According to the findings from recent testing, a number of aging Philadelphia schools are posing a health risk to students and teachers due to the presence of asbestos. Asbestos fibers have been found in almost all of the Philadelphia schools which were built prior to 1980, and can pose significant health risks when airborne. For example, if children are running and playing in a classroom, the dust they kick up and inhale may contain dangerous levels of asbestos. One school, which was recently tested for the presence of the potentially fatal substance, found that the environment inside their building returned results which were 50 times higher than those found around Ground Zero after the terror attacks of 9/11. The readings from areas of the Philadelphia school where children store their lunches and backpacks reached 4 million asbestos fibers per square meter – for reference, a reading of 100,000 is consider high risk.
Laws introduced in the 1980s were intended to protect students from the risks of asbestos however, as the recent investigations demonstrate, the hazard of developing asbestosis and mesothelioma remains a real threat. Although Philadelphia benefits from Pennsylvania laws, which are some of the United States’ most stringent in terms of managing and removing asbestos, the schools appear to be navigating their responsibility to remove damaged tiles immediately, by maintaining that chipped or scratched tiles are not damaged and, as such, can remain in situ.
Although some work is now underway in certain asbestos-affected Philadelphia schools, significant overhauls are required to ensure that all school buildings from before 1980 are safe.
When you or a loved one have sustained serious injuries on somebody else’s property, due to their negligence or deliberately dangerous conditions, you could be eligible to file a premises liability lawsuit, with the legal representation of an experienced Philadelphia attorney.
A Dan Doyle Law Group premises liability attorney will investigate all aspects of your accident, determining who was at fault, before holding them accountable for the consequences of their actions, or lack of action in remedying a dangerous condition on their property. For example, this may include failure to replace tiles containing asbestos, a lack of adequate lighting in a dark area of the premises, or an obstacle causing a slip and fall accident.
Whatever the circumstances of your accident, your Pennsylvania premises liability lawyer will ensure that all aspects of the process are completed correctly, while enabling you to avoid jeopardizing your own claim by missing the statute of limitations and, therefore, the window in which you can file for damages.
The damages you are entitled to recover from a premises liability claim will generally include:
To get your premises liability case started, you must instruct an experienced Philadelphia attorney to handle your claim. Expert assistance could be at hand – just call Dan Doyle Law Group on 215-987-3730 to schedule your free initial consultation.