HADDONFIELD, NEW JERSEY — Gerald Williams, Partner, Williams Cedar LLC, says President Joe Biden’s action to lower the levels of “forever chemicals” to a bare minimum at which it can be measured will mean safer, cleaner drinking water for everyone and will force public water utilities to constantly maintain their infrastructure so that the water supply does not become tainted again.

 

On April 10, President Biden finalized the first-ever limits on perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, in drinking water. The president called for public water utilities to bring down the amount of PFAS — also known as “forever chemicals” — to the lowest level that can be detected. The Environmental Protection Agency proposed a similar rule last year. The president and the EPA said this will reduce exposure of these pollutants for approximately 100 million Americans and will decrease the probability of cancer, heart attacks and birth defects.

 

PFAS are a type of chemical that has been used in industrial processes since the 1940s. These chemicals have been used in everything from non-stick frying pans to moisture-repellent fabric to fire-retardant materials. Unfortunately, PFAS are incredibly toxic, and, even in tiny amounts, can cause a variety of health problems, including thyroid disorders, multiple types of cancer, and low birth weight in children. 

 

They also break down incredibly slowly, allowing them to accumulate to toxic levels over a prolonged period. As more information about PFAs has been learned, the lower the recommended safe concentrations for PFAS have gotten.

 

“For decades, because of corporate deceit regarding their harmful properties, PFASs went entirely unregulated by the federal government, resulting in the exposure of millions of Americans to highly toxic, even carcinogenic pollutants,” Mr. Williams says. “The Administration’s action this week represents a long-awaited first step toward appropriate governmental oversight designed to protect the environment and human health.”

                                          

For more information, call (856) 470-9777 or visit williamscedar.com.

 

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About Williams Cedar LLC

Williams Cedar LLC is a personal injury law firm that serves areas throughout the State of New Jersey, with offices located in Haddonfield. The firm is focused on the practice of personal injury law, employment law, and civil rights litigation, serving victims of negligence and civil rights violations throughout New Jersey. They assist clients with a variety of claims, including product liability claims, toxic torts, wage and hour violations, police misconduct, and malicious prosecution, among others. For more information, call (856) 470-9777 or visit williamscedar.com. 

Says Latest Example is the Exoneration of Eddie Ramirez, Who Was Sentenced to Life for a Murder He Did Not Commit

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA — After 27 years, Eddie Ramirez was finally released from prison for a murder that he did not commit. While applauding Ramirez’ exoneration, Christopher Markos, Partner, Williams Cedar LLC, says the number of wrongly convicted individuals freed in the past six years shows a troubling trend within the city’s justice system.

“Yet another exoneration in Philadelphia — the fortieth in six years — raises an interesting question: does Philadelphia have a wrongful conviction crisis?” Mr. Markos says. “As a civil rights lawyer who, over more than a decade, has advocated on behalf of victims of police abuse and the falsely accused, I believe the answer is yes.”

On February 20, 1995, Joyce Dennis, an employee at a laundromat, was found bludgeoned to death with a metal pipe. Her body was found in the back of the laundromat and approximately $1,100 was missing. In 1996, Philadelphia police detectives picked up two suspects, Mr. Ramirez and Billy Weihe. Despite having no physical evidence, the detectives relied on witness testimony and interviews with Mr. Ramirez and Mr. Weihe’s friends and families, neighbors and laundromat workers to build a case.

Over the years, almost all witnesses called in the case against Mr. Ramirez recanted their testimony. Additionally, it was discovered that evidence was withheld from Mr. Ramirez, including evidence implicating a wholly different suspect. On November 30, 2023, Mr. Ramirez was released from prison.

“Eddie Ramirez’ exoneration on November 30 is attention-grabbing, and for good reason: he spent his entire adult life incarcerated,” Mr. Markos says. “That is an immeasurable loss, not only for him and his family, but for what he could have contributed to his community.”

