Health Risks Associated with Asbestos

Grocery Store Sues Due to Neighboring Asbestos Abatement Project

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The Amazon-owned grocery store chain Whole Foods is suing CBL Properties, the owner of a commercial development in Greensboro, North Carolina, and the retail company Transformco due to losses suffered from asbestos exposure during abatement that didn’t go according to plan.

The 2023 incident shut the store down for about two weeks because asbestos got into the store through water used to pressure spray a building where asbestos was being removed, reports WFMY. The exposed area was away from customers but was where employees worked.

Whole Foods’ court documents allege the defendants breached their contracts with them when they failed to take precautions to ensure the grocery store would not be affected by the demolition and reconstruction of an adjacent building where a Sears was located.

The demolition and reconstruction work involved a structure next to and above the Whole Foods store. The store chain alleges the defendants hired an industrial hygienist who installed asbestos monitors in the store because it was possible that asbestos could migrate from the work zone.

On August 31 and September 6, 2023, the defendants allegedly pressure-washed some of the work zone, and water contaminated with asbestos leaked into the Whole Foods. The store chain also claims it learned the asbestos in the Sears building close to its location had not been removed. Vibrations from the ongoing demolition shook it loose.

The lawsuit claims monitors installed by the defendants’ industrial hygienist found asbestos in the store for the first time on September 11. CBL was notified the next day, but Whole Foods claims they weren’t told about it until three days later.

The industrial hygienist recommended that Whole Foods shut down the store on September 20 to allow for cleaning. That was accepted, and the store remained closed until October 4.

Whole Foods claims the closure and disruption negatively affected its business and interfered with employees’ and customers’ use of the facility, resulting in significant profit loss and the disposal of a large amount of perishable inventory. The store also had to remediate the asbestos that leaked into its building.

Call Satterley & Kelley, PLLC, for A Free Initial Consultation

If you or a loved one is diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease caused by faulty abatement work, you may receive financial compensation for what you’ve endured. Call us toll free at 855-385-9532, locally at 502-589-5600, or contact us online to arrange a free initial consultation with an attorney. We will discuss your situation, your best legal options, and how we can help.

Asbestos Exposure

Report Finds Few New York City Schools are Inspected for Asbestos

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Federal law requires school systems to inspect buildings with asbestos to determine whether work must be done to keep them safe. According to a report issued in early April, New York City’s Education Department largely ignores this obligation.

The system is severely out of compliance with this federal law, reports Challkbeat New York, based on an audit released by Comptroller Brad Lander. It states the following:

  • The city’s public school system has about 1,600 schools
  • About 80% have been identified as having asbestos
  • As a result, they must be inspected by an accredited professional at least once every three years
  • Only 18% of about 1,400 schools with asbestos had these inspections from 2021 to 2024

School buildings with asbestos must also have routine inspections by trained employees. In 2023, only 22% of the required inspections were completed. The Comptroller advised the Education Department to take accountability for the problem and develop new policies and tracking systems to address it.

Education Department officials claimed their failure to act doesn’t increase the risk of asbestos exposure to those in the schools. The auditors creating the report disagreed.  

The federal law, the 1986 Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act, or AHERA, requires these inspections. Failing to do them could result in financial penalties.

As bad as the numbers are, they’re an improvement from the past. Since 1997, they have done about 11% of the required inspections in each three-year period. The lowest inspection rates are in Brooklyn (13%), and the highest are in the Bronx (25%).

The Education Department’s Chief Operating Officer, Emma Vadehra, agreed with the comptroller’s recommendations, according to a letter responding to the audit.

Satterley & Kelley Helps Clients with Mesothelioma

If you or a loved one is exposed to asbestos at a school and develops mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, compensation may be available. Get a free consultation with a knowledgeable, experienced Satterley & Kelley attorney by calling us toll-free at 855-385-9532, locally at 502-589-5600, or completing our online contact form.

What Does Benzene Do That Makes it So Toxic to Those Exposed to It?

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Benzene is a widely used chemical that all of us have probably been exposed to at some level. Like asbestos, it has many positive qualities that make it extremely useful. But also, like asbestos, it has a darker side that could cause many Americans to become severely ill. How does benzene cause this damage?

