Roundup's Reach: Workers' Compensation at Stake

Today the Supreme Court heard one of the most consequential pesticide preemption cases in decades. At stake: whether state failure-to-warn claims against Monsanto's Roundup herbicide are preempted by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The Court's eventual ruling will send shockwaves through workers' compensation and occupational disease litigation nationwide.

Pabst Brews a Legal Storm

On April 15, 2026, the Wisconsin Supreme Court handed down a landmark ruling that will reverberate through asbestos litigation, workers’ compensation law, and premises liability for years to come. In Estate of Carol Lorbiecki v. Pabst Brewing Co., 2026 WI 12, the court held that a brewery owner could be found liable under Wisconsin’s Safe Place Statute for a steamfitter’s fatal mesothelioma, even though the worker was employed by an independent contractor, not by Pabst. The decision affirms a $6.9 million judgment, including punitive damages, and clarifies important principles governing the rights of workers exposed to occupational hazards on third-party premises.

EPA Sued Over Asbestos

On April 21, 2026, the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its Administrator Lee Zeldin in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The complaint, filed as Case No. 1:26-cv-01350, seeks to compel the EPA to fulfill a mandatory, non-discretionary duty under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), a duty that has gone unfulfilled for over a year, leaving millions of workers and their families exposed to the continuing hazard of legacy asbestos.

Glyphosate: Workers at Risk

The collision of a presidential executive order, a $7.25 billion proposed settlement, and decades of occupational health research has placed glyphosate-based herbicides at the center of one of the most consequential legal and workplace safety debates in American history. For employers, insurers, and the millions of workers who handle these chemicals daily, the stakes have never been higher.

Roundup Justice: Workers Negotiate a Settlement

Monsanto's Landmark Roundup Settlement — What It Means for Workers and Their Families - $7.25 Billion Dollars

Gatekeeping Scientific Evidence Post-2023

Analyzing Special Master Wolfson's Comprehensive Framework for Expert Testimony Admissibility

Casino Workers Fight Smoke Exemption

New Jersey Appeals Court Revives Constitutional Challenge to Workplace Smoking

Outdoor Bans Reshape Worker Claims

How Smoke-Free Outdoor Spaces Are Transforming Workers' Compensation Law

White House Asbestos Transparency

ADAO Fights for Transparency on East Wing Demolition Hazards

Asbestos Bankruptcy: Workers Pay Price

When The Stephan Company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on November 26, 2025, in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida, it became the latest entry in a decades-long chronicle of American companies using the bankruptcy system to manage crushing asbestos liabilities. But beneath the legal maneuvering lies a more profound crisis: a workers’ compensation system that has consistently failed those it was designed to protect.

Deadly Rollback: Asbestos Unprotected

FDA withdraws talc testing rule amid growing health concerns.

Bendix Asbestos: Legacy Lives On

For decades, the former Bendix plant in Teterboro, New Jersey, represented American industrial might—manufacturing brake systems and aerospace components that powered the nation's growth. But beneath that productive facade lurked a silent killer: asbestos. Today, Honeywell's recent divestiture of all legacy Bendix asbestos liabilities to Delticus for approximately $1.68 billion brings renewed attention to a public health crisis that continues to unfold, even as the factory floors have long gone quiet.

Workers' Compensation Breakdown

Professor Michael C. Duff's law review article "Reverberations of Magna Carta – Work Injuries, Inkblots, and Restitution" presents a scathing indictment of America's workers' compensation system. His central argument: workers have been "unconstitutionally undercompensated" for over a century, creating what amounts to a constitutional crisis hiding in plain sight.

Older Workers Fall Risk

The aging workforce faces a hidden but deadly threat: workplace falls. Recent data reveal that fall-related deaths among older adults have more than tripled in the past 30 years, with over 41,000 Americans aged 65 and older dying from falls in 2023 alone. This alarming trend extends beyond the home into workplace environments, where employers must urgently address the unique vulnerabilities of their aging employees.

Asbestos Ban: A Win for Workers

In a significant development for public health and worker safety, the Trump administration has withdrawn its plan to reconsider the Biden-era ban on chrysotile asbestos, the last form of asbestos still imported and used in the United States. This reversal comes after a period of uncertainty and public outcry, marking a crucial step toward finally addressing the long-standing threat of asbestos exposure in the United States.

Asbestos: USA's Unfinished Ban Battle

For decades, the insidious threat of asbestos has loomed over public health, leaving a trail of devastating diseases. While many developed nations have long enacted comprehensive bans, the United States has lagged, allowing a dangerous legacy to persist. Recent actions by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mark a significant, albeit still incomplete, step towards finally addressing this critical issue. The issue is still pending before the US 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Great Falls: Asbestos Abatement Underway

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) commenced a significant $4 million project in June 2025 to remove hazardous materials, including asbestos and lead, from the Allied Textile Printing (ATP) site in Paterson, New Jersey. This long-awaited cleanup is a critical step towards the full opening of the Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park's new $8 million riverwalk, which has been awaiting the completion of the remediation efforts. 

Microplastics: Workplace Threat

Recent scientific studies and published articles have reported the dangers of microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) in the workplace and the consequences of occupational exposure to MNPs.

Contractor Convicted in Asbestos Scam

In a recent case that highlights the importance of environmental regulations and worker safety, a Colorado contractor was sentenced to 10 years in prison for defrauding an elderly woman and mishandling asbestos.

Asbestos in Cosmetics: FDA Proposes New Testing Rules

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken a significant step toward enhancing consumer safety by proposing new regulations for detecting asbestos in talc-containing cosmetic products. This proposed rule, outlined in 21 CFR Part 730, aims to establish standardized testing methods for identifying the presence of this hazardous substance.