If the Environmental Protection Agency succeeds in relaxing the rules on asbestos safety, those who suffer from asbestos exposure and mesothelioma will find it more difficult to be compensated by the companies that harmed them.

In their disregard for worker safety, automotive, construction, mining, and chemical industries are pressuring the EPA to change how the risk of exposure from six types of asbestos regulated by the government are calculated. To fuel this change, the EPA is focusing specifically on studies that suggest that chrysotile asbestos (the most common type of asbestos) does not cause mesothelioma, an asbestos-caused fatal cancer. Lawyers defending the corporations say that this change would increase the chances of convincing juries that the asbestos they used wasn’t dangerous.

It is also believed that the Bush White House is a motivator of the EPA’s change in position in a last-minute rush to diminish the government’s regulation of hazardous substances before leaving power. President Bush has fought against worker’s rights in their ability to sue asbestos companies throughout his two terms.

Exposure to asbestos is the single known cause of pleural mesothelioma, a fatal type of cancer that attacks the lungs and presently does not have a cure.

Sen. Patty Murray, an advocate for worker protection, has said, “For eight years, this administration has failed to make any significant progress in improving the health and safety of our nation’s workers. Now, in its waning days, it appears that they are actually trying to increase barriers to workplace safety.”

According to lawmakers and public health experts, the Bush White House is trying to relax the regulation of toxic substances in the workplace. The Labor Department has made a proposal to alter the way it measures the risk of asbestos, silica dust, beryllium, and other harmful chemical substances. This proposal would force regulators to alter the methods used to determine on-the-job risks.

Big businesses have continually complained about these regulations that cost them money but protect the health and safety of their workers by saying that the government overestimates worker exposures to chemicals and toxins.

A former Department of Labor appointee, Diana Furchgott-Roth, has said, “These days workers frequently don’t work in the same job for 40 hours a week for a 45-year career.”

Many experts and critics of the proposal say that Furchgott-Roth’s statements exist only to get businesses off the hook, and that many exposure levels are already unsafe. Even though many experts have spoken against the proposal, the Environmental Protection Agency can still make the change.

This EPA proposal has come “out of nowhere” and is another effort for the Bush administration to end workers’ ability to rightfully sue their employers. However, there may be hope. David Michaels, an epidemiologist from George Washington University, has said “The next administration will essentially either have to roll back or accept it [the reform], which would mean that any new rule would take a year or two longer to get out.”

If you or a loved one has been hurt and is suffering from the effects of hazardous substances in the workplace, call the experienced attorneys at Cappolino Dodd Krebs LLP today at 1-888-MESO-FIRM (1-888-637-6347).

          Asbestos lawsuits are filed by plaintiffs who have suffered as the result of asbestos-related illness. Defendants are those parties considered responsible for the asbestos exposure. In the past, targets of asbestos lawsuits have included employers, asbestos manufacturers, and asbestos installers.

          The purpose of asbestos lawsuits is to recover financial damages that result from asbestos related illness. Possible financial recoveries from asbestos lawsuits include cost of medical bills, loss of wage earning capacity, and other associated costs.          In some asbestos lawsuits, punitive damages (designed to punish the defendant) are also assessed. A few states permit asbestos lawsuits to be filed by people who reasonably expect to develop asbestos-related illnesses. These asbestos lawsuits regulations allow individuals exposed to asbestos to attempt to prepare financially for likely diseases. Many asbestos lawsuits have served to help publicize the adverse health effects of asbestos exposure; increasing numbers of asbestos lawsuits are decided for the plaintiffs as information about asbestos exposure becomes common knowledge.

          Although asbestos lawsuits can be complicated at first glance, many individuals have been compensated for their losses caused by asbestos related illness, including mesothelioma and lung cancer. Mesothelioma and lung cancer can cause enormous medical bills and, sadly, often funeral costs. For more information about asbestos lawsuits and your legal rights, you should contact an attorney familiar with asbestos exposure lawsuits, including mesothelioma and lung cancer.            Mesothelioma attorneys such as those at Cappolino Dodd Krebs LLP are experienced in this field and have successfully pursued settlements against those responsible for asbestos exposure. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an asbestos related illness, such as mesothelioma or lung cancer, call the law firm of Cappolino Dodd Krebs LLP today for a free evaluation of your legal rights.