Benzene’s health effects have been extensively studied in laboratory animals and animals, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Some of those impacts include the following:

1. Bone Marrow Damage

    A primary target for benzene is hemopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow. They become many different kinds of blood cells, immune system cells, and tissues of the bone marrow, thymus, and spleen.

    Benzene disrupts hematopoiesis, or blood cell production. Your body continuously makes new blood cells to replace old ones. It ensures a healthy supply of cells that provide oxygen to your tissues (red blood cells), fight infection (white blood cells), and clot your blood if you’re injured (platelets).

    Benzene can cut the number of white blood cells circulating through your body and its organs. They encounter foreign or diseased cells and destroy them. With fewer white cells, your immune system becomes suppressed. Your body may be more likely to suffer infections, and malignant cells that should’ve been destroyed have a head start in creating cancerous tumors.

    Benzene is also genotoxic. It has the ability to damage and alter the genetic material in bone marrow-related cells. This can cause bone marrow failure, myelodysplastic syndromes (a group of cancers resulting from immune cells that never fully mature and become healthy), and acute myeloid leukemia (AML, a bone marrow cancer).

    This chemical also decreases cellularity (the density, distribution, organization, or composition of cells) of tissues in the spleen, thymus, and bone marrow.

    2. Disrupted Development

    Laboratory animal studies report the following:

    • Decreased fetal weight
    • Increased skeletal deformities
    • Changes in blood
    • Brain and nervous system effects
    • Altered glucose homeostasis (how living organisms keeps a stable internal environment, despite changes in the external environment)

    There hasn’t been enough research to prove this happens in humans.

    3. Cancer

    Studies show workplace exposure is associated with an increased risk of myelodysplastic syndromes and AML. Laboratory animals exposed to benzene developed tumors at multiple sites. Mice tended to develop lymphomas, or cancers of the lymph system, part of our immune system. A 2024 study showed evidence of a link between benzene and lung cancer.

    The federal Department of Health and Human Services and the Environmental Protection Agency classify benzene as a substance known to cause cancer in people.

    Conclusion

    Benzene’s toxicity is due to its attack on the body’s fundamental processes. By disrupting blood cell production in the bone marrow, damaging genetic material, and suppressing the immune system, it leads to a cascade of severe health issues.

    While its industrial applications have been widespread, the well-documented risks underscore the need for strong safety measures and ongoing research to further understand and reduce the dangers of benzene exposure.

    To discuss your exposure, benzene lawsuit options, and how Satterley & Kelley, PLLC can help, call our office in Louisville at 502-589-5600 or toll-free at 855-385-9532. You may also complete our contact form for a free initial consultation.

    Mesothelioma Lawsuits

    What is Pure Comparative Negligence? How Might It Affect My Case?

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    Whether you’re making an insurance claim or involved in a personal injury lawsuit, the legal doctrine of pure comparative negligence comes into play under Kentucky law. It has positive and negative aspects, and Satterley & Kelley, PLLC will make the most of your situation and put forward your case as strongly as we can.

    Under comparative negligence, the fact finder (a judge or jury) will determine each party’s degree of fault. In states with modified comparative negligence, the plaintiff (you, the injured party filing the lawsuit) must show they are no more than 50% or 51% at fault to recover damages (the harm you suffered measured in dollars). Thirty-three states use this system.

    Thirteen states, including Kentucky, have a pure comparative negligence system. Each party can receive compensation for the other party’s share of blame for the accident. If the other party is 60% at fault for the accident, you can collect 60% of your damages from them or their insurance carrier. The defendant may counter-sue you and collect from you or your insurance carrier 40% of their damages.

    Four states, plus the District of Columbia, have a contributory negligence system. If you are at fault in any way, your case can be dismissed, and you won’t collect any damages.

    How Can Pure Comparative Negligence Help a Plaintiff?

    It can be good for you and your case for several reasons.

    1. You Could Recover Even If You’re Mostly at Fault

    With stricter negligence rules (like modified comparative or contributory negligence), if you’re 50% or 51% responsible for the accident or at fault to any degree, your case will be dismissed, and you will obtain nothing. If a judge or jury finds you’re 55% at fault, at least you’ll collect 45% of the damages you’re seeking

    2. A More Fair Allocation of Fault

    Many accidents happen because both parties aren’t driving as well as they should. You both may be driving too fast for the conditions, but the other driver switched highway lanes without first looking if it was safe to do so and sideswiped you. This system allows for a more accurate and fair allocation of responsibility. You won’t lose your right to compensation because you made a mistake that played a role in causing the accident.

