Caroselli Beachler McTiernan & Conboy, L.L.C. Blog

The bankruptcy of two subsidiaries of RPM International, Inc. is significant for plaintiffs in asbestos liability cases. Bondex International Inc. and Specialty Products Holding Corp. filed for bankruptcy three years ago. Both companies manufactured products containing asbestos, a substance linked to severe lung diseases including fatal mesothelioma.

A bankruptcy judge recently issued a written ruling that affects the money the companies must have in reserve to pay settlements and awards in ongoing and future asbestos litigation. Once the asbestos trust is emptied, no future damage claims would be possible.

A patron shot in a now-shuttered Pennsylvania nightclub named several defendants in a federal complaint. Owner negligence was among the allegations against Philadelphia's Club Solo, where live radio broadcasts celebrated the birthday of rapper Beanie Sigel, a one-time Rock-A-Fella recording artist.

The plaintiff in the liability lawsuit suffered a gunshot wound in the club during a Sigel birthday event in March 2009. Although surveillance cameras were on the premises, the equipment where the shooting took place was inoperable. The shooter was never identified.

When we think of being injured on someone else's property, we usually think of being injured inside the building. In some of our recent blog posts, we've discussed a restaurant employee slipping and falling in a puddle of water and an individual tripping and falling down the a staircase in a person's home. What some people may not realize, however, is that businesses and individuals are responsible for maintaining the property outside their buildings or homes as well.

In a current trip-and-fall case, a Pennsylvania couple is suing Trader Joe's, alleging that the store's failure to maintain the concrete around its entrance and exist caused the woman to fall and fracture her hip. The lawsuit says that the woman was exiting the store when a wheel of her cart got stuck in a hole created by missing concrete. The car tipped over, and the woman fell with it.

Apartment building owners are responsible for ensuring that their tenants live in a safe environment. This means being in compliance with building codes and performing regular maintenance checks to ensure that there are no potential dangers to tenants. After all, Pennsylvania renters don't hand over their hard-earned cash each month to live in hazardous conditions. Unfortunately, not all landlords are as good about maintaining buildings as they should be. When buildings are neglected, however, problems can arise.

Yesterday morning, a massive fire erupted at an apartment building in Chester County. The fire set off two alarms, and required firefighters from eight different companies to put it out. Fortunately, none of the tenants were injured in the blaze, but 40 of them are now without a place to live. The local Red Cross has stepped in to help these people.