North Carolina Toxic Exposure Lawyers

Many household products contain toxins that can be hazardous to your health if inhaled, ingested, or absorbed through the skin. If you have children, instruct them to avoid using these products without supervision:

• Drain cleaners
• Lead-based paints
• Oven cleaners
• Pain relievers
• Pesticides

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Safe Water Drinking Act of 1974 regulates only 91 of the 60,000 toxins used in the United States each year.

When you turn on the faucet, you assume the water is safe. But contaminated water can contain microscopic toxins that cause illness, cancer, birth defects, and chronic disease.

Water can become contaminated by industrial waste, sewage, pathogens, and pollution. Natural disasters such as floods or hurricanes can also contaminate drinking water with surrounding waste.

Marine Corps base, Camp Lejuene, in North Carolina has been under scrutiny for the largest contaminated water scandal in the history of the United States. The military base has admittedly dumped toxic waste into the ground for decades, contaminating the drinking water for an estimated one million people. When the contamination was first discovered, little effort was made to notify past residents and affected families in order to correct the dangerous issue.

Many people have contracted chronic illnesses and injuries as a result of consuming the contaminated water over a period of time. An Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) survey on a group of pregnant women exposed to the contaminated water at Camp Lejuene revealed 106 cases of cancer and birth defects believed to be caused by the toxins.

In one instance, retired Marine Master Sergeant Jerry Ensminger lost a daughter to childhood Leukemia at the age of nine. Her form of Leukemia has since been linked to benzene, one of the many toxins found during testing at the camp site. Ensiminger now travels the country promoting his award-winning documentary about the contamination scandal entitled Semper Fi: Always Faithful.

The ATSDR is currently conducting further research on the issue. The final results aren’t expected to be released until 2014—29 years after the scandal was first revealed.

If you worked or lived at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, between 1975 and 1985, and suffer from a chronic illness or cancer, you may be eligible to receive compensation for medical bills and other illness-related expenses.

Our North Carolina toxic exposure attorneys were at the forefront of a Duke University Health System toxic exposure case in 2005 which affected more than 4,000 patients.

The issue began when an elevator company poured dirty hydraulic fluid into several empty detergent barrels while performing elevator maintenance. The barrels of toxic hydraulic fluid were then confused with sterilization detergent.

For almost two months, instruments were “washed” with a solution of hot water and dirty hydraulic fluid. Hospital staff and surgeons noticed their operating tools were slick and oily, but it was several weeks before the source of the problem was discovered.

As a result of the contaminated tools, some surgery patients experienced serious symptoms, such as postoperative infection and long-term autoimmune disorders.

Our North Carolina toxic exposure lawyers resolved all claims to date against Duke University Health System, its constituent hospitals, and other defendants outside of court. This is just one example of the types of toxic exposure cases Henson Fuerst has helped resolve.

Silica is a common mineral found in rock, sand, and quartz. When silica crystalizes into dust and is inhaled, it scars the lungs and causes a permanent inflammation, making it hard to breathe. This condition is known as silicosis. There are three different types of silicosis:

• Chronic Silicosis
  Chronic silicosis is caused by damage to lung tissue that happens slowly over time, usually after 10 years of limited exposure.
• Accelerated Silicosis
  In accelerated silicosis, symptoms develop faster than in chronic silicosis—five to 10 years—due to increased silica exposure.
• Acute Silicosis
  Acute silicosis is the most serious form of silicosis, which can quickly lead to death. This condition causes the lungs to fill with fluid and can cause blood oxygen levels to drop.

You may also have an increased risk of other health complications, such as tuberculosis and respiratory failure, if you suffer from silicosis.

According to the American Lung Association, you’re at risk for developing silicosis if your profession involves:

• Abrasive Blasting
• Concrete Finishing
• Construction and Repair
• Drywall Finishing
• Masonry Work
• Mining
• Rock Drilling or Crushing
• Sand and Gravel Screening

The NIOSH recommends a medical exam every three years that includes a chest X-Ray, lung function test, and complete work history questionnaire for workers employed in these industries.

Toxic exposure is any contact with a dangerous chemical that can lead to serious injury or death. Hazardous chemicals can appear in food and water, household items, building materials, medical equipment, and other common products.

With the assistance of non-biased, third-party experts, our North Carolina toxic exposure lawyers investigate toxic exposure claims to determine whether the chemicals involved could be harmful. We examine:

• Commonality of Exposure
• Length of Exposure
• Mechanism of Exposure
• Medical Diagnosis

We often call on the help of toxicologists who can give us professional opinions about the potential health risks of a particular exposure.

The legal team at Henson Fuerst has experience handling large– and small–scale toxic exposure cases. For example, in 2004, Duke University medical system inadvertently exposed more than 4,000 patients to surgical instruments that were contaminated with waste hydraulic fluid. Our firm represented a large number of patients in their claims against the responsible companies, including Duke University, Cardinal Health, Steris, and others.

No matter how big or small your case is, our North Carolina toxic exposure lawyers are here to help.

The best defense is awareness. If you live or work around harmful contaminants, there are ways to minimize exposure. For example, you can rid your home of materials containing asbestos or prevent silicosis by following the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health guidelines for a safe work environment. HensonFuerst has also created a page of resources to help educate you on other toxic dangers and ways to prevent exposure in the work place and at home.

At present, North Carolina does not recognize medical monitoring as a legitimate claim. A medical monitoring claim is compensation for the costs involved in monitoring your medical condition for a period of time to see if you become ill or injured from the exposure.

Depending on the other factors of your exposure, there may be additional claims that could be considered. To understand your options, contact our North Carolina toxic exposure attorneys so we can discuss the details of your exposure and give you a complete evaluation.