    3. It Encourages Settlement and Negotiation

    Since both parties’ actions are evaluated and play key roles in negotiation, this system may encourage both parties to settle. Neither side knows how much fault a judge or jury may assign and may want to settle to end the uncertainty.

    How Can Pure Comparative Negligence Hurt a Plaintiff?

    This method of evaluating a case can make it more difficult for plaintiffs in many ways, including the following.

    1. Reducing Compensation

    Your share of the fault reduces the damages you’ll obtain. The more you’re at fault, the less compensation you’ll receive. If your fault is significant, seeking damages may not be worth the effort. It will make more sense for the other party to sue you.

    2. More Focus on Your Actions

    The defendant in your case has a strong incentive to highlight your role in causing the accident, so making you look worse means the less they must pay. They may aggressively pick apart your version of events, scrutinize your behavior, prolong the case, and undermine your credibility in open court.

    3. Psychological Impact

    It may be emotionally difficult to endure a trial where your mistakes are repeatedly pointed out and criticized. This extended, public finger-pointing may be stressful, especially if you’re coping with physical, financial, and emotional hardships caused by the accident and your injuries. If you think this will be an issue for you, accepting a lower settlement offer may be worthwhile to avoid a stream of criticism in open court.

    Speak To a Satterley & Kelley Personal Injury Lawyer Today

    If another party injured you due to their negligence, Satterley & Kelley, PLLC attorneys can protect your legal rights to compensation.

    To discuss your situation and how Satterley & Kelley, PLLC can help, call our office in Louisville at 502-589-5600 or toll-free at 855-385-9532. You may also complete our contact form for a free initial consultation.

    If You Own a House, Not Just Internal Gas Leaks Are a Threat

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    When we think of gas explosions leveling homes, we might think leaks in a kitchen or basement caused them. It doesn’t always happen that way. If a home explodes due to a gas leak, the source may come from outside. Satterley & Kelley, PLLC, represents people injured in home explosions and family members of those killed in these accidents.

    Missouri Case Shows the Dangers of Ruptured Underground Gas Lines

    In April, a gas explosion in a Lexington, Missouri home injured Jacob Cunningham and his ten-year-old daughter Camillia Lamb. It killed his five-year-old son, Alistair, according to KMBC. Cunningham recently filed a lawsuit against several defendants seeking compensation for the harm caused by a gas leak that fueled the explosion, which he blames on negligent acts that resulted in a ruptured gas line.

    United Fiber, Alfra Communication, Sellenriek Construction, and Liberty Utilities are named defendants. The blast occurred after a construction crew mistakenly hit a gas main while burying a fiber optic line.

    Cunningham claims natural gas leaked from the line for more than three hours, spread underground, and entered his home before igniting. The lawsuit claims the defendants failed to:

    • Follow Missouri’s utility safety laws
    • Properly locate and mark gas lines
    • Notify residents of the accident
    • Shut off gas and electric service in the area after the breach

    The lawsuit alleges the defendants failed to take precautions required by state law.

    How Can an Underground Gas Leak Outside a House Cause it to Explode?

    Natural gas doesn’t just accumulate at the site of the leak. It moves, depending on conditions. If a buried gas line ruptures or cracks because of corrosion, shifting ground, tree roots, or construction digging, the gas will escape underground.

    It will follow the path of least resistance. It could be cracks in the soil, utility trenches, or conduits.

    If it makes its way to a house’s foundation, it could enter through the following:

    • Foundation cracks
    • Sewer lines or sump pits
    • Gaps between where pipes or cables enter the home

    Unless the supply is cut off, it may accumulate to dangerous levels in the following:

    • Enclosed areas like a basement or wall cavity
    • A covered porch, garage, or crawl space

    Finally, something ignites the mixture of gas and air in the home. That ignition source could be the following:

    • A furnace or water heater pilot light
    • Electrical outlets or switches
    • A car starting in a garage
    • Lit cigarettes, grills, or static electricity

    The resulting fire could be a sudden burst of flames (a flash fire) or a sustained fire spreading through flammable material inside and outside the home.

