New York City Construction Industry 2018 was the most dangerous year in nearly a decade

New York Construction Accident Lawyer Representing Injured Workers

Construction industry is filled with numerous risks and potential hazards, especially in New York City. While construction accidents happen all the time, statistics collected by the New York City over the past decade have shown that 2018 saw more reported construction related injuries of any year following the post-recession building boom.

Key findings about construction accidents in 2018, according to statistics and an article from Crain’s New York:

• Through October 2018, the last month of available data, construction accidents and injuries already outpaced year-end numbers recorded in 2017 (650 for both).
• The number of construction accidents in New York City has increased each year since 2014, when the city’s building boom began to gain steam.
• As of November 21, when a construction worker was crushed to death at a worksite in Brooklyn, the number of construction fatalities in NYC was 12 – which is equal to the number of construction fatalities recorded in each of the previous three full years.
• When tracked using different criteria set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the number of construction injuries and deaths in the city is even greater.

Though experts state increases in construction work and incident reporting may contribute to the higher numbers, the data – which comprise only a fraction of the 2018 year – is alarming. That’s especially true given the efforts of City officials who have adopted a number of measures designed to protect construction workers and reduce accidents, injuries, and deaths on worksites.

These measures include improve oversight of project safety, higher fines for employers and others who violate workplace safety standards, and a new law requiring a minimum of 40 hours of safety training for all workers. The rise in construction site accidents despite these efforts suggests employers may not be doing enough to protect workers from construction accidents.

”Your Rights As A Construction Worker In New York”

How Do I Find Construction Accident Lawyer in New York?

Just as you wouldn’t call an electrician to fix your plumbing, you need to be sure that any lawyer you call is experienced in handling construction accident cases. Even the smallest missed detail in your case could result in you going without the financial compensation and benefits you and your family deserve. Our team of New York Construction Accident Attorneys of The Rybak Firm, PLLC., have the experience and knowledge to help you get the maximum compensation under the law. Call Now For A Free Consultation (718)569-7040 Available 24/7 or Contact Us online and we’ll respond as soon as possible.

Best Age to Get Life Insurance

The optimal age for purchasing life insurance is technically right after birth. Life insurance is age-banded, which means that as each year passes, a policy becomes more expensive. There are arguments for and against a parent or relative purchasing life insurance for a newborn. Here's a look at the options.

A whole life insurance policy can be prepaid via lump sum for an infant or minor. When the minor child turns 18, policy ownership can be transferred to the insured, at which point the policy can be funded further, or cashed in if it holds any equity.

Life insurance cash values grow tax-deferred. Premium contributions to whole life policies purchased at early ages can accumulate considerable value over long-term time horizons, as the cost of insurance is fixed for the entire term of the policy. Cash values can be used as a down payment for a first home purchase. If held long enough, accumulations may supplement retirement income. However, the primary function of personal life insurance revolves around two major categories: income and debt.

Life Insurance and Debt

A college graduate entering the workforce may, in the absence of savings, obtain a credit card to fund relocation or housing costs. The acquisition of unsecured debt immediately places a burden on the debtor's estate, as card balances require payment upon the death of the holder. Ideally, the 22- to 23-year-old graduate purchases a life insurance policy to cover the debt assumed. However, most individuals under age 25 are more concerned with paying current bills than acquiring additional ones.

While the optimal age to purchase life insurance is under 35, Millennials are the least likely to purchase a policy. In 2015, individuals between 18 and 35 overestimated the cost of a policy by 213%. Among the 57% of U.S. citizens who own life insurance, more than half of those policyholders are 45 or older. With marital rates decreasing 21% from 1960 to 2010, life policy purchases are being delayed despite the inherent advantages of buying at a younger age.

Life Insurance and Income

Fewer people are tying the knot, and the number of dual-income households has more than doubled from 1960 through 2012. More than 60% of U.S. households contained two wage earners in 2012, a 35% increase from 1960. With life insurance existing to protect households from the death of a breadwinner, direct written life premium has nevertheless remained flat between 2012 and 2014. Monthly life premiums take a backseat to retirement savings among U.S. residents 25 or older. Furthermore, 40% of Americans don’t own life insurance. Among that population, more than half of them say that payments for conveniences such as cell phones, cable and internet service take precedence over prospective life insurance premiums.

