In Heated Illinois Governor’s Race, Constituents Demand Answers About Fracking, Report National Silicosis Lawyers
St. Louis, MO (PRWEB) August 31, 2014 -- Illinois residents received news on Wednesday, August 27 that new fracking rules for the state will be released shortly, according to an article in The Southern Illinoisan.* According to the article, some citizens criticized Governor Quinn for moving forward on fracking before pending questions had been resolved. Attorneys handling occupational silicosis claims for lung disease, cancer, TB and other serious health problems provide full silicosis lawsuit information and silicosis worker’s compensation claims information at SilicosisLawsuitCenter.com.
According to the article, Southern Illinoisans Against Fracturing our Environment (SAFE) issued a statement highlighting Gov. Quinn's previous stance on the topic of fracking, and outlining the group's concerrn: “On Jan. 19th, Governor Quinn made a commitment to not allow the issuing of any fracking permits until the 30 most dangerous holes in the rules, known as the Dirty 30, were addressed. We have not been told that they have. We also do not believe that the concern of fracking in an active earthquake fault zone has been resolved.” Governor Quinn signed the Hydraulic Fracturing Regulatory Act into law on June 17, 2013.
Regional activists from SAFE argue that the risks and dangers of fracking far outweigh the benefits of fracking. In the year that has passed since Governor Quinn signed the Hydraulic Fracturing Regulatory Act , the Illinois Department of Natural Resources has collected more than 30,000 public comments on the topic. According to the article, these public comments have helped to inform Illinois' new fracking rules.
Hydraulic fracking is a method of drilling and injecting fluid into the ground at a high pressure in order to fracture shale rocks and access the natural gas trapped inside. According to Energy From Shale**, the fluids used in the process are composed of water (90%), sand (9.5%), and a host of chemicals. When sand is used for blasting, silica dust particles become airborne. According to OSHA, inhaling silica dust can result in silicosis, a serious and irreversible lung disease.***
Silicosis is a public and occupational health threat around the world. Major national and international entities including the Office of Occupational Health at the World Health Organization, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), and the American Lung Association participate in preventing silicosis. Individuals who develop silicosis after being exposed to silica dust on the job may have legal grounds for a silicosis lawsuit.
Workers in a variety of settings can develop silicosis according to OSHA, ranging from fracking and sandblasting to farming and landscaping. A brief exposure to a high concentration of airborne silica particles causes acute silicosis, which can rapidly cause respiratory failure. Prolonged, low-grade silica dust exposure leads to chronic silicosis, symptoms of which may not surface until years after the exposure period. In any case, damage caused by silica particles in the lungs is irreversible, and the condition progressively worsens over time, says OSHA.
The Onder Law Firm is currently accepting inquiries from workers and families of workers who have been diagnosed with silicosis and have a history of working in an occupation that involves silica dust exposure, such as construction, mining, pottery, agriculture, or landscaping. Silicosis lawyers are investigating cases of lung disease, cancer, and TB as well as worker’s comp appeals for possible silicosis lawsuits against employers. The Onder Law Firm has won major settlements for clients in the areas of drug and medical device recalls, as well as product and family safety. The firm is nationally-renowned for its work on window blind strangulation, and has notable expertise in fighting on behalf of individuals against powerful corporations and large companies. Workers and family members of such individuals who have been diagnosed with silicosis and have experienced occupational risks for silica dust inhalation, qualify to receive a free evaluation with a silicosis attorney, and may contact the firm through its Silicosis Lawsuit Center website.
The Onder Law Firm also welcomes silicosis lawsuit and silicosis worker’s compensation inquiries from other law firms, either to handle these inquiries or work as co-counsel.
About The Onder Law Firm
Onder, Shelton, O’Leary & Peterson, LLC is a St. Louis based personal injury law firm handling serious injury and death claims across the country. Its mission is the pursuit of justice, no matter how complex the case or strenuous the effort. Onder, Shelton, O’Leary & Peterson has represented clients throughout the United States, and other firms throughout the nation often seek its experience and expertise on complex litigation. It is a recognized leader in products liability cases such as window blind cord strangulation and pharmaceutical litigation. The Onder Law Firm’s silicosis lung disease, cancer and TB lawyers provide information to the public at http://www.SilicosisLawsuitCenter.com.
*thesouthern.com/news/local/fracking/fracking-rules-will-be-released-friday/article_d3ec3daf-3cd5-59e6-aeb7-c29238be6fb4.html
**energyfromshale.org
***osha.gov/Publications/silicosis.html
Michael Gudeman, Gudeman Group, +1 (314) 614-8709, [email protected]
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