    How Could Negligence Play a Role in a Natural Gas Fire?

    Negligence is the legal foundation of most personal injury lawsuits and insurance claims. It’s a party failing to act reasonably, given the situation, by not doing something or not doing something well enough, given their relationship and obligations to others.

    Many things could lead to a contractor striking a gas main at a work site, all of them preventable. Potential acts of negligence could include the following:

    • Services that keep track of underground utilities, like gas mains, are available to tell people where they are. Failing to make an effort to at least try to find a gas main where there will be construction would be negligent
    • Workers ignoring or misreading areas marked as having gas lines can lead to digging into the line or close enough to damage it
    • Using heavy machinery (like backhoes or excavators) too close to a marked gas line instead of digging with shovels could be considered negligent
    • Not surveying the site for utility lines before starting to dig
    • Miscommunication between project managers, subcontractors, and equipment operators can lead to digging in unsafe areas.
    • Time pressure or attempts to save money by rushing the work by ignoring safety regulations can lead companies to strike gas mains
    • Primary contractors are responsible for subcontractors. Lack of oversight or failure to ensure they follow proper procedures would be negligent
    • Continuing to perform work after a gas main is discovered or is punctured would be negligent

    We thoroughly investigate all the factors that led to house fires and explosions that impacted our client’s lives. The facts we uncover are the basis for insurance and legal claims that can compensate our clients for the harm they suffer.

    Get The Legal Help You Need

    If you’re injured in a gas explosion or a family member was killed in one, you may be entitled to compensation. To talk to an experienced personal injury attorney about your situation, contact our Louisville law offices online or call us at 502-589-5600 (Toll free at 855-385-9532). We can discuss your case, how Kentucky law may apply, and how you should proceed.

    Signs Your Loved One May be Abused at Their Nursing Home

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    You choose the best facility you can and hope for the best. Your parent may have needed to start nursing home care unexpectedly after an accident or due to a medical condition. You thought the staff was trustworthy, but that trust may have been misplaced. It appears your parent’s been abused, and you want answers.

    Satterley & Kelley, PLLC represents individuals abused and neglected at Kentucky nursing homes and their families. We know the indications of abuse and the evidence needed to show whether the cause was intentional abuse or something else. If your parent or loved one is suffering at their nursing home, contact us so we can get to the bottom of what’s going on.

    The Damage Done by Elder Abuse

    Everyone, no matter their age, physical or mental limitations, deserves respect and to be safe from harm. That’s not the reality far too often. Over time, elder abuse may:

    • Harm an individual physically and psychologically
    • Destroy social and family ties
    • Cause devastating financial losses

    Research, according to the American Psychological Association, suggests that abused older people tend to die earlier than those who have not suffered abuse, even when they don’t have any chronic conditions or life-threatening diseases. The sad and scary truth is human predators are seeking vulnerable people to victimize.

    What Types of Abuse Are There?

    There is no single pattern of elder abuse. It’s a complex problem that can vary depending on the nursing home, its management, the abuser, and the victim. The abuser seeks a person who will fulfill their twisted need to hurt others in a place where they believe they’ll get away with it.

    Elder abuse can take many different forms, including:

    • Physical abuse: This may involve slapping, punching, shoving, burning, biting, tripping, inappropriate use of medications, and physical restraints. If enough force causes unnecessary pain or injury, even if it’s done by mistake or in the belief it’ll help the older person, it can be considered abusive
    • Verbal, emotional, or psychological abuse: This can involve yelling, swearing, threatening, insulting or disrespectful comments or repeatedly ignoring the older adult. It can include treating the person like a child and isolating them from friends, family, and regular activities. It’s a coercive or threatening behavior that puts the abuser in a position of power over the older adult
    • Sexual abuse: This includes inappropriate touching or photography, forcing the person to view pornography and unwanted sexual behavior
    • Financial abuse and exploitation: This ranges from misuse of someone’s funds to embezzlement. The victims are often mentally incompetent and easily manipulated or extorted into agreeing to do things like hand over money or sign documents. This includes check forgery, taking control of their retirement or Social Security income, or using their credit cards and bank accounts without permission. It may also be changing beneficiaries of a will or life insurance policy. It could also be changing names on a title to a house
    • Caregiver neglect: This includes intentionally failing to meet the older person’s physical, social, or emotional needs. Neglect is the failure to provide food, water, medication, clothing, and assistance with daily living or personal hygiene

    Often, the elderly and those with disabilities suffer multiple types of abuse at the same time.

