Is a Business Litigation Lawyer Worth the Investment?

Every business faces liability in some way, shape or form. Whether it’s through potential employment issues, breaches of contract, on-site injuries or even fraud or embezzlement, modern businesses have a lot to worry about. While there’s no guarantee that lawsuits regarding these issues will arise, there’s always a possibility. This possibility makes it crucial to… Continue reading →

Every business faces liability in some way, shape or form. Whether it’s through potential employment issues, breaches of contract, on-site injuries or even fraud or embezzlement, modern businesses have a lot to worry about. While there’s no guarantee that lawsuits regarding these issues will arise, there’s always a possibility.

This possibility makes it crucial to work with a business litigation lawyer that understands your business and liabilities, and that knows how the law applies to your particular situation.

How a Litigation Lawyer Can Help

A litigation lawyer can provide legal advice based on your company’s specific needs and circumstances, and can help devise strategies for facing adverse legal circumstances. A combination of confidence, strategic thinking, and bold action helps to achieve the best possible outcome for any legal situation.

A litigation lawyer doesn’t just serve to protect you in the event of legal claims; they can also be proactive. If a vendor reneges on a contract, a litigation lawyer can file or threaten to file suit and make sure your company gets the deliverables or money it’s rightfully due.

When you retain a litigation lawyer, they will become intimately familiar with your business. They’ll work to understand what you do, whom you work with, where your potential liabilities and threats lie, and how to turn these to your advantage. They’ll apply the law to your business to protect you, help you and guide you down the road to success.

Why It’s Worth It

A simple breach of contract suit could cost your business tens of thousands of dollars if you hire an attorney unfamiliar with business litigation. However, a skilled business litigation lawyer can quickly evaluate the costs and benefits of litigation versus other legal alternatives and take decisive action to resolve any legal disputes as quickly as possible.

If you’re ready to protect your company from the threat of costly lawsuits and legal claims, then contact Goldenberg Heller & Antognoli, P.C. today. Our team can begin working on strategies for resolution today.

Small Business Succession Planning: A Crucial Part of Your Estate Plan

If you own a small business, drafting a detailed succession plan is crucial, especially if you aren’t the sole owner or operator. If something unfortunate happened to you tomorrow, what would happen to the company you’ve worked so hard to build? Would it be divided up in probate court? Would it go to some board member… Continue reading →

If you own a small business, drafting a detailed succession plan is crucial, especially if you aren’t the sole owner or operator. If something unfortunate happened to you tomorrow, what would happen to the company you’ve worked so hard to build? Would it be divided up in probate court? Would it go to some board member you barely know? Would your children receive any part of it? If you don’t know what your company’s future looks like without you in it, it’s time to start small business succession planning today.

What Small Business Succession Planning Does For You

Small business succession planning helps set in stone who will own, operate and run your company once you pass on. Whether you want your business to go to your children, wife, business partner, or sibling, succession planning can help you do that. Essentially, it lets you guarantee the future success of your company by placing it in the hands of your most trusted friend or family member.

Business succession planning can also:

  • Reduce tax exposure and risks, so your company isn’t vulnerable to exorbitant death taxes and probate costs. While these may not worry you now, they could put a huge financial strain on your spouse, children and family, and they can lower the amount of your estate your loved ones are able to receive.
  • Prevent interfamily disputes. If you have multiple children, a succession plan is even more important. There’s a good chance two or more of them will be interested in running your business after your death. If there’s no established line of succession in place, this could cause a rift between family members.
  • Provide for your future generations. Including your children in the succession plan can help you provide for them financially even after your death. They can use your successful business as a line of income for years after you pass, carrying on your legacy for their children, too.

Do you own a small business? If you don’t have a succession plan in place, this is the time to act. Contact Goldenberg Heller & Antognoli, P.C. today. We are experts in small business succession planning, and we can help you protect your company’s (and your family’s) future.

What types of clients has Goldenberg Heller represented?

Video: Elizabeth V. Heller describes what types of clients the attorneys at Goldenberg Heller & Antognoli, P.C. have represented. Continue reading →

It’s not only workers who suffer from asbestos exposure. We’ve represented nurses, teachers, a nuclear engineer. We most recently represented a high ranking naval officer and were able to recover a substantial amount of money for his family.

What types of injuries are caused by asbestos exposure?

