Working for Asbestos Victims - Brazil

August 24, 1998

Dear Sirs

I've learned about your interest to know more lawsuits against asbestos companies in Brazil. I'm an Engineer and I've worked at the Labor Ministry as an inspector of health and safety at the workplaces since 1983. From 1987 until today I'm inspecting the asbestos factories. I'm working with the asbestos victims of Osasco(in the greater São Paulo)too that were exposed at the Swiss Eternit group's plant . We have already 199 lawsuits and we had already 2 very good decisions of our Judges against the Company. We have around 400 victims diagnosed with asbestos related diseases only from this factory. We plan to sue the company in Europe too. We are deciding how to do this because this kind of litigations are completely new subject for us. We founded/created the ABREA-Associação Brasileira dos Expostos ao Amianto(the first asbestos victims association) and I 'm the coordinator of the Ban Asbestos Network for the South America. I have published with Dra. Annie Thébaud-Mony this article available at the web: http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Union/7333/giannasi01.html and we have a home page (that it will be updated soon) : http://www.telnet.com.br/~giannasi/homepage.htm I'd like to contact Leonardo Amarante. Could you please give me his direction?

Sincerely yours

Fernanda Giannasi
Av. Jandira n. 647/Apto.114-04080-004-São Paulo- Brasil
Tel./Fax:(55-11)535-6017

Serious Asbestos Disease Epidemic - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

May 19, 1998

I am sending this message to inform you about the asbestos litigation that now is taking place in Brazil. In Brazil, the situation of asbestos exposure is very serious. We have thousands of workers with asbestos-related diseases (asbestosis and mesothelioma) and que companies refuse to pay any compensation, arguing that's no evidence of causal relation between the diseases and their activity. My office has filled 6 lawsuits against asbestos companies. Unfortunately, the brazilian workers have serious difficulties to get informed about their rights, so they often die of those diseases without any medical diagnosis. The situation is beginning to change. However, in Rio de Janeiro, there is less than ten lawsuits filled by workers with asbestos diseases !! We wish to have your help for our fight. Please, send us a message.

Thank you.
Leonardo Amarante