mesothelioma Archives | Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman LLP

Hawai‘i’s Asbestos Legacy: A Growing Mesothelioma Threat

Posted on July 1, 2025June 4, 2025 by Candice Paddock

Mesothelioma deaths in the U.S. surged by 20% between 1990 and 2019, according to BMC Public Health. This increase is tied directly to decades of asbestos exposure, especially among workers in construction, shipbuilding, military service, and manufacturing.

The rise in cases is particularly alarming in Hawai‘i, where thousands of veterans have been exposed to asbestos while working on Navy ships, submarines and maintenance facilities at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard since World War II. The state health department reported over 700 asbestos-related deaths between 1999 and 2017, including 139 from mesothelioma.

Women In Law Virtual Roundtable Q&A with Alyssa Segawa

Posted on March 11, 2025May 19, 2025 by Candice Paddock

Alyssa R. Segawa is a native of Honolulu and a partner at Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman. Alyssa’s practice concentrates on asbestos litigation, personal injury, product liability, Roundup litigation, appellate and federal practice matters. She has a particular interest in helping victims of mesothelioma seek justice through the legal system.

When Alyssa was 16, her grandfather, a retired pipefitter at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, passed away from mesothelioma. She knows what the families of the Galiher firm’s clients are going through and works hard to make sure that they can enjoy their time with loved ones.

Women In Law Virtual Roundtable Q&A with Ilana Waxman

Posted on March 11, 2025May 16, 2025 by Candice Paddock

Ilana Waxman is the managing partner of Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman. Ilana focuses her practices on toxic exposure cases, particularly for clients with mesothelioma and other asbestos diseases. She also represents the families of children born with birth defects due to chemical exposures, Hawai’i residents suffering from Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma as a result of Roundup exposure, survivors of childhood sexual abuse, and other catastrophic injury cases.

Ilana works every day to hold corporations and insurance companies accountable for their role in creating one of the greatest public health disasters this country has ever seen. She is proud to fight for justice for individuals who are suffering from preventable diseases due to the greed or callousness of others.

Navy Veterans Face Higher Risk of Mesothelioma

Posted on February 25, 2025May 16, 2025 by Candice Paddock

Navy veterans have been exposed to cancer-causing asbestos fibers at levels higher than other branches of the military, according to new research.

According to a study of British and Australian veterans published in Scientific Reports, naval personnel have been exposed to higher levels of asbestos because of the time they spent on ships and submarines, particularly for service members who worked in engine rooms, where maintenance procedures involved disturbance of asbestos on pipework, turbines, boilers and other machinery. As a result, sailors suffer high rates of asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung cancer, even when other lifestyle factors are controlled.

Despite restrictions on asbestos, Hawai‘i residents continue to succumb to mesothelioma cancer

Posted on December 18, 2024November 20, 2024 by Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman

While it’s well-established that the deadly form of cancer known as mesothelioma is caused solely by exposure to asbestos, thousands of people throughout the U.S. mainland and Hawaii continue to die from the disease every year.

About 3,000 cases of mesothelioma are registered each year in the United States. In Hawaii, there are approximately 38 asbestos-related deaths a year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

Mesothelioma was discovered in the late nineteenth century and gradually came to be associated with exposure to asbestos. The mineral has been used throughout history, but as the Industrial Revolution took hold, more and more uses were found.

Asbestos and Mesothelioma Aren’t Going Away

Posted on December 3, 2024November 20, 2024 by Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman

The serious health risks associated with asbestos exposure have been known for generations. The naturally occurring fiber is the only known cause of mesothelioma, an incurable and deadly form of cancer of the lining of the lungs and internal organs. Legal and regulatory scrutiny of asbestos use has ramped up over the years — including a 2024 ban on chrysotile asbestos — but an alarming number of Americans continue to die from mesothelioma every year. While mesothelioma diagnosis rates have fallen among men, they have remained steady among women.

Global Mesothelioma Cases Surge as Asbestos Use Continues

Posted on October 29, 2024November 20, 2024 by Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman

Cases of mesothelioma around the world have been increasing along with a rise in the global use of asbestos, despite an acknowledgment more than 40 years ago by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) that all forms of asbestos are carcinogenic.

Asbestos exposure causes mesothelioma, a cancer of the tissue that lines the lungs, chest wall, and abdomen. Given that asbestos continues to be used globally in a variety of commercial products, it’s not surprising that mesothelioma cases and deaths associated with the disease have been rising too.

EPA Ban on Chrysotile Asbestos Will Save Lives, Hold Corporations Accountable

Posted on July 9, 2024November 20, 2024 by Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman

After years of tireless work by advocacy groups on behalf of cancer victims, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finally taking action against asbestos, a dangerous substance known to cause cancer, severe illness and countless fatalities each year.

In March 2024, the EPA took a major step toward protecting Americans from asbestos exposure with a historic ban on a common type of asbestos known as chrysotile. It was the first substantive move to protect Americans from asbestos exposure in decades.

Managing Partner Ilana Waxman Earns National Trial Lawyers Honor

Posted on June 18, 2024November 20, 2024 by Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman

Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman is proud to announce that Managing Partner Ilana Waxman has been recognized among the nation’s top plaintiffs civil trial lawyers by the National Trial Lawyers organization.

Waxman was singled out by the invitation-only organization based on her work on behalf of individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma from asbestos exposure, as well as victims of childhood sexual assault. Her practice also focuses on representation of families of children born with birth defects due to exposure to toxic chemicals and individuals suffering from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma from exposure to Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide.

Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman Elevates Alyssa Segawa, Allison Aoki to Partner

Posted on February 20, 2024November 21, 2024 by Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman

Growing Hawai’i-based law firm represents victims of mesothelioma, Maui fires, toxic exposure, and childhood sex abuse

HONOLULU, Hawaii — Hawai’i-based personal injury firm Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman is proud to announce the elevation of veteran lawyers Alyssa Segawa and Allison Aoki to partner.