Video: Elizabeth V. Heller of Goldenberg Heller & Antognoli, P.C. explains the injuries that can be caused by asbestos exposure, including mesothelioma. Continue reading →


The most common disease is mesothelioma, but some people don’t realize that both lung cancer and colon cancer can be related to exposure to asbestos, and we’ve represented a number people who suffer from these diseases as well.

World’s First Nuclear Powered Aircraft Carrier Had Onboard Asbestos Team

The USS Enterprise (CVN 65) was launched September 24, 1960, by Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Newport News, Virginia and commissioned November 25, 1961. In 2012, after 51 years of service, she was decommissioned.

Known as the “Big E” or “CVN 65,” this 1,123 ft. military vessel was the longest warship in the history of the world. She served longer than any other U.S. aircraft carrier, she was the world’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, and she even had an onboard asbestos team. Continue reading →

The USS Enterprise (CVN 65) was launched September 24, 1960, by Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Newport News, Virginia and commissioned November 25, 1961. In 2012, after 51 years of service, she was decommissioned.

Known as the Big E or CVN 65, this 1,123 ft. military vessel was the longest warship in the history of the world. She served longer than any other U.S. aircraft carrier, she was the world’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, and she even had an onboard asbestos team.

Before the 1970s, asbestos was considered a wondrous mineral thanks to amazing insulation properties and superior resistance to fire. Simply put, it absolutely will not burn, says Military.com, the nation’s largest military and veteran membership organization.

Virtually every ship commissioned by the United States Navy between 1930 and about 1970 contained several tons of asbestos insulation in the engine room, along the miles of pipe aboard the ship, and in the walls and doors that required fireproofing, according to the organization. The more than 100,000 sailors that called the Big E home during her commission, and the men who manned and repaired ships in Navy shipyards were prime candidates for asbestos exposure, a fact borne out by the disease statistics.

Big E’s onboard asbestos team was responsible for removing old and worn asbestos insulation and replacing it with new insulation. This process was likely repeated several times between 1960 and 1979, along with other major upgrades and repairs. This means that during these times, the team was exposed to asbestos at a higher degree than all others.

According to US Carriers.net, earlier repair and overhaul trips took place in:

  • November 2, 1964: After an historic 65-day, 30,216-mile voyage around the world, accomplished without a single refueling or replenishment, Big E entered the dry-dock at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company for first refueling and overhaul.
  • June 30, 1966: Following a record-breaking first combat tour in which 13,020 combat sorties had been made and 8,000 tons of ordnance had been dumped on targets in South and North Vietnam, Big E moved to San Francisco Bay Naval Shipyard at Hunters Point for repair and overhaul.
  • July 29, 1968: USS Enterprise arrived at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington for a two-month overhaul.
  • August 12, 1969: Months after a Zuni missile detonated during the arming of an F-4 Phantom, causing eight explosions and a large fire that killed more than 20 crewmen and injured more than 80, and destroyed 15 aircraft, Big E arrived at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Virginia for another refueling and overhaul.

There were many other repair and overhaul trips during Big E’s half-century of service. However, overexposure to asbestos was much more widespread in her earlier years due to the lack of awareness about the dangers of asbestos. As the military and other industries began to learn more about the dangers of asbestos, the fanfare surrounding asbestos gradually shifted to fear.

During Big E’s later years, Emergency Asbestos Rip-Out Teams (EARTs) were responsible for making sure the ship’s insulation and lagging were asbestos free during deployment. This is a far cry from repairing and replacing it. According to EART member Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class Derek Begay, “We assemble underway whenever asbestos is discovered. A lot of the crew don’t know what we do. We come and isolate the area and remove whatever insulation needs to be removed. And we repair the place where the insulation was as well.” While the crew is taught to avoid contact with asbestos, says Navy.com, these sailors are trained and qualified to handle asbestos safely.

While today’s regulations regarding asbestos removal help protect individuals handling the task, regulations were not sound during Big E’s prime. A number of crewmembers died from asbestos inhalation. According to a 2013 TIME Magazine article one woman wishes she could have attended Enterprise’s deactivation ceremony. “I would have like to have attended on behalf of my uncle,” she says. He worked on the Enterprise when she was first constructed. He insulated pipes with asbestos. He died in 1974 from the asbestos.

The Inactivation Ceremony for the USS Enterprise (CVN 65) was held on December 1, 2012. The ship remained at Naval Station Norfolk for approximately 6 months in order to off-load equipment. The next step involved moving the ship to dock at Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipyard (HII-NNSY) for inactivation. According to the United States Navy, this process (the inactivation phase) takes approximately 4 years.

