Inmates, Officers at Florida Jail Sue County Alleging Asbestos Exposure

MIAMI - A guard at a Florida corrections facility has sued the county where the jail is located claiming renovation projects over the past two decades exposed inmates and other corrections officers to dangerous levels of asbestos. Padro v. Miami-Dade County, No. 02-01415 (Fla. Cir. Ct., Miami-Dade Cty.).

The class action lawsuit alleges that Miami-Dade County, which owns the Pre-Trial Detention Center where the construction projects took place, should pay for future costs associated with monitoring those potentially exposed to the fibers.

"The class members have a significantly increased risk of latent disease, including cancer and death," the lawsuit alleges. …