Man Develops Cancer From Radon Exposure at Work

Case Overview

This case takes place in New York and involves a facilities maintenance manager who was diagnosed with lung cancer and died after exposure to toxic levels of radon gases in the basement office in which he worked. The decedent was in charge of all facilities management activities at a community college campus. The building in which the decedent’s office was housed was scheduled for demolition in the final year of his employment at the college, due in part to the impermissible and lethal levels of radon present in the building for decades. The levels of radon were known by the Defendant for years before the death of the decedent. The decedent was an active, healthy, non-smoker with an unremarkable medical history who had worked in the same basement office for nearly 10 years before being diagnosed with cancer.

Questions to the Occupational Medicine expert and their responses

Do you routinely treat patients similar to the one described in the case? Please explain.

I am an expert in health issues related to Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). I have seen countless such patients clinically and have served as a medical expert in IAQ-related legal cases. I can appropriately interpret radon testing results as well as clinical testing results and apply such results to clinical scenarios.

Are you able to opine on the effects of long-term exposure to radon?

I teach a graduate course on Environmental Health which includes curriculum on radon. Furthermore, I train medical residents and toxicology fellows in IAQ issues including radon.

Have you ever served as an expert witness on a case similar to the one described above? If so, please explain.

I have written expert reports for approximately 70 cases--some focused on individual exposure while others have been class actions.

About the expert

This highly qualified and board certified Occupational and Environmental Medicine physician received his medical degree at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. He went on to complete a residency in Occupational Environmental Medicine at the highly regarded Harvard School of Public Health. He is a member of numerous professional organizations including the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. This expert is widely published in his field and is active in Radon exposure awareness. He holds several high-ranking positions at major institutions.