August 1, 2008 – CBS Broadcasting, Inc., Planet Toys, Inc. and several retailers are facing lawsuits over asbestos contamination of a popular toy based on the CBS hit series “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.” According to tests commissioned by the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), the CSI Fingerprint Examination Kit contains tremolite asbestos, which is considered one of the most dangerous forms of asbestos.

Brought forth by Public Justice and filed in California (one in the Los Angeles Superior Court, one in state court), the lawsuits claim “substantial quantities of tremolite asbestos” were discovered in ADAO’s tests. Since the CSI Fingerprint Examination Kit (as well as two other CSI-themed kits) was sold throughout the nation, the suit is being brought on behalf of a nationwide class of consumers who bought or somehow acquired the kits.

The suit was filed in response to the fact that CBS and Planet Toys have failed to take appropriate action regarding the asbestos contamination. The complaint claims that both CBS and Planet Toys were negligent concerning quality control efforts, which, if done properly, could have prevented hazardous asbestos exposure among children and families.

According to ADAO, the defendants were negligent to inform consumers that the toys contained asbestos, which is required under state law (the second lawsuit). Planet Toys claims their multiple tests revealed no asbestos contamination whatsoever.

However, the company still recalled the toy and placed a stop sale on the kits until further information could address the discrepancy between the test results. Planet Toys did admit some of the kits were manufactured in China. Last year, millions of toys from China were recalled due to lead paint contamination and number of other hazards.

The plaintiffs are seeking a court order to put a halt to the sale of the kits, unless they are packaged with a warning. In addition, the plaintiffs want the defendants to refund consumers, pay for testing of kits that have already been opened, as well as pay for any relating medical treatment for the consumers exposed to asbestos.

Treatment of asbestos-related diseases, which usually develop 15 to 40 years after exposure, is very expensive. Diseases such as asbestosis, mesothelioma cancer, and lung cancer can result in medical bills that amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars. For example, mesothelioma treatment costs can surmount into the hundreds of thousands, and that doesn’t even mean the aggressive cancer is cured, as treatment efforts tend to be palliative rather than curative.

By Michelle Whitmer

This entry was posted on Friday, August 1st, 2008 at 4:47 pm and is filed under Asbestos Exposure, Asbestos Litigation, Mesothelioma, Mesothelioma Treatment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS feed. Responses are currently closed, but you trackback from your own site.