Cost of Waiting

Forgoing life insurance purchases at a young age can be costly over the long term. The average cost of a 30-year level term policy with a $100,000 face amount is about $156 per year for a healthy 30-year-old male. By contrast, the annual premium for a 40-year-old male is about $216. The overall cost of delaying the purchase for 10 years sits at $1,800 over the life of the policy.

Additionally, the cost of waiting to purchase life insurance can have a greater impact on an attempt to purchase a policy. Medical conditions are more likely to develop as an individual grows older. If a serious medical condition arises, a policy can be rated by the life underwriter, which could lead to higher premium payments or the possibility that the application for coverage can be declined outright.

Transvaginal Mesh Lawsuits and Complications – Do You Have a Case?

See if you qualify for a vaginal mesh lawsuit and learn how to hire the best lawyer

Transvaginal mesh is a medical device that has caused endless problems for female patients. Many of the implants have resulted in terrible health issues like erosion, infection, organ perforation and chronic pain. You might be eligible to join an active vaginal mesh lawsuit for products liability against a medical device manufacturer. Learn more about how to find and work with a transvaginal mesh lawyer.

Transvaginal mesh is a medical device that has a long, storied history of health complications. Far too many women had them implanted for stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse before researchers learned about the risks involved. Now the medical device community is facing the legal backlash of vaginal mesh lawsuits for failing to anticipate what their products might do.

Who qualifies to participate in a vaginal mesh lawsuit?

Vaginal mesh lawsuits are, at their heart, products liability lawsuits. You will likely not be pursuing a medical malpractice claim against your surgeon unless there was gross negligence during the implant surgery or medical malpractice at some point; the real problem is with the implant itself.

Also, keep in mind that not every woman who has received a vaginal mesh implant will qualify for a lawsuit.

An attorney will want to know whether you had transvaginal mesh surgery or bladder sling surgery, and when that surgery took place. Sometimes lawsuits only focus on products made between certain date ranges. The lawyer will also want to know the condition that caused the implant to be inserted and what your transvaginal mesh complications were post-surgery.

The side effects are numerous for these types of surgeries, though only those that are clearly tied to the implant will be listed in a lawsuit (for instance, chronic low back pain might indeed be caused by the implant, but that is a nebulous condition caused by any number of things).

These are the transvaginal mesh complications mentioned in mesh lawsuits:

• Bladder infection
• Erosion or extrusion
• Fistula
• Mesh contraction
• Mesh hardening
• Nerve damage
• Organ perforation
• Pain during intercourse
• Pelvic pain
• Post-surgical infection
• Recurring incontinence
• Recurring prolapse
• Revision surgery
• Scarring
• Urinary blockage
• Urinary tract infection
• Vaginal pain

Cancer Discovery May Help Slow Mesothelioma Metastases

Whether a person has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, breast cancer, or any other type of cancer, stopping cancer cells from spreading throughout the body is a primary goal of cancer research. Where chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy are successfully used to control the localized growth of most tumors, the real long-term danger comes when cancer’s cells are able to metastasize to other parts of the body and begin doing damage in a new area. Now a group of biomedical engineers from the University of Minnesota has completed a study on how to stop this process from occurring, and what they’ve learned may represent a significant breakthrough.

While other types of cancer will metastasize to faraway organs like the brain or the bone, mesothelioma tends toward what is known in the medical community as a localized spread: its cells travel from the organ that lines the chest cavity into the immediate lung and then the other lung, the adrenal glands, the kidneys and the liver. Peritoneal mesothelioma tends to spread to more organs, including the lungs and heart, the liver and kidneys, the pancreas, the brain, bone, and more. Stopping this spread would make a significant difference in the survival of patients. The research published in Nature Communications by biomedical engineers from the University of Minnesota  focuses on stopping the cells from moving even after they have shifted the mechanism by which they travel.

