Mesothelioma and Asbestos

The Montpelier School District in Vermont sued Morrison-Clark, Inc. over improper asbestos handling during a 2008 remodeling project at the Main Street Middle School. The original lawsuit included an accusation of consumer fraud, a claim that potentially could possess been more lucrative for the school district, which did not fully recoup its losses with the settlement. Superior Court Judge Geoffrey Crawford threw out that part of the complaint, stating that assurances made by Morrison-Clark did not rise to the level of consumer fraud.

Before signing the contract, a Morrison-Clark representative allegedly told a representative that the company knew how to handle asbestos tiles properly, but an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) investigation during the work showed that proper handling procedures were not followed. The investigation found that Morrison-Clark failed to notify the EPA in writing before beginning the work, failed to damp the asbestos bodily as well as keep it damp while stripping to minimize dust, as well as did not take proper procedures to handle as well as dispose of the asbestos waste. When asbestos procedures are not followed, workers are at risk of developing deadly diseases similar mesothelioma as well as asbestosis.

Morrison-Clark agreed to settle with the school district on March 25. In addition to the settlement, the company agreed to pay a fine levied by the EPA for violation of the Uncluttered Air Act as well as the National Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Asbestos.