Amos Saunders, a retired Passaic County Superior Court judge, has filed a lawsuit against the county and two companies, A.H. Environment Inc. and Alaimo Group, for asbestos exposure. Mr. Saunders claimed to have been exposed to the toxin during the 23 years he spent at the Patterson courthouse, resulting in an adenocarcinoma diagnosis – a type of cancer that, like mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses, is entirely preventable.
Asbestos, which was banned in the 1970s, was a common construction material that has been found to be extremely hazardous when inhaled. When friable, asbestos can be easily broken apart, at which point it becomes airborne. During renovation and demolition projects, it’s not uncommon for asbestos to be disturbed; likewise, if an abatement is done improperly or carelessly, the potential for exposure is much greater.
Both A.H. Environment Inc., a contracting company, and the Alaimo Group, a consulting engineer, were involved in an asbestos removal project at the courthouse in 1983. Mr. Saunders’s lawsuit alleged that A.H. Environment Inc. was negligent on the job. He also claimed that the three defendants were aware of the dangers associated with the project, but that no steps were taken to help protect the courthouse employees, who inhaled the airborne contaminant and carried home asbestos dust on their clothes.
In January, the Alaimo Group requested summary judgment to dismiss the claims against the company due to the statute of repose, which sets a ten-year window for lawsuits involving real property. Although the abatement project took place more than 30 years ago, the request for summary judgment was denied in late February.
A.H. Environment Inc. has not yet responded to the complaint. A trial date has been set for May, 2015.
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