Where mesothelioma researchers have long known that cancerous tumors have highway-like patterns on which cells move towards blood vessels and nearby tissue, they have been unclear on what drives cancer cells to access those routes. In studying this question, the Minnesota team administered an agent to stop the cells, only to find that they adapted a different mechanism. Upon learning this, the team targeted both movements and successfully stopped all of the cells’ movements.

Speaking of the team’s findings, senior author Paolo Provenzano, a University of Minnesota biomedical engineering associate professor and a Masonic Cancer Center researcher, said, “Cancer cells are very sneaky. We didn’t expect the cells to change their movement. This forced us to change our tactics to target both kinds of movements simultaneously. It’s almost like we destroyed their GPS so they couldn’t find the highways. This stopped the cells in their tracks. The cells just sat there and didn’t move.” The group hopes to begin studying what they learned in the laboratory to animal trials, and eventually to humans. “Ultimately, we’d like to find ways to suppress cancer cell movement while enhancing immune cell movement to fight the cancer,” Provenzano said.

As researchers learn more about the way that mesothelioma develops and advances within the body, victims of this asbestos-related disease gain new hope. To learn more about the resources available to you, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net at 1-800-692-8608.

Abestos In School : Harmful to Teachers and Students

No parent wants to hear that their child’s school is shut down due to asbestos being found. No teacher wants to learn about this either.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t the case for Indiana Avenue School #18 in Iselin, NJ. For the second time this year, the school has closed its doors to both its students and faculty.

“Recent test results have caused us to temporarily close the school, out of an abundance of caution. The health of our students and staff is, and always will be, our top priority. … We appreciate the patience of our entire school community throughout this difficult process,” stated the school’s superintendent Robert Zaga.

Air Quality Issues at Indiana Ave School 

The temporary closing of School #18 has raised many eyebrows. It has also increased health and educational concerns among the parents of students. The school has been closed twice now due to air quality issues involving mold and asbestos.

Latest released inspection reports revealed that asbestos was found in the school’s media center. Traces of the carcinogen had also been discovered in three different classrooms.

“I don’t think we should expose our children to a material that can potentially kill them in the long run,” commented one parent.

It is important to remember that there is no safe level of asbestos exposure. Exposing children teachers, and other faculty members at School #18 could lead to serious health complications in their future.

“Up to 1000 premature deaths from lung cancer or mesothelioma will occur in the future among school children from schools where asbestos was used in the walls,” said a review published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine (OEM).

Asbestos is the only known cause of mesothelioma. Every year in the United States 2,000 to 3,000 cases of this incurable cancer are diagnosed.

Asbestos Hiding in Schools

It might not cross your mind, but asbestos can still be found in many school buildings today. If your child attends or you work in a school that was built prior to 1980, it is possible that the facility still contains asbestos.

In 2013, Asbestos Nation did a study that analyzed school inspection records in Chicago, Illinois. What this organization discovered is quite shocking.

Based on the reports, more than 600 different locations in over 180 schools needed asbestos either removed or repaired. The study was updated in 2015. Regrettably, only 11 schools took the recommendations of their inspection reports to protect their student body and staff.

Asbestos-containing materials in buildings can be a threat if they are disturbed. Normal wearing and aging of a building can cause this. Even pushing thumb tacks into a wall insulated with asbestos can release many unseen fibers into the air.

In older schools, asbestos may still be found in:

• Insulation
• Floor tiles
• Ceiling tiles
• Plumbing
• Paint
• Roofing shingles

As reported by the Environmental Working Group, “the EPA holds schools responsible for inspecting their buildings every three years and taking steps to ensure that any asbestos fibers present cannot be released into the air. Affected schools must maintain an asbestos management plan and share it with anyone who wishes to see it within five days of the request.”

Assuming your school is following these guidelines – parents, teachers, and all other staff members, it is your right to know.

Teachers and Students at Risk for Asbestos-Illnesses

In the United States, approximately 15,000 victims succumb to an asbestos-related disease each year. Many individuals are diagnosed due to having exposure in their workplace.

