Attorneys at Law 888.839.8479 What You Should Know About ... · tion, products liability, medical...
Transcript of Attorneys at Law 888.839.8479 What You Should Know About ... · tion, products liability, medical...
What You Should Know About Your Legal Rights
ConcerningSilica-Related Diseases
KELLE
Y &
FER
RA
RO
Attorneys at Law
888.8
39.8
479
Kelley & Ferrarois one of the
fastest growinglaw firms in
America.
Kelley & Ferraro
A D V E R T I S E M E N T O N L Y
The attorneys at Kelley & Ferraro have built a
national practice in obtaining outstanding results for
men, women, and families victimized by occupation-
related diseases.
Since it was founded in 1997, the Cleveland-based
law firm of Kelley & Ferraro has compiled the largest
number of civil cases of any law firm in Ohio. Most
of the firm’s more than 30,000 pending cases are on
behalf of workers exposed to silica, asbestos, and
other related workplace substances.
Ohio Lawyers Weekly reported that four of the 13
largest court settlements negotiated in Ohio in 2002
were negotiated by Kelley & Ferraro. From these
combined settlements, our clients obtained more than
$12 million. Nationwide, in just one 12-month
period, Kelley & Ferraro successfully negotiated $500
million in asbestos settlements for clients.
Serves You and Your Family
Obtaining money for your injuries from silica or
other toxic substances is not the only way Kelley &
Ferraro works for you.
At Kelley & Ferraro, we help our valued clients in
other areas of the law, including worker’s compensa-
tion, products liability, medical malpractice, wrongful
death, automobile accidents, and all types of personal
injury matters.
But before we can help, you must call us so that we
can answer your questions Or better yet, we would be
happy to schedule an appointment to meet with you.
Feel free to call Kelley & Ferraro at 216.575.0777 or
toll free at 1.888.839.8479.
Meanwhile, this brochure
provides straightforward answers
to questions about diseases caused
by exposure to silica and silica-
containing products and how
Kelley & Ferraro strives to secure
just compensation for your injuries.
The Problems of Silica ExposureIf you or a loved one has a silica-related disease,
you may be entitled to compensation.
Many workers in the foundry, steel, sandblasting,
refractory, construction, brick, and railroad industries
have been harmed from inhaling high levels of
respirable silica.
Inhalation of silica may cause silicosis, a disabling
and non-reversible fibrotic condition of the lungs,
as well as lung cancer, lupus, sclerodroma, and
rheumatoid arthritis.
Frequently Asked Questions About Silica
What is Silica?
It is a mineral that is mined. Another name is quartz.
How Does Silica Exposure Occur?
It occurs when crystalline silica dust is inhaled.
How Many People are Exposed to Silica?
Over one million annually.
What Occupations Put Workers at anIncreased Risk to Silica Exposure?
• Construction
• Demolition
• Mining
• Sandblasting
• Stone masonry
• Abrasives and Glassmanufacturing
• Pottery
• Railroad track setting,laying, and repair.
What Materials Have Crystalline Silica?
Common construction
materials, including:
• Blasting abrasives
• Brick
• Concrete
• Cement mortar
• Granite, sandstone, slate
• Mineral deposits, rock
• Sand
• Topsoil
• Asphalt.
What Diseases are Caused by Exposure to Breathable Free Silica?
• Silicosis
• Cancer
• Mixed Dust Pneumoconiosis
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, including emphysema
• Autoimmune diseases, including scleroderma and rheumatoid arthritis
• Tuberculosis
• Chronic kidney disease.
What is the Principal Silica Disease?
It is silicosis, which is caused by exposure to
breathable free silica. Silicosis is an occupational
lung disease. It causes inflammation and scarring
of the lung tissue. This inhibits the normal flow of
oxygen into the lungs and bloodstream.
When Was it Identified?
The name silicosis was first used in the 1930s. Before
then, it was known as dust consumption, grinders
asthma, grinder’s rot, grit consultation, miner’s asthma,
potter’s rot, rock tuberculosis, and stonemason’s disease.
