Man Dies After Working in "Sick Building"
July 9, 2001
Recently, an Orlando, Florida man died of emphysema complications brought on by working in a sick building. Peter Karp, 61, took a job as a computer programmer with the Orange County government. Unbeknownst to Karp, the air-conditioning system in his office was contaminated with mold and fungus, aggravating his preexisting emphysema. As breathing became progressively more difficult, Karp was forced to leave his job, was hospitalized, and eventually died. His daughter, Jessica Long, is determined to see that both Orange County and its insurance company bear some responsibility for her father's death.
For Long, it is a matter of seeking justice. County records show that government officials knew about the building's poor air-quality, yet intentionally kept such information from workers. According to Long, the County knew that anyone with respiratory problems, such as emphysema, should not be allowed to work in the building. Yet, despite such knowledge, the County continued to place her father in harm's way. After five years of toiling in the toxic environment, Karp became too sick to continue.
Karp was not alone in his physical suffering, 88 fellow County employees complained of similar health problems related to the building's atmosphere. Consequently, Orange County has paid over $1 million dollars in workers compensation benefits to employees who worked in the building. Despite the payout, Long claims that both the County and the insurer owe her an additional $15,000 in healthcare expenses.
-- Article Courtesy of InjuryBoard.com
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