Wisconsin Asbestos Attorney Interviews

Wisconsin asbestos attorney Frank Pasternak was interviewed November 17, 2002 and again on February 8. 2006 by Rick Barrett of Wisconsin's Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel in articles entitled "Curing the asbestos conundrum: Issues offer no easy solution" and "Senate to debate asbestos fund."

Wisconsin asbestos lawyer Frank Pasternak discussed in the articles issues involving Wisconsin asbestos cases asbestos companies, and incidents of asbestosis and mesothelioma.  The articles quote Attorney Pasternak stating:

"The number of asbestos lawsuits has peaked in recent years because an illness such as mesothelioma - which is directly related to asbestos - can take 30 years to develop and may have stemmed from workplace exposure in the 1960s and 1970s, said Milwaukee attorney Frank Pasternak.

Asbestos claims are difficult to prove, and there are laws to protect companies from frivolous lawsuits, said Pasternak, who represents asbestos plaintiffs. 'I have great faith in the justice system. Let the legal marketplace work itself out,' he said."

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[With regard to a proposed asbestos bailout for corporations] "Taxpayers will end up footing the bill for corporations," said Frank Pasternak, a Milwaukee attorney who has handled asbestos-victim cases.

Wisconsin asbestos attorneys have brought litigation involving several Milwaukee and Wisconsin companies as well as U.S. Navy related asbestos and mesothelioma cases.  Often this are wrongful death and other personal injury cases involving lung diseases, like mesothelioma.  Companies involved in litigation include:

Wisconsin asbestos lawyers have also identified other Milwaukee and Wisconsin companies linked to asbestos:

Wisconsin Asbestos lawyer Pasternak said the following:

Once again an outfit has been formed by those who profited from asbestos in the past and which includes asbestos manufacturers and sellers and insurers that were paid to insure such companies.  Of course these businesses are floating a scheme for trying to "reform" the current process for managing asbestos claims, the current system costs these companies money and if "reform" can save these companies money, they are for it. 

This is the fourth time in a long war between the victims of asbestos and the businesses that profited from asbestos and continue to profit from selling asbestos products in the U.S. today and substantially overseas.  Unfortunately, this time the scheme may pass because there are sympathetic ears controlling Congress and the White House.   Hopefully, the public will learn the truth and the asbestos victims will prevail.

The asbestos-industry has known about the dangerous effects of asbestos since the early 1900s.  Medical articles and scientists described asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma in the 1910s, 1920s, and 1930s, and in fact, the first asbestos lawsuit took place during that time.  Yet, into the 1950s and 1960s companies like W.R. Grace and Owens-Corning sold asbestos ignoring asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.  Because a lot of asbestos products were sold in the 1950s and 1960s and asbestos illnesses are latent or hidden for 15-45 years, the extent of the illnesses were not known to the public until the 1970s.  After looking into the dangers, the Environmental Protection Agency finally issued a rule banning the use of asbestos in the manufacture of products in 1989, but the asbestos industry fought the ban so they could continue to profit from asbestos products. 

Since 1960 MORE THAN 250,000 persons have died the horrible suffocating death associated with asbestos-caused mesothelioma and 150,000 more are predicted to die.  Millions of others have had exposure resulting in asbestosis and related lung disease.  An amazing article describing how asbestos has effectively decimated a town can be found in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.  As a person who has witnessed the horrifying dying process associated asbestosis and mesothelioma and the effect that this has on the spouses, children and grandchildren, it's impossible for me to fathom 400,000+ families enduring such suffering.  What is simply even more horrifying and reprehensible however is that these asbestos companies - that profit and profited for decades - may now be able to prevent such families from accessing our civil justice system and courts.

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If you wish to know whether the firm can help with a Wisconsin personal injury or wrongful death case, please call (262) 785-0802 or send email to attorney@frankpasternak.com.  Wisconsin lawyers may only practice law in Wisconsin.  Wisconsin attorneys may however work at no added fee or expense with personal injury lawyers and wrongful death attorneys outside Wisconsin and Wisconsin lawyers may be admitted to practice on a temporary basis outside Wisconsin.   Thus, the firm may help with Wisconsin Personal Injury cases and potentially with cases outside Wisconsin.  All inquiries are free and without obligation.