    What are the Signs of Elder Abuse?

    While some of these symptoms may be caused by age, disease, or medications, their appearance should alert you to the need to investigate, determine, and address the cause. Indications of abuse include the following:

    • Unexplained burns, bruises, cuts, or scars
    • Lack of adequate food and water, basic hygiene, or clean and appropriate clothes
    • Lack of medical aids (walker, glasses, dentures, teeth, hearing aid, medications)
    • Sunken eyes
    • Unexplained weight loss
    • Bedsores
    • Dismissive attitude by staff or statements minimizing injuries
    • The person is unreasonably fearful or suspicious
    • Self-isolation or refusal to communicate
    • Depression or anxiety
    • Unexplained or unusual behavior changes
    • Vaginal infections or anal bleeding
    • Venereal diseases
    • Signs of insufficient care
    • Unpaid bills despite adequate money to pay them
    • Large withdrawals from bank accounts
    • Unusual ATM activity

    Family members should know their loved ones well enough to know something is wrong. Your parent may be afraid to speak out about what’s happening or blame themselves for what’s going on. You may need to get your parent out of the building before they feel safe enough to talk.

    Speak To a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Today

    Our attorneys will fight for your loved one to obtain respectful care, compensation for injuries, and accountability for those responsible for the abuse. To set up a free initial consultation with an experienced lawyer at our firm, call our Louisville office at 502-589-5600 (toll-free at 855-385-9532) or contact us online.

    Two of the Ten Most Dangerous Jobs Involve Driving

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    Every time you drive, you put yourself and your passengers in danger. The fact that people who are on the road for a living, those with the most experience, are at high risk of getting killed tells you how dangerous driving can be.

    The Transportation Industry is One of the Most Dangerous You Can Work In

    In 2022, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states US employers reported 2.3 million nonfatal job-related injuries, reports Industrial Safety & Hygiene News (ISHN). The BLS reports that year there were 5,486 fatal accidents at work that year.

    According to the BLS:

    • A worker was killed, on average, every 99 minutes from a job-related fatal injury in 2023
    • Transportation accidents were the most common fatal event, accounting for 36.8% (1,942) of all job-related deaths
    • Transportation accidents were the top cause of fatalities for Black (261) and Hispanic or Latino (390) workers in 2023
    • Workers aged 55 to 64 had the top number of fatalities by age group in 2023, with 1,089 (or 20.6% of total fatalities). Transportation accidents were the most common cause of death for this group (401)
    • The transportation and warehousing industry had the second most fatalities (930) behind construction (1,075)
    • Transportation accidents accounted for 71.7% percent (667) of fatalities in this sector

    The BLS stated fatalities were generally down in 2023 from 2022.

    The Most Dangerous Jobs in the US

    The top ten most dangerous industries in terms of deaths per 100,000 full-time workers, based on 2022 BLS data, are:

    1. Logging
    2. Roofing
    3. Fishing and hunting
    4. Construction trade helpers
    5. Aircraft piloting and flight engineering
    6. Trucking
    7. Refuse and recycling collection
    8. Iron and steel construction, demolition, and rehabilitation
    9. Mining
    10. Agricultural work

    As measured by the number of work-related deaths, some jobs are more dangerous than others. ISHN found some of the most hazardous work in the US:

    • Occurs outdoors
    • Sometimes in bad weather
    • Often when people worked alone or in isolated areas
    • With job-specific heavy equipment
    • Often involving transportation
    • Often with little or no formal safety training

    Some factors making transportation-related jobs so dangerous include the following:

    • Delivery and truck drivers: Most hours worked are on the road, so the risk of vehicle crashes is far higher than other jobs
    • Refuse and recyclable material collectors: Most of their work hours are spent on the road as well, increasing the chances of vehicle crashes, which are far greater than most other jobs. On-the-job safety training is typical, so workers are exposed to danger while they’re trying to learn to minimize it

    ISHN reported that the compensation for most of those with the highest risk of death didn’t match the dangers they face. There is no bonus for risking death in most of these jobs:

    • Salaries range from $34,790 (farm workers) to $189,620 (aircraft pilots and engineers)
    • The average yearly blue-collar job salary in 2024 was $47,514.
    • Three of the top ten most dangerous jobs have incomes at or below that national average
    • Only two have average yearly salaries of more than $60,000

    If you are injured on the job or a family member suffers a work-related death, you can file for workers’ compensation benefits from the employer. If that injury or death is caused by someone who’s not a co-worker, you may be able to file an insurance claim or lawsuit against that party. This compensation may be far more than what’s available through workers’ compensation.

