Illinois Town Considers Best Use For Proceeds From $1.4 Million Cancer-Cluster Lawsuit Settlement
Terry on Apr 19th 2010
McCullom Lake, Illinois – (April 19, 2010) This upstate village of slightly more than 1,000 residents will soon have a decision to make: how best to use hundreds of thousands of dollars that could be remaining at the end of the month in a cancer cluster, medical-monitoring settlement fund.
Philadelphia attorney Aaron J. Freiwald, Esq., who negotiated the 2008 class-action settlement with nearby Modine Manufacturing, Inc. on behalf of the residents, has been actively involved in discussions to ensure that the local citizens derive the most benefit from the funds. “There is understandably a great deal of interest in how these funds are applied to the betterment of the McCullom Lake community and its residents,” explained Freiwald. “The Federal judge supervising the case has made it clear that she wants whatever funds remain after April 30 to go toward a deserving, non-profit organization.” After receiving additional feedback from residents, elected officials and community leaders regarding prospects, he will make a recommendation in a formal petition to the Court.
Freiwald, a partner in the firm of Layser & Freiwald, P.C., is encouraging anyone with suggestions to present them to the independent settlement fund administrator at www.mccullomlakesettlement.com. Ideas may also be submitted to Layser & Freiwald, P.C. via the firm’s website, www.layserfreiwald.com.
The original settlement fund has been used to provide numerous vouchers for pre-paid medical testing to past and present village residents to screen for brain cancer and brain tumors. In fact, two of the cases were detected through MRI scans performed for residents using the settlement medical vouchers.
The first of more than two dozen cancer cluster cases against the non-settling defendants, including Rohm & Haas, a subsidiary of Dow Chemical (DOW: NYSE) is scheduled to begin trial in Philadelphia in early June.
Freiwald emphasizes that there is still time for eligible village residents to be screened under the settlement agreement. “If you lived there between January 1, 1968 and December 31, 2002, you are likely still qualified to obtain a voucher to have medical screening. But you must act before the end of April.”
The settlement agreement with Modine provides that any funds left over after a Court-imposed deadline will be directed to a non-profit organization for the benefit of McCullom Lake Village.
Filed in Disease Cluster Community News, Illinois, ~Media Feeds | No responses yet
