Recently, PCBs (Polychlorinated biphenyls) have been the cause of ailments and deaths in several regions across the globe. Berkshire County has been facing PCB-related deaths and has filed a lawsuit against both Monsanto Company and General Electric (GE) for this.
The complaint suggested that continuous PCB exposure in the GE plant resulted in people developing cancer. Additionally, it is rather sad that Monsanto kept on producing and selling PCBs, a toxic industrial chemical for eight years despite learning that it posed hazards to the environment and public health.
In this article, we will shed light on how PCBs affected Berkshire County, and how victims can seek a legal remedy for it.
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Understanding PCBs and Their Effect on Humans
PCBs comprise 200 man-made chlorinated, synthetic, and organic chemicals with a similar basic chemical structure. There isn’t any natural source for this chemical. Since it is flame retardant, possesses a high boiling point, has electrical insulating properties, and is chemically stable, it has been used in several commercial and industrial applications.
The chemical has been used as lubricants and coolants in electrical, hydraulic, and heat transfer devices, such as plasticizers that offer ease in plastics, paints, rubber products, and caulking.
When PCBs get ingested into the human bloodstream, it can cause cancer and other severe non-cancer health effects. It can adversely impact the immune system, nervous system, endocrine system, and reproductive system.
Studies show that humans, after PCB exposure, have developed liver cancer, melanomas, gastrointestinal tract cancer, gallbladder cancer, brain cancer, and even breast cancer. Women who have been exposed to PCBs either during or before their pregnancy have given birth to children with motor control problems and neurological issues, like poor, short-term memory and reduced IQ.
Considering the side effects and health hazards the chemical causes, it is natural for victims to get compensated for their pain and suffering. For this reason, affected individuals are filing a PCB exposure lawsuit to seek the justice they deserve.
How PCB Exposure Affected Berkshire County?
In August 2023, The Berkshire Edge reported a sixth lawsuit that sued General Electric (GE) and Monsanto for causing cancer in people due to PCB exposure. This lawsuit was filed at the Superior Court in Berkshire County.
The lawsuit was filed by Nina McDermott’s husband on behalf of her, who died after getting affected by bouts of cancer that she developed while working as a teacher at Allendale Elementary School.
The complaint states that Mrs. McDermott’s cancer and her subsequent death were due to extensive exposure to the poisonous waste, which included PCBs generated from a GE plant, Building 71, and Hill 78 toxic waste areas that bordered Allandale Elementary School.
In 2010, Nina McDermott developed aggressive breast cancer and underwent a mastectomy with radiation and chemotherapy. Six years after that, she was diagnosed with kidney cancer that metastasized.
The Berkshire Edge shared that today people are realizing the dangers that PCBs can cause to human health. A lawyer in Berkshire said that when such awareness is interrupted with intentional, persistent, and deliberate efforts by GE representatives to spread misinformation about PCBs, it’s a shame. For a long time, the company has diluted the complexity of this issue, thereby misdirecting people.
There is a fifth action that was filed on August 21st by the Pittsfield family, who stayed at a distance of 1,500 feet from the GE plant. Here, the company’s trucks used to carry the fatal PCB disposal past their home on Benedict Road.
The complaint suggests that one family member developed metastasized pancreatic cancer. Her sister died, and her brother was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, and everything was because of PCB exposure.
Searching For a Legal Remedy
Anyone affected because of PCB exposure has the right to file a lawsuit and get fair compensation. Victims should get in touch with a lawyer who can help them navigate the legal path correctly.
TorHoerman Law states that evidence is crucial for any personal injury or a mass tort case. When you want to file a complaint for PCB exposure, you need evidence like employment records, medical records, residential data, school records, and any other evidence that authenticates your claim.
Your lawyer will use the evidence to build your case, which can cover damages like medical bills, emotional damages, permanent disability, and ongoing or future medical costs.
Conclusion
For the average person, it is challenging to detect PCBs, as they can be present in a school, an old building, or industrial plants. In most cases, one gets to know about PCB-related cancers and other ailments after it has occurred.
Hence, individuals who have suffered from PCB exposure should file a lawsuit to bring their suffering to light. It will help raise awareness, get the desired compensation, and have concerned authorities take action to resolve it.