What are the Types of Silicosis?
• Chronic silicosis, which results from long-termexposure to low amounts of silica.
• Accelerated silicosis, which occurs more quickly than chronic silicosis, usually due to exposure to larger amounts over a shorter period of time.
• Acute silicosis, which occurs due to short-termexposure to large amounts. It can develop within weeks or up to five years after exposure.
What are the Symptoms of Silicosis?
• Shortness of Breath
• Coughing
• Wheezing
• Fatigue
• Chest pain
• Loss of appetite
• Fever
• Bluish skin at the ears and lips.
What is Silicoproteinosis?
This is a fatal lung disease characterized by a
decreased ability of the lungs to produce
sufficient oxygen.
Can Anyone Contract a Silica-Related Disease?
Yes, but the vast majority
of victims are men and women
who were subjected to prolonged
exposure to on-the-job silica in
the 1940s, ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s.
Many who were exposed to
silica-containing products were
NOT warned about the dangers.
How Does SomeoneSuffering from a SilicaRelated Disease SeekCompensation?
If you or a loved one believe
that you have been exposed to
silica and might have a claim,
contact Kelley & Ferraro at
216.575.077 or toll free at
1.888.839.8479 to schedule
an appointment.
Michael V. KelleyBefore forming Kelley &
Ferraro, Michael V. Kelley had a
flourishing practice that focused
on class action suits, as well as
aviation disasters and tobacco
and asbestos litigation.
As a winning litigator,
Kelley has helped secure some of the largest jury
verdicts in Ohio for clients. What is more, he has
been extraordinarily skillful in negotiating lucrative
settlements for asbestos clients, obtaining more than
$1 billion on their behalf.
The son of a Cleveland firefighter, Kelley graduated
with a BA from Case Western Reserve University in
1974. He studied law at night at Cleveland State
University’s Cleveland-Marshall College of Law while
working by day as an administrator for the Ohio State
Auditor. He received his law degree in 1981.
Kelley was licensed to practice law in the State of
Ohio and in the District of Columbia in 1991. He is
admitted to practice before the United States
Supreme Court, the Fifth and Sixth U.S. Circuit
Courts of Appeals, and various U.S. District Courts.
Firm Leadership
James L. FerraroJames L. Ferraro,
co-founder of Kelley & Ferraro,
established his national reputa-
tion when he was chosen as one
of ten national finalists for Trial
Lawyer of the Year in 1997
for his courtroom triumph
against the chemical giant, DuPont & Company, for
causing a birth defect in his client’s child.
The Florida jury held DuPont accountable and
awarded the victimized mother of the infant
$4 million. An appeals court upheld the verdict.
Court TV covered the trial, and the verdict received
worldwide attention.
Since then, Ferraro has filed 12 suits on behalf of
families whose children were born with similar
defects — without their eyes — due to the wrongful
conduct of DuPont.
Beyond the DuPont case, Ferraro has attained
many multi-million dollar jury verdicts and settle-
ments for clients. Ferraro is licensed to practice in
Florida, Massachusetts, New York, and Ohio.
Attorneys in Our Silica Practice
Anthony Gallucci, a partner, is
involved in asbestos litigation, along
with products liability, toxic torts,
personal injury, and wrongful death.
Gallucci also is a member of the
Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
Brooke H. Thayer is a
partner whose practice includes
commercial, mass tort, and
personal injury litigation.
In a period of 12 months,
Thayer was involved in the
negotiation of more than $500
million in settlements with
many of the largest asbestos producers
and distributors in the world.
John A. Sivinski
also handles asbestos
litigation, products liability,
toxic torts, personal injury
and medical malpractice.
Sivinski, a partner in the
firm, is a member of the
Million Dollar Advocates
Forum.
John Martin Murphy, whose
litigation practice also includes
personal injury and asbestos litigation,
is the part-time magistrate in Bratenahl
Village and Grand River Village,
suburbs of Cleveland.
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