Sprinkmann Sons Corp, Milwaukee
SPX Corporation, Madison
Square D Company
Sturgeon Bay Shipbuilding, Sturgeon Bay
Svoboda Industries, Kewaunee
Theda Clark Medical Center, Appleton
Two Rivers Hospital, Two Rivers
U.S. Rubber, Eau Claire
Union Carbide Co
Unit Drop Forge, Milwaukee
Valley Power Plant, Milwaukee
Warren Pumps LLC
Waukesha Foundry Co. Inc., Waukesha
Wausau Paper Mill, Brokaw
Westinghouse
Weston Power Plant, Rothchild
Weyerhaeuser, Marshfield
Wisconsin Energy Corporation (WEC), Milwaukee
Wisconsin Electric Gas, WE Energies, WEPCO, Wisconsin Energies, Wisconsin Natural, and WICOR, locations throughout Wisconsin

Lawsuit against Asbestos Doctor

Corporate America’s beloved Forbes loves to try to hammer trial lawyers, and when it comes to asbestos lawyers that’s probably even more true.  So it publishes this story, which appears to be a Mississippi lawsuit against Mississippi doctors who may have been working the system improperly.  But the Forbes spin seems to be that these poor asbestos companies – who’ve killed literally thousands of people with their mesothelioma causing toxin – are the victims.  Seriously, though I won’t dispute that it’s possible the company here might have been wronged, asbestos victims and lawyers who help them are hardly the bad guys in the world of asbestosis, asbestos and mesothelioma.

Asbestos Insurance in Wisconsin

Plastics Engineering Company (PLENCO) v. Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, 2009 WI 13, is an asbestos insurance case recently issued by the Wisconsin Supreme Court.  The primary holding of the decision is found in the following paragraph:  “First, under this policy and the facts of this case, we must determine what constitutes an occurrence and how many occurrences have taken place.  Liberty Mutual argues that Plenco’s manufacture and sale of asbestos-containing products without warning constitutes one occurrence regardless of the number of people injured.  Plenco, on the other hand, argues that each individual’s exposure to asbestos, which results in injury, constitutes a single occurrence.  Under Plenco’s argument, several occurrences have taken place because many people have been exposed over the span of many years.  Given the policy language, we agree with Plenco and conclude that each individual’s repeated exposure constitutes an occurrence.”

Since this asbestos case affects businesses and insurers in Wisconsin asbestos lawsuits, I’ll direct those folks to Quarles’ and Foley’s interpretations of the case.

Asbestos Occupations

Asbestos-related occupations include the following:

Auto mechanics
Boilermakers
Bricklayers
Building inspectors
Carpenters
Demolition workers
Drywallers
Electricians
Floor covering manufacturers or installers
Furnace workers
Glazers
Grinders
Hod carriers
Insulators
Iron workers
Laborers
Longshoremen
Maintenance workers
Merchant marines
Millwrights
Operating engineers
Painters
Plasterers
Plumbers
Roofers

For a more complete list see Wisconsin mesothelioma occupations.

Asbestos Shipyards

I also previously mentioned that my client had worked with asbestos at shipyards throughout the U.S.  Even though he lived in Wisconsin, we made a claim against the entities involved with asbestos at those shipyards causing his mesothelioma.  Some shipyards include: Alabama Drydock/Shipping Company, Avondale Shipyards, Brooklyn Shipyard, Long Beach Naval Shipyard, Pearl Harbor Shipyard, Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, and San Diego Naval Shipyard.

Wisconsin Power Plants – Asbestos

In this post, I mentioned that my client had worked with asbestos at a power plant here in Wisconsin.  The following is a list, that is potentially over inclusive, but certainly includes every Wisconsin power plant with asbestos:

