Have you lost a parent, child, spouse due to chemical exposure? By government or big business?

Question

Asbestosis, Agent Orange, jobs in mines, oil industry etc.
Most of us forget the dangers still out there that are contaminating people.
When my son prepared to accept a job in Oregon in the oil industry he had to undergo testing for contamination. He passed after 12-15 yrs. exposure.
Without seeking the information the majority of us do not realize how
many have died.
Did you or the family receive any compensation?

Answer 1

Dear Southern Comfort: I am sad for you and your son, and Slk and TC and Shermyne.
I had a father-in-law who died from mesofelioma (sp) from ever exposure asbestos at Johns Mansville in Waukegan, IL and His wife got about $21,000.00 several years ago. Lawyers will take on cases now for asbestos.

I have Environmental Illness from an over exposure to five different chemicals, but mostly pesticide. There is nothing I can do about it, there is no cure and I have to live very simply, kinda like our grandparents did years ago.. No soft plastics, use glass to store things in, only non-scented soap, etc. Only metal and real wood in the house etc. This gives me a chance to clean out a little. Can't go in places like Walmart, or Kmart anywhere they sell pesticides or polyester which has formaldehyde in it, for more than 20 minutes before I start having neurological symptoms.
The govt. will not take responsibility for any of the dis-eases that so many people have and have died from. I am convinced that fibromyalgia, chronic Fatigue, Environmental Illness (which I have all 3) or what the govt likes to call chemical sensitivities, agent orange, chemicals in Iraq war, MS, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's are all caused from an over exposure to a certain chemical(s). I think the govt. is trying to clean it up quietly as I have seen small changes over the last 5 years. Their are so many people who are sick and can't work or have died because of these things. It hurts my heart to hear about others who have died or will die from these dis-eases. I am sure the corporations knew about and didn't do anything...case in point movie "Erin Brockovich" true story. There were five in my area who worked in different buildings that got what I have about the same time but no way to prove anything. After seeing a Environmental Specialist in Scottsdale, AZ, I learned so much about it and what I could do to make my life livable. You may want to got to there web site. It is called the American Academy of Environmental Medicine. I am grateful to God for SSDI and partial pension. I feel I am lucky to get that as they don't really recognize EI. I know people that live in the desert in Arizona, growing their own food because they can't stand the exposures and have no insurance or anything. This is the first time I have ever heard anyone else talk about it like you have. It is kind of scary even talking about it here. God Bless all of you, You and families are all in my prayers.

Answer 2

14 years ago on the 14 December Tc's father died. He had had a nasty cold that then turned into flu. He got so ill that he had to go into hospital and after a series of chest x-rays they found that he hadn't got flu or pneumonia as they first thought...he had lung cancer. After questioning the family his doctor said that they thought he had asbestosis. Dad had worked most of his working days for a plumbing and heating merchant and in the 60's he had handled asbestos which was used back then for insulation. Tc remembers his dad coming home from work and while he was still in his work overalls he would pick Tc up (with asbestos dust on his overalls!). Dad was in hospital only a couple of days when he had a massive heart attack and was put on life-support. A couple of days later they turned the life-support off because there was no hope for him. We are always concerned about the effects of asbestos whenever Tc has a cold or chest infection because we don't know if he has been affected by it or not. His mother and siblings could all be at risk too which is really scary. The family did not get any compensation and there will be other famillies who will have gone through the same as we did because asbestos was very popular in the 60's and 70's.

Answer 3

Probably, but it was never proven. Someone mentioned Agent Orange earlier. The gov't has finally admitted that Agent Orange has caused problems, but not the chemicals used in Desert Storm. My cousin was in 'Nam. He stayed in the reserves & went back for Desert Storm. After he returned, he fell into a coma. He was there for several months & came out of it, but will never be the same. Part of his brain function is gone.

My father worked with lead paint & all of the chemicals which went along with it. There were no safety masks, etc back then. In addition to that, there was a factory which spewed out black soot across the street. We all breathed that. My father died at 59.

Answer 4

My cousin did 3 tours of duty in Nam, he died of brain cancer, his daughter was born with a heart defect. To the best of my knowledge, they received no compensation or apology.

I worked for a company that made prefab modular housing for military installations overseas, I actually worked there twice, every single officer and some employees died from cancer causing agent the in the adhesive, EVERY SINGLE ONE!