Mr. Markos says this pattern of police and prosecutorial misconduct has caused pain for the wrongfully incarcerated, such as Mr. Ramirez, and their families. “If we value public safety, then we must value public confidence in the fairness of the judicial system,” he says. “Rampant corruption and misconduct erodes that confidence. And that, too, is an immeasurable loss.”

For more information, call (215) 557-0099 or visit williamscedar.com.

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About Williams Cedar LLC

Williams Cedar LLC is a personal injury law firm that serves areas throughout the State of Pennsylvania, with offices located in Philadelphia. The firm is focused on the practice of personal injury law, employment law, and civil rights litigation, serving victims of negligence and civil rights violations throughout New Jersey. They assist clients with a variety of claims, including product liability claims, toxic torts, wage and hour violations, police misconduct, and malicious prosecution, among others. For more information, call (215) 557-0099 or visit williamscedar.com.

April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month

HADDONFIELD, NEW JERSEY — Gerald Williams and David Cedar, partners in Williams Cedar LLP, are announcing that April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month and telling motorists that they should be aware of other drivers who are not paying attention to the road. If they are involved in a crash with a distracted driver, they should seek legal help immediately.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 3,000 deaths and approximately 324,000 injuries are caused as the result of distracted driving. In addition, distracted driving accounts for 8%-9% of all traffic fatalities in the U.S. and approximately 15% of crashes resulting in injuries.

Distracted driving falls into four categories: visual (looking at a cell phone, turning away to talk to someone in the car), auditory (listening to music, having the cell phone up to your ear, engaging in conversations with other occupants in the car), manual (taking your hands off the wheel to eat, drink or use the cell phone) and cognitive (when your eyes are on the road, but your mind is preoccupied with other thoughts).

Both New Jersey and Pennsylvania have laws in place that ban texting while driving, according to the Governors Highway Safety Administration; however, Pennsylvania does not ban the use of cell phones behind the wheel, while New Jersey does.

“Because of cell phones, the latest technology in our vehicles or the busyness of our lives, people can become distracted when they’re behind the wheel,” Mr. Williams says. “Make sure that the drivers around you are paying attention and not distracted. It may result in a crash that can cause serious injury or death.”

“If you have been involved in a crash with a distracted driver, or if your loved one has been injured or killed in a crash, please contact a personal injury attorney immediately,” Mr. Cedar says. “No one should have to suffer because of someone else’s negligence.”

For more information, call (856) 470-9777 or visit williamscedar.com.

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About Williams Cedar, LLP

Williams Cedar, LLP is a personal injury law firm that serves areas throughout the State of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, with offices located in Haddonfield and Philadelphia. The firm is focused on the practice of personal injury law, employment law, and civil rights litigation, serving victims of negligence and civil rights violations throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania. They assist clients with a variety of claims, including product liability claims, toxic torts, wage and hour violations, police misconduct, and malicious prosecution, among others. For more information, call (856) 470-9777 or visit williamscedar.com.

Child with Compromised Immune System Was Exposed to Harmful Bacteria Found in Line of Fabric Treatments and Home Cleaning Products

HADDONFIELD, NEW JERSEY — Gerald Williams and David Cedar, partners in Williams Cedar LLP, announced today that they have filed a lawsuit against Unilever United States, Inc. and others on behalf of Ashley Sites and Gabriel Yibale, who are seeking damages for the death of Elliana Yibale, the plaintiffs’ five-year-old daughter.

The lawsuit alleges that Elliana, who was born with congenital abnormalities and was immunocompromised, died due to exposure to dangerous bacteria that was found in a line of fabric treatments and home cleaning products under the product name “The Laundress.” These products were sold by the company of the same name from 2004 to 2019, when Unilever bought the company. Unilever continued to market The Laundress brand name until November 2022, when elevated levels of bacteria were found in these products, causing Unilever to recall the entire product line.