In 2016, the ship will be towed to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS&IMF) for dismantlement and recycling, the final phase.

For more information about the USS Enterprise (CVN 65), please visit the United States Navy information page here.

Sources

Does everybody exposed to asbestos develop mesothelioma?

Video: Peter D. D’Angelo, Esq. of Goldenberg Heller & Antognoli, P.C., answers the question, “does everybody exposed to asbestos develop mesothelioma?” Continue reading →

Not everyone exposed to asbestos develops mesothelioma, though the more frequently you are exposed to it, the greater your risk. Some of our most common clients include millwrights, insulators, pipefitters, and boilermakers – people who typically work with asbestos on the job.

Biofeedback May Improve Quality of Life for Cancer Patients

One of the most worrisome aspects of undergoing cancer treatment is the impending threat of diminished quality of life. Fortunately, many patients can improve their quality of life by engaging in a number of relaxation techniques. Relaxation techniques are often used to help ease treatment side effects, pain, and the emotional issues that come with living with cancer. One relaxation method called Biofeedback has been studied since the 1970s, but it did not reach the mainstream until recently. However, researchers say it is still underutilized.

Biofeedback belongs to a collection of behavioral, psychological, social, and spiritual techniques that are used to preserve health and prevent or cure disease. Called “Mind-Body Medicine,” the collection includes techniques such as Acupuncture, Guided Imagery, Hypnotherapy, Meditation, Bodywork, Massage, Breathwork and more. Also referred to as “Alternative” or “Complementary,” mind-body medicine such as biofeedback is now supported by a significant amount of scientific evidence that says there are numerous benefits to incorporating it into a cancer patient’s treatment plan. Continue reading →

One of the most worrisome aspects of undergoing cancer treatment is the impending threat of diminished quality of life. Fortunately, many patients can improve their quality of life by engaging in a number of relaxation techniques. Relaxation techniques are often used to help ease treatment side effects, pain, and the emotional issues that come with living with cancer. One relaxation method called Biofeedback has been studied since the 1970s, but it did not reach the mainstream until recently. However, researchers say it is still underutilized.

Biofeedback belongs to a collection of behavioral, psychological, social, and spiritual techniques that are used to preserve health and prevent or cure disease. Called “Mind-Body Medicine,” the collection includes techniques such as Acupuncture, Guided Imagery, Hypnotherapy, Meditation, Bodywork, Massage, Breathwork and more. Also referred to as “Alternative” or “Complementary,” mind-body medicine such as biofeedback is now supported by a significant amount of scientific evidence that says there are numerous benefits to incorporating it into a cancer patient’s treatment plan.

According to Dr. Roger S. Cicala, Medical Director of The Methodist Comprehensive Cancer Institute and author of The Cancer Pain Sourcebook, biofeedback can teach a person how to control many of the involuntary functions of the body. Using this technique, patients can learn how to control blood pressure, muscle tension, heart rate, temperature, perspiration and even emotions.

Approved by an independent panel convened by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as a complementary therapy for treating chronic pain, biofeedback uses monitoring devices to provide biofeedback information so that the person can adjust his or her thinking and other mental processes in order to control bodily functions, says the American Cancer Society (ACS). A biofeedback therapist guides the patient as he concentrates on changing a specific physiological process ranging from brain activity to heart rate to muscle tension. According to ACS:

A monitor hooked via electrodes to the patient’s skin measures changes in whichever function is to be altered. Tones or images produced by the monitor inform the patient when he or she achieves the desired results. The process is repeated as often as necessary until the patient can reliably use conscious thought to change physical functions.

Body functions for biofeedback purposes are measured in at least five different ways:

  • Breathing Rate: promotes relaxation
  • Electrodermal Activity (EDM): shows changes in perspiration rates, used for treating anxiety
  • Electromyogram (EMG): measures muscle tension, also helps heal muscle injuries, relieve chronic pain, and some types of incontinence
  • Finger Pulse Measurements: used to reflect high blood pressure, heart beat irregularities, and anxiety
  • Thermal Biofeedback: provides information about skin temperature, good indicator of blood flow, which helps treat headaches, anxiety, and high blood pressure

While biofeedback does not affect the development or progression of cancer, as stated, research shows that it can improve the quality of life for some people with cancer. This is a safe, inexpensive, and noninvasive technique that requires little effort. It typically takes five to fifteen sessions before a patient achieves effective control.

To learn a more about biofeedback or to find a certified biofeedback practitioner, visit the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance (BCIA) here.

Sources