County, Company, City/Village

Adams, Wisconsin River Power Co, Castle Rock
Ashland, Northern States Power Co, White River
Ashland, Northern States Power Co, Bay Front
Barron, Barron City of, Barron
Barron, Cumberland City of, Cumberland
Brown, Fort James Operating Co, Green Bay West Mill
Brown, Wisconsin Public Service Corp, Pulliam
Buffalo, Dairyland Power Coop, Alma
Burnett, Flambeau Hydro LLC, Clam River Dam
Burnett, Northwestern Wisconsin Elec Co, Grantsburg Diesel
Burnett, Northwestern Wisconsin Elec Co, Danbury Diesel
Burnett, Flambeau Hydro LLC, Danbury Dam
Chippewa, Northern States Power Co, Wissota
Chippewa, Northern States Power Co, Wheaton
Chippewa, Northern States Power Co, Chippewa Falls
Chippewa, Northern States Power Co, Holcombe
Columbia, Wisconsin Power & Light Co, Kilbourn
Columbia, Wisconsin Power & Light Co, Columbia
Dane, Madison Gas & Electric Co, Blount Street
Dane, Madison Gas & Electric Co, Fitchburg
Dane, Madison Gas & Electric Co, Sycamore
Dane, State of Wisconsin, Capitol Heat and Power
Dane, State of Wisconsin, Univ of Wisc Madison Charter Sreet Plant
Dane, Madison Gas & Electric Co, Nine Springs
Dodge, State of Wisconsin, Waupun Correctional Central Heating Plt
Door, Washington Island El Coop Inc, Washington Island
Douglas, Dahlberg Light & Power Co, Gordon
Dunn, Northern States Power Co, Cedar Falls
Dunn, Northern States Power Co, Menomonie
Eau Claire, Northern States Power Co, Dells
Florence, Wisconsin Electric Power Co, Brule
Florence, Wisconsin Electric Power Co, Pine
Grant, Wisconsin Power & Light Co, Nelson Dewey
Grant, Fennimore City of, Fennimore
Grant, Mid-America Power LLC, E J Stoneman Station
Jackson, Black River Falls City of, Black River Falls
Juneau, Wisconsin River Power Co, Petenwell
Juneau, New Lisbon City of, New Lisbon
Juneau, Elroy City of, Elroy
Kewaunee, Wisconsin Public Service Corp, Kewaunee
La Crosse, Northern States Power Co, French Island
Lafayette, Argyle City of, Argyle
Lincoln, Wisconsin Public Service Corp, Grandfather Falls
Lincoln, Wisconsin Public Service Corp, Alexander
Lincoln, Wisconsin Public Service Corp, Merrill
Lincoln, Wisconsin Public Service Corp, Tomahawk
Lincoln, Packaging Corp of America, Packaging of America Tomahawk Mill
Manitowoc, Manitowoc Public Utilities, Manitowoc
Manitowoc, Wisconsin Electric Power Co, Point Beach
Marathon, Wisconsin Public Service Corp, Wausau
Marathon, Weyerhaeuser Co-Rothschild, Weyerhaeuser Rothschild WI
Marathon, Wisconsin Public Service Corp, Weston
Marathon, Wausau Mosinee Paper Corp., Mosinee
Marinette, Wisconsin Public Service Corp, West Marinette
Marinette, N E W Hydro Inc, Park Mill
Marinette, Wisconsin Public Service Corp, Caldron Falls
Marinette, Wisconsin Public Service Corp, High Falls
Marinette, Wisconsin Public Service Corp, Johnson Falls
Marinette, Wisconsin Public Service Corp, Potato Rapids
Marinette, Stora Enso North America, Niagara Mill
Marinette, Wisconsin Public Service Corp, Sandstone Rapids
Marinette, Wisconsin Public Service Corp, Sandstone Rapids
Milwaukee, Wisconsin Electric Power Co, South Oak Creek
Milwaukee, Wisconsin Electric Power Co, Valley
Milwaukee, Milwaukee Metro Sewerage Dist, MMSD Jones Island Wastewater
Monroe, Cashton Village of, Cashton
Oconto, Oconto Electric Coop, Stiles
Oconto, N E W Hydro Inc, Oconto Falls Lower
Oconto, N E W Hydro Inc, Oconto Falls Upper
Oneida, Wisconsin Public Service Corp, Hat Rapids
Oneida, Wausau Mosinee Paper Corp, Rhinelander
Outagamie, Kaukauna City of, Kaukauna Gas Turbine
Outagamie, Kaukauna City of, New Badger
Outagamie, Kaukauna City of, Kaukauna Diesels
Outagamie, Wisconsin Electric Power Co, Appleton
Outagamie, International Paper Co-Thilmny, Kaukauna
Outagamie, Stora Enso North America, Kimberly Mill
Outagamie, Kaukauna City of, Little Chute
Outagamie, Kaukauna City of, Kaukauna City of Hydro
Outagamie, Kaukauna City of, Old Badger
Outagamie, Kaukauna City of, Rapide Croche
Ozaukee, Wisconsin Electric Power Co, Port Washington
Pierce, River Falls City of, Junction
Polk, Northwestern Wisconsin Elec Co, Frederic Diesel
Polk, Northern States Power Co, St Croix Falls
Portage, Stora Enso North America, Whiting Mill
Portage, Consolidated Water Power Co, Du Bay
Portage, Consolidated Water Power Co, Stevens Point
Portage, Consolidated Water Power Co, Whiting
Price, Flambeau Hydro LLC, Flambeau Lower Project
Price, Northern States Power Co, Flambeau
Price, Flambeau Hydro LLC, Flambeau Crowley Rapids Project
Rock, Wisconsin Power & Light Co, Sheepskin
Rock, Wisconsin Power & Light Co, Blackhawk
Rock, Wisconsin Power & Light Co, Rock River
Rusk, Northern States Power Co, Big Falls
Rusk, Northern States Power Co, Thornapple
Rusk, Northern States Power Co, Ladysmith
Rusk, Dairyland Power Coop, Flambeau
Sauk, Wisconsin Power & Light Co, Prairie Du Sac
Sawyer, North Central Power Co Inc, Winter
Sawyer, North Central Power Co Inc, Grimh
Sawyer, Flambeau Hydro LLC, Arpin Dam
Sheboygan, Wisconsin Power & Light Co, Edgewater
St Croix, Northern States Power Co, Apple River
Trempealeau, Arcadia City of, Arcadia Electric
Vernon, Dairyland Power Coop, Genoa
Vilas, Wisconsin Public Service Corp, Eagle River
Washburn, Northern States Power Co, Trego
Winnebago, Menasha City of, Menasha
Wood, Stora Enso North America, Wisconsin Rapids Paper Mill
Wood, Consolidated Water Power Co, Wisconsin Rapids
Wood, Stora Enso North America, Biron Mill
Wood, Stora Enso North America, Wisconsin Rapids Pulp Mill
Wood, Domtar Industries Inc, Georgia-Pacific Corp, Nekoosa
Wood, Domtar Industries Inc, Port Edwards Mill
Wood, Consolidated Water Power Co, Biron