Mr. Williams said the product labels had misled the plaintiffs because the products claimed to be “non-toxic,” “just for baby” and “perfect for baby clothes.” “Relying on these premises, Ashley and Gabriel believed they were protecting their child by using ‘The Laundress’ products when, in reality, they were unwittingly jeopardizing her health,” he said. “The contamination of these profitable materials is yet another example of what happens when an insufficiently regulated industry fails to maintain the standards they claim to uphold.

He continued, “While our clients know this lawsuit will not bring their child back, they hope it will help make these defendants accountable for their conduct and encourage other manufacturers to comply with basic safety measures.”

Williams Cedar represents individuals and communities who have been exposed to toxic chemicals and whose water, soil, air or work environment has become polluted by harmful chemicals. They also represent clients in personal injury lawsuits such as toxic torts, in which a client claims they have been harmed by exposure to a hazardous substance. Occupational toxic torts are more common because the worker has suffered long-term exposure to harmful chemicals on the job site. In addition, the firm has successfully represented our veterans with their disability claims and Agent Orange claims.

For more information, call (856) 470-9777 or visit williamscedar.com.

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The complaint can be found here.

About Williams Cedar, LLP

Williams Cedar, LLP is a personal injury law firm that serves areas throughout the State of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, with offices located in Haddonfield and Philadelphia. The firm is focused on the practice of personal injury law, employment law, and civil rights litigation, serving victims of negligence and civil rights violations throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania. They assist clients with a variety of claims, including product liability claims, toxic torts, wage and hour violations, police misconduct, and malicious prosecution, among others. For more information, call (856) 470-9777 or visit williamscedar.com.

HADDONFIELD, NEW JERSEY — Gerald J. Williams, Partner, Williams Cedar LLC, says that any member of the United States Marine Corps or their family members who became seriously ill after being at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, or anyone who lived or worked near the base, may qualify for significant compensation, thanks to a new federal law.

On March 26, 2021, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright of Pennsylvania introduced the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2021. The bill would allow those who were exposed to contaminated water while stationed at or living near the base for 30 days cumulatively between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987 to sue the federal government for all the harm they suffered. The bill was redrafted and became part of the Honoring our PACT Act of 2022, which passed the House on July 17, 2022, passed the U.S. Senate on August 2, 2022 and signed into law by President Joe Biden on August 10, 2022.

Established in 1941, Camp Lejeune has been a major training ground for the Marines, who use the onsite lake as a staging ground for simulated amphibious assaults and other training exercises. It is estimated that the camp has up to 47,000 people living on base at any time, with up to 150,000 people living in the surrounding community. Various practices at the base over decades contaminated its drinking water with toxic chemicals that cause many severe health problems, including long-term disabilities and often fatal diseases.

Under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, any veteran, reservist or National Guardsman who was stationed at the military base during that aforementioned time period can seek legal recourse. In order to make a claim, a veteran must have been honorably discharged and suffered a medical condition plausibly linked to the contaminants in the water. Several serious illnesses will be “presumed” to have such a link, including leukemia, aplastic anemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and cancer of the kidney, liver and bladder. However, claimants may be able to prove that other conditions were caused by the contaminated drinking water. But regardless of whether an illness is on the “presumptive” list, the Act still requires proof that a claimant’s specific illness was caused by ingestion of the water.

“We are ready to help veterans, civilian workers and their families who lived at Camp Lejeune and have become ill as a result,” Mr. Williams says. “If they contact us, we will help them decide whether they qualify to make a claim and, if so, help them make it.”

Williams Cedar represents individuals and communities who have been exposed to toxic chemicals and whose water, soil, air or work environment has become polluted by harmful chemicals. They also represent clients in personal injury lawsuits such as toxic torts, in which a client claims they have been harmed by exposure to a hazardous substance. Occupational toxic torts are more common because the worker has suffered long-term exposure to harmful chemicals on the job site. In addition, the firm has successfully represented our veterans with their disability claims.