    Speak To a Kentucky Truck Accident Attorney Today

    If you are injured, or a loved one is killed, in a work-related accident with a car or commercial truck in Kentucky, Satterley & Kelley PLLC can help you get the compensation you deserve. Put boots on the ground with our help.

    To discuss your truck accident and how Satterley & Kelley, PLLC can help, call our office in Louisville at 502-589-5600 or toll-free at 855-385-9532. You may also complete our contact form for a free initial consultation.

     

    Airborne Asbestos

    Airborne Asbestos May Come from an Illegal Dump Not Far from You

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    Asbestos is a naturally occurring fiber that can cause cancer after you inhale or swallow its microscopic fibers. This may happen whenever and wherever you encounter them. You may be exposed after asbestos is illegally dumped nearby, and the fibers float through the air, blown by the wind.

    Satterley & Kelley, PLLC, represents those with asbestos-related illnesses. We file claims and lawsuits against the companies responsible for the harm you suffer to provide you with compensation.

    Asbestos should be disposed of in specially regulated and equipped landfills that accept hazardous waste. It should also be properly packaged to reduce the risk of fibers being released.

    Property owners who clean asbestos from their buildings or vehicles can illegally dispose of the material. They may not realize what they have is toxic, or they may know it’s dangerous but don’t care about the harm it may cause. Abatement contractors may tell customers the waste will be properly handled, but instead illegally dispose of it.

    It could be thrown out by the roadside, where other material is illegally dumped, or mixed in with trash generated by households or businesses and disposed of in landfills.

    Why is Asbestos Illegally Dumped?

    There are many reasons why this may happen, including the following:

    • Legitimate asbestos disposal is expensive. Strict regulations cover handling and disposing of asbestos and materials containing it. There are specialized disposal sites and procedures to ensure safety. Those illegally dumping asbestos shift the financial burden of exposure and legal disposal onto others
    • Someone may be unaware of the requirements of legal asbestos disposal, or not know that the material they have contains asbestos
    • Time is money. Some want to save both by not bringing asbestos to licensed landfills that may be a long distance from them
    • Weak enforcement of environmental laws can lead people and businesses to believe they can get away with breaking the law. Unfortunately, most of the time, they’re correct
    • Illegal dumping can happen after demolition work by contractors who cut corners and are not concerned about safety. Not only might asbestos be illegally disposed of, endangering the public, but workers’ health is also threatened if they’re not properly trained or equipped to handle asbestos safely

    There are many reasons why companies cut corners and illegally dump asbestos. None of them justify the potential harm they could cause others.

    Where Might Asbestos be Illegally Dumped?

    The locations vary. One may be near where you live or work. Some of them include the following:

    • Vacant or abandoned buildings that lack security. They may already contain a variety of toxic materials onsite, and asbestos adds to the mix
    • Remote or secluded areas, such as woods, fields, forests, or rural land. They may be less likely to be visited by people or environmental authorities, so that illegal disposal might go undetected for a long time
    • Landfills or sites where there is little or no regulation. Individuals may bribe workers to look the other way when toxic materials come through the gates, or they might leave the materials where they will not be noticed. Those running legitimate landfills may be lied to when they ask about material to be unloaded
    • Vacant lots, undeveloped land, or public spaces in urban and suburban areas that are poorly maintained and may not be monitored for waste dumping
    • Abandoned mines or quarries can be forgotten or left unused for long periods, making them more vulnerable to illegal activity
    • Asbestos-containing material may be mixed with construction waste, so it may be difficult to tell the difference between the two when they end up where construction waste is legally disposed of
    • On the side of the road or near garbage collection points. Others may illegally dump furniture, tires, or household waste, and asbestos-containing materials are added

    If you’re near any of these locations, fibers released into the air threaten your health.

