Workers, families and children in Louisiana have faced many causes of lung cancer, from asbestos in insulation materials to toxic chemicals released by refineries along the Mississippi River. Two major challenges to health often related to lung cancer, asbestos and cigarettes, were subject to some of the largest collections of lawsuits in terms of time spent in court and money recovered from manufacturers.
A lawsuit filed nearly two decades ago is bringing a new requirement into effect. Cigarette packs and cartons sold in the United States are now legally required to feature a warning describing the health problems associated with smoking, including the dangers of secondhand smoke.
These notices will feature the addictive nature of nicotine and the dangers of cancer, lung disease and heart disease associated with cigarettes by medical and government institutions. The warnings will appear on packaging for two weeks three times per year.
The litigation stems from a 1999 case filed by the Justice Department against many cigarette manufacturing companies accusing them of fraud and racketeering in concealing the health problems related to smoking. A 2006 ruling created the idea of the labels, and a 2017 appeal confirmed the ruling’s validity.
People who suffer from lung cancer and other chronic health problems because of environmental or product-related carcinogens may have a case for financial damages against makers and distributors. An attorney can review a case to see if fault may be legally found with the parties that made or sold the cause of a serious health issue.