For more information, call (856) 470-9777 or visit williamscedar.com.

 

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About Williams Cedar LLC

Williams Cedar LLC is a personal injury law firm that serves areas throughout the State of New Jersey, with offices located in Haddonfield. The firm is focused on the practice of personal injury law, employment law, and civil rights litigation, serving victims of negligence and civil rights violations throughout New Jersey. They assist clients with a variety of claims, including product liability claims, toxic torts, wage and hour violations, police misconduct, and malicious prosecution, among others. For more information, call (856) 470-9777 or visit williamscedar.com.

HADDONFIELD, NEW JERSEY — After being passed in the U.S. Senate after a series of delays, the Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022 has become law. Gerald J. Williams, Partner, Williams Cedar LLC, says that this law will help even more veterans who have been exposed to toxins on the battlefield to get the medical help they need from the Veterans Administration (VA) hospital.

On July 17, 2022, the House of Representatives passed the Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022. While in the U.S. Senate, the bill was held up, citing “administrative issues,” but, on August 2, 2022, it finally passed. On August 10, 2022, President Joe Biden signed the bill into law.

The Honoring the PACT Act of 2002 will cover those who were exposed to noxious fumes from “burn pits” while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Agent Orange while stationed in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Guam, American Samoa and Johnston Atoll. It will also cover those who were exposed to contaminated water while stationed at or living near Camp Lejeune for 30 days cumulatively between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987.

Under the Act, more combat veterans who served after September 11, 2001 will be covered by the VA healthcare system. In addition, 23 medical conditions related to burn pit exposure will be included in the VA’s list of service presumptions, including hypertension.

“We are glad to see the Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022 being finally signed into law,” Mr. Williams said. “The Act will now allow returning service members who became sickened from toxins while deployed overseas to get the medical coverage they need. Millions of our veterans weren’t eligible for coverage because their illnesses weren’t considered to be ‘service-connected’ at the time. The Act changes that.”

Williams Cedar represents individuals and communities who have been exposed to toxic chemicals and whose water, soil, air or work environment has become polluted by harmful chemicals. They also represent clients in personal injury lawsuits such as toxic torts, in which a client claims they have been harmed by exposure to a hazardous substance. Occupational toxic torts are more common because the worker has suffered long-term exposure to harmful chemicals on the job site. In addition, the firm has successfully represented our veterans with their disability claims.

For more information, call (856) 470-9777 or visit williamscedar.com.

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About Williams Cedar LLC

Williams Cedar LLC is a personal injury law firm that serves areas throughout the State of New Jersey, with offices located in Haddonfield. The firm is focused on the practice of personal injury law, employment law, and civil rights litigation, serving victims of negligence and civil rights violations throughout New Jersey. They assist clients with a variety of claims, including product liability claims, toxic torts, wage and hour violations, police misconduct, and malicious prosecution, among others. For more information, call (856) 470-9777 or visit williamscedar.com.

HADDONFIELD, NEW JERSEY — Gerald J. Williams, Partner, Williams Cedar LLP, says that any member of the United States Marine Corps who became seriously ill while stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina or anyone who lived or worked near the base may be able to seek legal action against the federal government, thanks to federal legislation that could soon become law.

On March 26, 2021, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright of Pennsylvania introduced the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2021. The bill would allow those who were exposed to contaminated water while stationed at or living near the base for 30 days cumulatively between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987 to sue the federal government for all the harm they suffered. It became part of the Honoring our PACT Act of 2022, which passed the House in March and passed the U.S. Senate on June 16. It is currently awaiting the president’s signature.

Established in 1941, Camp Lejeune has been used as a major training ground for the Marines, who use the lake as a staging ground for simulated amphibious assaults and other training exercises. It is estimated that the camp has up to 47,000 people living on base at any time, with up to 150,000 people living in the surrounding community. Because of these activities, the drinking water at the base was contaminated with toxic chemicals that caused a variety of severe health problems, many of which resulted in long-term disabilities or even fatal diseases.