Symptoms & Diagnosis of Mesothelioma

Symptoms of mesothelioma are not easily diagnosed especially in the early stage. In fact, typically after mesothelioma is diagnosed, patients often relate symptoms to their doctor that have been present for many months.  Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma (mesothelioma of chest) include low back pain, chest pain beneath arms, shortness of breath, trouble swallowing, cough, fever, fatigue, weight loss, hoarseness, facial swelling or swelling in the arms, and muscle weakness.  Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include abdominal pain, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal fluid or mass.  Certainly, if you have such symptoms visit a physician immediately, especially if you know you were exposed to asbestos.

Those having symptoms will undergo a physical to determine whether there are additional signs of mesothelioma or asbestos lung cancer. Patients with pleural mesothelioma will often have pleural effusion (fluid in lungs). Some may have ascites (fluid in abdomine) in cases of peritoneal mesothelioma, or pericardial effusion (fluid in pericardium) in cases of pericardial mesothelioma. If the foregoing shows the potential for a diagnosis of mesothelioma, then other tests will be done, including imaging tests like x-rays, CT scans, MRI scans, and PET scans. Tests may reveal irregular thickening of pleura, calcium deposits or fluid in pleural space.  Tests may also allow the doctor to begin determining the extent of cancer (staging). If a pleural effusion, ascites or pericardial effusion is found, the doctor may sample fluid for diagnosing cancer by a pathologist. Also, tissue samples may be taken via thoracoscopy, laparoscopy, mediastinoscopy or bronchoscopy, or sometimes surgery, thoracotomy or laparotomy, may be done by a surgeon.

Mesothelioma is generally very difficult to diagnose and in all cases, I always recommend a biopsy. In case of death, I also recommend an autopsy. A great place for information on the symptoms and diagnosis of mesothelioma is the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes for Health MedlinePlus: Mesothelioma page, which I used along with the American Cancer Society website in writing this.