Below is a guest post from Susan Vento, a spokesperson for the Asbestos Cancer Victims' Rights Campaign (ACVRC). The ACVRC is currently working to raise awareness and take action against the Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency (FACT) Act. This act will hinder the ability of patients and survivors of asbestos-related diseases to get justice for the harm done to them by companies who used asbestos and allowed employees to be exposed to asbestos despite their knowledge of its terrible health consequences.
FACT will make the legal process even longer in the U.S., which means even fewer patients and survivors will be compensated for their losses due to their asbestos-related disease. Supporting these companies is not a precedent that should be set in the fight to ban asbestos. Instead, like Susan Vento and ACVRC, let's stand up for patient and survivor rights.
My husband, Bruce, was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives until October 10th, 2000 when he died of pleural mesothelioma––a rare disease caused by asbestos exposure. He was exposed during his work as a laborer, a job he took so he could put himself through college. While many only know of asbestos cancers like mesothelioma from late-night television commercials, there are a growing number of people experiencing the real fate this deadly disease carries.
My husband, Bruce, was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives until October 10th, 2000 when he died of pleural mesothelioma––a rare disease caused by asbestos exposure. He was exposed during his work as a laborer, a job he took so he could put himself through college. While many only know of asbestos cancers like mesothelioma from late-night television commercials, there are a growing number of people experiencing the real fate this deadly disease carries.
Mesothelioma
is known as being a fast mover after diagnosis, taking most victims’ lives just
four to eighteen months later. Tens of millions of American workers have been exposed to
asbestos; more than 27 million people were occupationally exposed between 1940
and 1979. Millions of those exposed have fallen ill, or will fall ill in the
future; many have died and many more will die as a result of their exposure.
Despite these terrifying facts, asbestos is STILL not completely banned in the US today.
Asbestos
victims rely on compensation from personal injury trusts through asbestos
claims to cover their insurmountable medical expenses, but sadly many
victims only receive a small percentage of what companies owe them. This places
a huge burden on the victims and their families.
Recently,
asbestos companies are using their political influence to push a new bill in
Congress, led
by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). It is called the “Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency (FACT) Act”. In short, these companies want to use this bill as a means
to delay medical payments, which results in most victims dying before they seek
justice. The parties in support of this bill are hiding behind this notion of
“transparency”, but the reality is this bill places burdensome reporting
requirements on victims applying to the bankruptcy trusts. This requirement is
not two-sided, however. The same companies who are to blame won’t have comparable
requirements, creating a one-sided and unfair bill designed to debilitate those
who have already been injured. Personally identifiable information such as the
last four digits of social security numbers, private work history, and personal
information of children exposed at an early age would become public, making
victims vulnerable to identity theft and discrimination.
This
is just the latest attempt by big companies and individuals like the Koch
brothers to avoid responsibility for their heinous wrongdoings. Just last week
the House Judiciary Committee began fast-tracking this bill. Even though the Committee promised to hold a public hearing to
provide an opportunity for a patient and two widows to testify, they instead
sent the bill to a full committee markup and vote without bothering to hear the
victims’ side of the story.
The
time is now for us to take a stand. I am a spokesperson for the Asbestos Cancer Victims’ Rights Campaign.
The ACVRC is a national campaign dedicated to protecting the rights and privacy
of asbestos victims and their families. By joining our fight, you can
help us defeat this unfair legislation and the potentially dangerous precedent
it sets.
I
work with the ACVRC to honor Bruce’s legacy as well as do what I can to help
other patients and families protect their legal and constitutional rights.
While awareness and information surrounding mesothelioma have improved
considerably, we need to continue raising our voices. Starting with signing our petition, I
encourage you to join our effort. Despite where you reside, be it Canada or the
United States, signing your name in support of the ACVRC will still make an
impact. With your help, we can put a stop to this legislation. Together, we can
work towards building a better tomorrow and truly make a lasting
difference.
To stay updated and for more information, be sure to find the Asbestos Cancer Victims' Rights campaign on their website and on Facebook and Twitter.
