by Williams Cedar, LLC | Aug 31, 2022 | Environmental Law, Personal Injury Law
According to a recent study, as many as nine million people every year are killed around the world as a result of environmental pollution. The total cost to the global economy as a result of this pollution is estimated to be around $4.6 trillion per year, resulting from health care costs and other expenses caused by unmitigated pollution. While Africa is the hardest hit region in the world, there are still many places in America where people are sickened and killed by pollution every year.
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by Williams Cedar, LLC | Aug 24, 2022 | Product Liability Law, Personal Injury Law
Banana Boat has issued a recall for its Hair and Scalp Sunscreen after trace amounts of benzene were detected in three batches of the product. This recall is meant to protect people from unintentional exposure to the toxic chemical, which can make them seriously sick, or even kill people in high enough doses. Anyone who has one of the affected batches of sunscreen should cease use of them and discard them immediately.
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by Williams Cedar, LLC | Aug 11, 2022 | Firm News
After being passed in the U.S. Senate after a series of delays, the Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022 has become law. Gerald J. Williams, Partner, Williams Cedar LLP, says that this law will help even more veterans who have been exposed to toxins on the battlefield to get the medical help they need from the Veterans Administration (VA) hospital.
On July 17, 2022, the House of Representatives passed the Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022. While in the U.S. Senate, the bill was held up, citing “administrative issues,” but, on August 2, 2022, it finally passed. On August 10, 2022, President Joe Biden signed the bill into law.
The Honoring the PACT Act of 2002 will cover those who were exposed to noxious fumes from “burn pits” while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Agent Orange while stationed in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Guam, American Samoa and Johnston Atoll. It will also cover those who were exposed to contaminated water while stationed at or living near Camp Lejeune for 30 days cumulatively between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987.
Under the Act, more combat veterans who served after September 11, 2001 will be covered by the VA healthcare system. In addition, 23 medical conditions related to burn pit exposure will be included in the VA’s list of service presumptions, including hypertension.
“We are glad to see the Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022 being finally signed into law,” Mr. Williams said. “The Act will now allow returning service members who became sickened from toxins while deployed overseas to get the medical coverage they need. Millions of our veterans weren’t eligible for coverage because their illnesses weren’t considered to be ‘service-connected’ at the time. The Act changes that.”
Williams Cedar represents individuals and communities who have been exposed to toxic chemicals and whose water, soil, air or work environment has become polluted by harmful chemicals. They also represent clients in personal injury lawsuits such as toxic torts, in which a client claims they have been harmed by exposure to a hazardous substance. Occupational toxic torts are more common because the worker has suffered long-term exposure to harmful chemicals on the job site. In addition, the firm has successfully represented our veterans with their disability claims.
by Williams Cedar, LLC | Jul 26, 2022 | Environmental Law
State officials in Pennsylvania are facing a public outcry after it was revealed that they failed to test wells in Benner Township for water contamination for more than two years. This led the contamination to go unaddressed for all that time, meaning that people were unknowingly consuming toxic chemicals that could have a negative impact on their long-term health. Residents are now demanding that the state provide answers regarding how their water was contaminated, and why the authorities did not warn them before now. They also want to know which parties are responsible for the contamination.
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by Williams Cedar, LLC | Jul 26, 2022 | Firm News
HADDONFIELD, NEW JERSEY — Gerald J. Williams, Partner, Williams Cedar LLP, says that any member of the United States Marine Corps who became seriously ill while stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina or anyone who lived or worked near the base may be able to seek legal action against the federal government, thanks to federal legislation that could soon become law.
On March 26, 2021, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright of Pennsylvania introduced the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2021. The bill would allow those who were exposed to contaminated water while stationed at or living near the base for 30 days cumulatively between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987 to sue the federal government for all the harm they suffered. It became part of the Honoring our PACT Act of 2022, which passed the House in March and passed the U.S. Senate on June 16. It is currently awaiting the president’s signature.
Established in 1941, Camp Lejeune has been used as a major training ground for the Marines, who use the lake as a staging ground for simulated amphibious assaults and other training exercises. It is estimated that the camp has up to 47,000 people living on base at any time, with up to 150,000 people living in the surrounding community. Because of these activities, the drinking water at the base was contaminated with toxic chemicals that caused a variety of severe health problems, many of which resulted in long-term disabilities or even fatal diseases.
Under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, any veteran, reservist or National Guardsman who was stationed at the military base during that aforementioned time period can seek legal recourse. They must have been honorably discharged and suffered from one of the presumptive medical conditions: adult leukemia; aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes; non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma; liver cancer; bladder cancer; kidney cancer; multiple myeloma; and Parkinson’s disease.
“We urge all members of the U.S. Marine Corps and those who lived on the base who have become ill with the following conditions — adult leukemia, aplastic anemia, other myelodysplastic syndromes, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, liver cancer, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, multiple myeloma, and Parkinson’s disease — to contact the firm immediately and file a claim,” Mr. Williams says.
Williams Cedar represents individuals and communities who have been exposed to toxic chemicals and whose water, soil, air or work environment has become polluted by harmful chemicals. They also represent clients in personal injury lawsuits such as toxic torts, in which a client claims they have been harmed by exposure to a hazardous substance. Occupational toxic torts are more common because the worker has suffered long-term exposure to harmful chemicals on the job site. In addition, the firm has successfully represented our veterans with their disability claims.
