April 30, 2007 – As mesothelioma, a rare asbestos cancer, claims a third family member from Natural Bridge, a New York hamlet with only 392 residents, a lawsuit was filed today by LK’s mesothelioma lawyers on behalf of the estate of the third victim who had developed cancer as a result of exposure to asbestos-contaminated talc from Carbola Talc Mine. The man’s sister and mother also died from mesothelioma cancer.
AS MESOTHELIOMA, A RARE ASBESTOS CANCER, CLAIMS A THIRD FAMILY MEMBER FROM NATURAL BRIDGE, A NEW YORK HAMLET WITH ONLY 392 RESIDENTS, A LAWSUIT WAS FILED TODAY BY LK’S MESOTHELIOMA LAWYERS ON BEHALF OF THE ESTATE OF THE THIRD VICTIM WHO HAD DEVELOPED THE CANCER AS A RESULT OF EXPOSURE TO ASBESTOS-CONTAMINATED TALC FROM CARBOLA TALC MINE. THE MAN’S SISTER AND MOTHER ALSO DIED FROM MESOTHELIOMA CANCER.
SYRACUSE, New York, April 30, 2007 – Mesothelioma lawyers from Levy Konigsberg LLP filed an asbestos lawsuit1 today on behalf of a third family member from a Jefferson County, New York, hamlet to die from mesothelioma. “It’s a statistical improbability for the rare asbestos cancer to occur in a town of fewer than 400 persons,” said attorney Robert I. Komitor, a partner at Levy Konigsberg LLP.
Donald Lozo, who died in August 2005, at the age of 67, was exposed to asbestos contained in talc, as was his late sister, Catherine, and late mother, Mary, who also died of mesothelioma. Donald Lozo worked for more than a decade at the Carbola Talc Mine in Natural Bridge, NY, according to the complaint filed by his mesothelioma lawyers.
The Lozo family’s mesothelioma tragedy began in the 1930s when Alfred Lozo, husband of Mary and father of Donald and Catherine, began working at the Carbola Talc Mine. For decades Albert Lozo would return from work at the mine with talc dust left on his clothing and in the family car. Mary, Donald, and Catherine were constantly exposed to this asbestos-laden talc dust, which had also made its way into the Lozo residence when it was released from the talc operation into the air, according to LK’s Patrick J. Timmins, Esq., one of the mesothelioma lawyers working on the Lozo’s case.
“Talc mineworkers had no reason to think that the mineral was dangerous. Catherine Lozo Gerber, who filed her own lawsuit2 after she developed mesothelioma, testified before her death in a deposition that her father sometimes took her to work – not knowing that he was exposing his daughter to cancer-causing dust,” Timmins said. Levy Konigsberg LLP also represents Catherine Lozo Gerber’s estate in a separate mesothelioma lawsuit filed in Syracuse, NY, in 2005.
Donald Lozo, whose estate filed its case today, also was exposed to asbestos-contaminated talc when he worked at the mill at Carbola Mine in the 1950s and early 1960s. He also was exposed to asbestos used in industrial products while working as a member of the Ironworkers Local 60 union beginning in the mid-1960s. The Carambola Chemical Company is one of the entities believed to be responsible for mining and milling operations during the years during which Alfred and Donald Lozo worked at the Natural Bridge facility, Timmins added.
Lisa Gerber, Catherine Lozo Gerber’s daughter, acts as the executrix for Donald Lozo’s and Catherine Lozo Gerber’s estates in the lawsuit.
Mesothelioma is an extremely rare disease without a hereditary basis, occurring in approximately only 1 out of 100,000 persons, and even less frequently in women. Natural Bridge had a population of approximately 392 persons according to the 2000 Census, and thus normally zero mesothelioma deaths would be expected in such locality. Yet, in the Lozo family, there now have been three deaths from this asbestos cancer. In fact, a number of studies have independently confirmed that at least 15 talc workers have died of mesothelioma in New York State, according to Lozo’s mesothelioma lawyers.
For years, scientists have noted the high rates of mesothelioma cancer in New York State talc mining counties. One 2002 study published by the British Occupational Hygiene Society found Jefferson County, in which Natural Bridge is located, with the second-highest mesothelioma death rate for females in the US and the sixth highest for males, according to attorney Komitor.
Independent scientists and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (“NIOSH”) analyzed New York State talc in the 1970s and concluded that it was contaminated with asbestos. More recently, the New York State Department of Health again confirmed the presence of asbestos in the talc ore, Komitor said.
“This is a tragedy for the Lozo and Gerber families and for the Natural Bridge community. We know there are others who’ve lost loved ones because of asbestos from talc and from other sources and we are doing everything we can to obtain justice for Don, Catherine, and their families,” said Patrick Timmins.
Under the court rules, after the defendants are served, the Hon. James W. McCarthy will establish a schedule for the mesothelioma lawsuit, to include dates for exchanging evidence, motions, and trial, Timmins explained.
For over a quarter of a century, mesothelioma lawyers at Levy Konigsberg LLP have been among the pioneers of asbestos litigation in America. The firm’s attorneys have been recognized as nationwide leaders in representing the rights of mesothelioma victims and their families. Their clients have received some of the largest mesothelioma compensation verdicts in the country.
For more information about this or other mesothelioma lawsuits, please contact Levy Konigsberg LLP at (800) 315-3806 or 1-800-MESO-LAW (1-800-637-6529), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
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