Shipbuilders, factory and construction workers, are but only a few occupations that are at high-risk for exposure. You may not think about it, but even non blue-collar workers, like teachers can be victims too.

According to EWG, “elementary school teachers were more than twice as likely as the average American to die of mesothelioma.”

Not only does asbestos exposure put teachers a risk, but it also puts students at a high risk of developing a preventable disease as well.

“Early childhood exposure, even at very low levels, thus becomes a significant factor when estimating risk, because it allows for such long latent periods,” states a report from American Academy of Pediatrics.

It takes anywhere from 20 to 50 years for mesothelioma to develop. Though it is common for a diagnosis to occur in the elderly, there have been cases of young adults in their 20’s being diagnosed.

20-30% of Mesothelioma Patients Do Not Receive Treatment

According to a recent study, around a quarter of mesothelioma patients do not receive any cancer treatments. The study used data from the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program. The study analyzed the types of treatment received by pleural and non-pleural mesothelioma patients as well as the correlations with age, gender, and survival.

Treatment Statistics for Malignant Mesothelioma
The study analyzed information about 442 patients diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma in 2011. 389 patients had pleural mesothelioma and 53 had non-pleural mesothelioma, such as peritoneal. For pleural patients, receiving surgery with systemic therapy resulted in the best survival.

Pleural Patient Treatment:

• 29.3% received no treatment
• 27.1% underwent surgery
• 18.4% received radiation
• 62% received systemic therapy

Non-Pleural Patient Treatment:

• 21.5% received no treatment
• 51.8% underwent surgery
• 4.9% received radiation
• 61.6% received systemic therapy

Older Patients Are Less Likely to Receive Treatment

The study also separated patients by age groups. The older group included patients who were over 70. The younger group included patients who were under 50. According to the study, older patients were less likely to receive treatment than younger patients.

Patient Age:

• Only 3.1% of pleural patients were younger than 50 years.
• 23.3% of non-pleural patients were younger than 50 years.

Why Do Some Patients Not Receive Treatment?

There are many reasons why a mesothelioma patient could go without receiving cancer treatment. Some patients’ doctors may deem them not healthy enough to receive treatment. Occasionally, patients decide themselves that they would rather not deal with the side effects of aggressive cancer treatments.

Jerry's Treatment Story

Jerry is a 15 year mesothelioma survivor. When Jerry was diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma, he almost refused to be treated. Fortunately, his family convinced him to give chemotherapy a chance.

Upon diagnosis, Jerry’s doctor told him that he only had 6-9 months to live and that there was no cure for the disease. His doctor then proceeded to recommend chemotherapy treatment. Jerry almost refused to receive treatment because he didn’t want to deal with the side effects.

He told the doctor, “No, there will be no chemotherapy! If I have six months to live, I am not going to be sick all the time and then die!”

Jerry figured that if he only had a few more months to live, he wanted to be well enough to spend time with his family before the end would come. What he didn’t realize was that the side effects of chemotherapy would be very much worth it if it worked.

“The doctor, my wife, and many friends convinced me that I was wrong, and should take the chemo, and perhaps I would feel better and live longer,” Jerry told Mesothelioma Guide.

The Benefits of Joining Clinical Trials

Connecting more patients to trials could help a higher percentage of patients receive the treatment they need. Some trials have strict eligibility requirements, making it difficult to find patients to join. However, sometimes patients don’t join trials for other reasons.

According to this study, less than 5% of pleural patients and less than 2% of non-pleural patients participated in clinical trials.

Some patients are not confident in receiving an experimental treatment. Sometimes doctors who are not mesothelioma specialists are not aware of the trial options available. Clinical trials are not for everyone, but all mesothelioma patients should at least consider the option.

Here are some of the many benefits of joining a clinical trial:

• Access the most cutting edge treatment options
• Get treatment at the best cancer centers in the country
• Trials are customized to patients with specific needs

Some of the currently recruiting mesothelioma trials are for patients with late-stage mesothelioma, patients who haven’t had success with chemotherapy, and patients who aren’t eligible for surgery. Mesothelioma patients looking to expand their treatment options should consider joining a clinical trial.