    Call Us Today for A Free Consultation

    Illegal asbestos disposal may be to blame if you have an asbestos-related disease, and you may be entitled to compensation.

    To discuss your situation and how Satterley & Kelley, PLLC can help, call our office in Louisville at 502-589-5600 or toll-free at 855-385-9532. You may also complete our contact form for a free initial consultation.

    Natural Gas Leaks Sometimes Cause More Than Evacuations

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    Natural gas is a significant energy source for Kentucky. The fact that it’s flammable makes it helpful in creating heat, whether cooking your dinner or heating an industrial process in a factory. However, being flammable and explosive in certain circumstances makes it highly dangerous. If you or a loved one are injured or killed in a gas explosion, or your property was damaged by one, Satterley & Kelley, PLLC can help you recover the compensation you deserve.

    Kentucky used 310,541 million cubic feet of natural gas in 2023, according to one estimate. Not all of it went where it was supposed to go. It could’ve leaked from pipelines, gas lines, appliances, or industrial equipment. The gas, in and of itself, isn’t dangerous. It’s flammable and explosive when it mixes with air and ignites with a spark or flame.

    Downtown Louisville Evacuates Due to Natural Gas Leak

    No one in their right mind should stay inside a building with natural gas leaking into it. It could become a bomb that levels it and other structures around it.

    Several downtown Louisville buildings, including Metro Hall, were evacuated the morning of February 25 as firefighters investigated a gas leak, reports WDRB. Several agencies responded to the scene, including about 40 Louisville firefighters, and the danger passed by 2:00 p.m., according to the Louisville Metro Emergency Services. 

    Crews entered area buildings and ventilated them by opening windows. Metropolitan Sewer District employees opened manhole covers and aired out local sewers. No injuries were reported.

    The cause wasn’t known then, but it was believed to be a leak from an eight-inch gas line running down 5th Street from Jefferson to Market. The line may have expanded and contracted during the recent extreme weather, causing it to crack.

    Natural Gas Explosion Kills One, Injures Six

    Danville in 2019 wasn’t the scene of a precautionary evacuation, according to WLKY. A natural gas pipeline there exploded, killing one and injuring six. Seventy-five people were evacuated from their area homes afterward. Three years later, federal regulators released their report on the cause.

    The National Transportation Safety Board stated different factors were at play, but one of the leading causes was a pipeline manufacturing defect. Their final report stated the fire and explosion’s “probable cause” was the following combination:

    • A pre-existing “hard spot” (a manufacturing defect)
    • Degraded pipeline coating
    • Ineffective cathodic protection was applied to the pipeline in 2014, which caused its outer surface to crack and fail
    • A gas flow reversal project increased outside external corrosion
    • The pipeline company’s (Enbridge, Inc.) integrity management program failed to assess the pipeline’s integrity or accurately estimate the risks posed by several threats to the pipeline’s integrity

    The explosion ejected 30 feet of pipeline from the ground, creating a 26,000-cubic-foot crater. Fires caused by the explosion destroyed five homes, and 14 more were damaged. These fires lasted several hours before crews could put them out. The pipeline ends at the Mexican border and New York City.

    Family of Woman Killed in Explosion Files Wrongful Death Case

    A month after the explosion, family members of the 58-year-old woman killed, Lisa Derringer filed a wrongful death case against Enbridge in Harris County, Texas, where the company is based, according to the Courier-Journal. Six others were hospitalized with burns.

    The lawsuit alleges Derringer tried to escape and call her family after the blast but died because the fire and explosion consumed the oxygen in the area, physical trauma from the blast, and heat caused by the fire.

    The plaintiffs also claim Enbridge failed to do the following, causing it to be liable for Derringer’s death:

    • Take steps to prevent the explosion
    • Warn nearby residents of its “hazardous conditions”
    • Properly train employees
    • Properly inspect, monitor, and maintain the pipeline
    • Properly monitor the pipeline and take corrective action

    The family sought more than $1 million in compensation. One family member told the newspaper a lawsuit’s goal was to compel Enbridge to take pipeline safety more seriously.

    Know Anyone Injured by a Gas Leak?

