Halliburton's asbestos-related bankruptcies resulted in a pre-tax charge of $1.016 billion in the fourth quarter of 2003. So, while Halliburton's revenues have skyrocketed because of war in the Middle East, its bottom line continues to suffer. It lost $820 million for all of 2003 and $65 million during the first quarter of 2004, all because of bankruptcies related to asbestos lawsuits. Cheney has tried twice to pass a bill limiting the amount of money given to asbestos claimants. Halliburton would like to limit their liability from over $4 billion to under $450 million. (Halliburton Watch)

Posted by Michael Monheit at 07:39 AM | Permalink

A Mississippi woman successfully sued several companies for second-hand asbestos. A 60-year-old woman claims that she washed her brothers and father’s work clothes for years and these work clothes were covered with asbestos dust which eventually made her sick. As she was about to travel from her nursing home in Mississippi to Atlanta to go to court against Georgia Pacific Corporation, the parties settled out of court.

Posted by Michael Monheit at 07:49 AM | Permalink

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) will meet with the 10-man tunnel crew to hear complaints about receiving less than adequate medical treatment through the Architect of the Capitol (AoC). Durbin's move comes as the tunnel crew expressed concern that the doctor contracted by the AoC was not qualified to treat and test them for asbestos exposure. Tunnel crew members have complained about being ignored after an initial flurry of activity after the scandal of their working conditions broke in March 2006. (Read More at The Hill)

Posted by Michael Monheit at 07:59 AM | Permalink