March 24th, 2008

A Connecticut company was allowed to expand their lawsuit against the city of Bridgeport this week. The U.S. District Judge is allowing the additional charges to be heard at a trial scheduled for later this year.

A Connecticut abatement company will be allowed to add more allegations to their lawsuit against the Bridgeport administration. The suit alleges the mayor of Bridgeport shut out open bidding for an asbestos abatement job in the city. Instead, the administration authorized an emergency no bid abatement contract to an out-of-town company. This company inflated the price of the abatement by more than double the standard going rate for asbestos removal. The abatement company then billed the city, and gave a portion of the inflated charge to the mayor.

The charges are concerning, since abatement needs to be properly performed to keep the public safe. Asbestos can be deadly if it is mishandled or removed improperly, though there are no indications that the work was not performed according to standards. Asbestos can be deadly if it is broken apart and becomes airborne. Exposure to airborne asbestos has been linked to emphysema and mesothelioma, a type of lung cancer. Many asbestos-related diseases are terminal, including mesothelioma.