December 27th, 2007

Cayuga County, New York now has four separate lawsuits against it regarding the mishandling of asbestos removal from the Board of Elections building last year. The fourth lawsuit involves multiple people that came in contact with the dangerous substance.

It is round four for Cayuga County when it comes to asbestos lawsuits being filed against the New York County. The fourth lawsuit involves seven people that are suing Cayuga County for coming in contact with asbestos that was illegally removed from the Board of Elections buildings last year. Six inmates removed the asbestos, unaware that they were handling asbestos; they make up the second lawsuit filed against the county. The asbestos was then illegally dumped at a local landfill, exposing a landfill employee to the dangerous material, who is also party to the second lawsuit.

The lawsuits stem from the fact that asbestos can be deadly if it is mishandled or removed improperly. Asbestos breaks apart when disturbed, which can allow the fibers to be ingested by the public. Asbestos exposure has been linked with mesothelioma and respiratory illnesses. Mesothelioma is usually the most dangerous of asbestos-related illnesses, since the cancer can take years to diagnose and is often fatal at the time of detection.