Under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, any veteran, reservist or National Guardsman who was stationed at the military base during that aforementioned time period can seek legal recourse. They must have been honorably discharged and suffered from one of the presumptive medical conditions: adult leukemia; aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes; non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma; liver cancer; bladder cancer; kidney cancer; multiple myeloma; and Parkinson’s disease.

“We urge all members of the U.S. Marine Corps and those who lived on the base who have become ill with the following conditions — adult leukemia, aplastic anemia, other myelodysplastic syndromes, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, liver cancer, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, multiple myeloma, and Parkinson’s disease — to contact the firm immediately and file a claim,” Mr. Williams says.

Williams Cedar represents individuals and communities who have been exposed to toxic chemicals and whose water, soil, air or work environment has become polluted by harmful chemicals. They also represent clients in personal injury lawsuits such as toxic torts, in which a client claims they have been harmed by exposure to a hazardous substance. Occupational toxic torts are more common because the worker has suffered long-term exposure to harmful chemicals on the job site. In addition, the firm has successfully represented our veterans with their disability claims.

For more information, call (856) 470-9777 or visit williamscedar.com.

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About Williams Cedar, LLP

Williams Cedar, LLP is a personal injury law firm that serves areas throughout the State of New Jersey, with offices located in Haddonfield. The firm is focused on the practice of personal injury law, employment law, and civil rights litigation, serving victims of negligence and civil rights violations throughout New Jersey. They assist clients with a variety of claims, including product liability claims, toxic torts, wage and hour violations, police misconduct, and malicious prosecution, among others. For more information, call (856) 470-9777 or visit williamscedar.com.

HADDONFIELD, NEW JERSEY — Gerald J. Williams, Partner, Williams Cedar LLC, is available to speak on new guidelines released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) about safe levels of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs) in drinking water.

The new guidelines were released on June 15 after findings that even levels as low as .004 parts per trillion for PFOA and .02 parts per trillion for PFOS, two common types of PFAs, could have negative health effects on people exposed to them.

PFAs are a type of chemical that has been used in industrial processes since the 1940s. These chemicals have been used in everything from non-stick frying pans to moisture-repellent fabric to fire-retardant materials. Unfortunately, PFAs are incredibly toxic, and, even in tiny amounts,1 can cause a variety of health problems, including thyroid disorders, multiple types of cancer, and low birth weight in children.

They also break down incredibly slowly, allowing them to accumulate to toxic levels over a prolonged period. As more information about PFAs has been learned, the lower the recommended safe concentrations for PFAs have gotten.

Despite this health risk, PFAs are not currently regulated by the EPA. The agency is looking to fix this and has announced its intention to issue mandatory standards for PFOAs and PFOS this fall. “These new advisories represent the good news that the federal government, after years of lagging behind regulators in states like New York and New Jersey, recognizes the severe dangers these widespread, persistent, highly toxic chemicals pose for municipal and private water supplies, even at low levels,” Mr. Williams says.

“For decades, the corporate manufacturers and users of PFAs have covered up these dangers, putting residents and workers at risk for serious illnesses, including cancer,” Mr. Williams says. “These new advisories won’t remove the contamination, but they will help inform the public of the ill effects, of both the ‘old’ and ‘new’ PFAs in their drinking water.”

For more information, call (856) 470-9777 or visit williamscedar.com.

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About Williams Cedar LLC

Williams Cedar LLC is a personal injury law firm that serves areas throughout the State of New Jersey, with offices located in Haddonfield. The firm is focused on the practice of personal injury law, employment law, and civil rights litigation, serving victims of negligence and civil rights violations throughout New Jersey. They assist clients with a variety of claims, including product liability claims, toxic torts, wage and hour violations, police misconduct, and malicious prosecution, among others. For more information, call (856) 470-9777 or visit williamscedar.com.