    The attorneys at Satterley & Kelley have litigated claims involving and can help you with them, too. If you or someone you know is injured by natural gas, you may reach our office in Louisville at 502-589-5600 or toll-free at 855-385-9532. You may also complete our contact form for a free initial consultation.

    Will the Driver Causing Your Accident Be Stoned on Soda?

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    Although you can’t legally recreationally smoke cannabis in Kentucky, you can legally drink one of its active ingredients, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Kentucky will be banning some cannabis-infused drinks and regulating others under a recently passed law. These THC drinks can impair drivers to the point where they’re dangerous to drive and cause accidents.

    A bill to regulate these drinks in Kentucky was signed into law in March, reports WDRB. The state’s Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control will regulate product labels, define its oversight responsibilities, and limit intoxicating ingredients in these drinks. There will also be studies on how these drinks impact public health, with findings expected to be published in 2026.

    Under federal law, these drinks are already available. You must be at least 21 years old to purchase them legally.

    What are Cannabis-Infused Drinks?

    Marijuana is a Cannabis sativa plant, according to the Harvard Medical School. It has more than a hundred chemical compounds known as cannabinoids. They interact with chemicals and receptors in the brain.

    The best-known cannabinoid is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). It produces intoxication or euphoria. It may also ease pain and nausea. Another one is cannabidiol (CBD). It’s not intoxicating and has many potential medical uses, including relieving anxiety.

    Cannabis with low THC levels (less than 0.3%) are classified as hemp. Those with more are considered cannabis. The amount and type of cannabinoids that cannabis-based products claim to have vary widely, and their labels may be inaccurate.

    Many cannabis-infused drinks list THC as an ingredient. There’s no standard dose, but five milligrams (mg) is a level typically used in research studies. Some “low-dose” beverages have two to four mg of THC in an eight-ounce container. Other products may have as much as 200 mg of THC. They may also contain alcohol, caffeine, and other substances.

    How Do Cannabis-Infused Drinks Differ from Cannabis-Infused Foods (Edibles)?

    The cannabinoids in beverages are formulated to dissolve in liquid, making them more easily and rapidly absorbed into the body’s soft tissues. Someone drinking one may feel effects within 15-20 minutes, which may be much faster than someone eating a THC-infused gummy, brownie, or cookie. That may take 30 to 90 minutes because the cannabinoids must be digested and processed through the liver.

    How Do the Effects of Cannabis-Infused Drinks Compare With Those Containing Alcohol?

    More people drink alcohol than cannabis-infused drinks. Alcohol’s effects are better known to individuals and society as a whole. How a cannabis-infused drink will impact someone depends on many factors, including:

    • How the individual responds to THC
    • How much THC is in the drink
    • Other drink ingredients
    • What else the person has eaten or drunk, and whether they’re using over-the-counter, prescription, or illegal drugs at the time

    Drinking one or two more of these drinks can quickly double or triple your THC dose. Your experience could go from mild to severe. You may not feel high, or that feeling may be overwhelmed by anxiety, nausea, increased blood pressure, agitation, or paranoia.

    How Does Age Affect the Experience?

    Unpleasant side effects may be more common in older adults because drug metabolism slows with age. Cannabis-related visits to hospital emergency departments increased in older adults after California legalized recreational cannabis use. The same thing happened in Canada, according to a recent study in JAMA Internal Medicine.

    There are many more unknowns with cannabis-infused drinks than those containing alcohol, so whether one’s more healthy than the other, no one can say for sure.

    Can Cannabis-Infused Drinks Impair Driving Abilities?

    Cannabis impacts parts of the brain, controlling your movements, coordination, balance, memory, and judgment, according to the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It also impairs skills needed to safely drive by:

    • Slowing your ability to make decisions and reaction time
    • Impairing coordination
    • Distorting perception

    There’s an association between cannabis use and car accidents, but it may be difficult to connect the presence of cannabis or THC in a person to impaired driving. Studies have shown using multiple substances (such as cannabis and alcohol) simultaneously can increase impairment.

    Speak To A Satterley & Kelley, PLLC Vehicle Accident Injury Lawyer Today

    If you’re injured in an accident caused by a driver impaired by THC, Satterley & Kelley PLLC attorneys can protect your rights to compensation for your injuries and losses. To reach our office in Louisville, call 502-589-5600 or toll-free at 855-385-9532. You may also complete our contact form for a free initial consultation.