David Klein, how ran pain clinics in the Shenandoah Valley, pleaded guilty in 2003 to violating the Clean Air Act. A federal indictment charged Klein with the operation of renovations that were taking place in a building with asbestos material in Staunton. Not a rare thing for little ole’ Staunton to have asbestos, but apparently that material containing the asbestos was not properly disposed.
According to the Department of Justice Klein wasn’t alone:
WASHINGTON, D.C. A federal grand jury in Charlottesville, Va., today returned an indictment charging two men with conspiring to illegally remove asbestos from aging buildings. The defendants recruited untrained homeless men to remove asbestos from properties in Staunton, Va., without providing the necessary safety equipment or training.
Klein went to jail for a year, had 3 months of supervised release (which just ended) and had to pay $25,000 in fines. In 2004, the board reinstated Klein’s license to inactive status. More recently, the board terminated all terms on Klein’s license, as a result of the end of his federal probation. Klein, according to all accounts, now lives in Florida. According to an order filed in 2004, when Klein asked to be reinstated, the doctor expressed the desire to practice medicine in Fla. It is unclear if he is practicing in that stat.
Asbestos can cause the following according to the EPA:
- Asbestosis – Asbestosis is a serious, progressive, long-term non-cancer disease of the lungs. It is caused by inhaling asbestos fibers that irritate lung tissues and cause the tissues to scar. The scarring makes it hard for oxygen to get into the blood. Symptoms of asbestosis include shortness of breath and a dry, crackling sound in the lungs while inhaling. There is no effective treatment for asbestosis.
- Lung Cancer – Lung cancer causes the largest number of deaths related to asbestos exposure. People who work in the mining, milling, manufacturing of asbestos, and those who use asbestos and its products are more likely to develop lung cancer than the general population. The most common symptoms of lung cancer are coughing and a change in breathing. Other symptoms include shortness of breath, persistent chest pains, hoarseness, and anemia. People who have been exposed to asbestos and also are exposed to some other cancer-causing product, such as cigarette smoke, have a greater risk of developing lung cancer than people who have only been exposed to asbestos.
- Mesothelioma – Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is found in the thin lining (membrane) of the lung, chest, abdomen, and heart and almost all cases are linked to exposure to asbestos. This disease may not show up until many years after asbestos exposure. This is why great efforts are being made to prevent school children from being exposed.
Posted by medcasewatch 