Earlington is a city in Hopkins County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 1,649. It was founded in 1870 around the area coal fields, and was named for John Baylis Earl, a lawyer who was central in developing the coal industry in the region. Until the mid-1970s, the City of Earlington operated an independent school system. The system served students from primary until graduation and was known regionally for an exceptionally strong academic program and producing very strong students. The athletic programs at Earlington were also very strong. In 1967, the Earlington Yellowjackets won the state "Sweet 16" basketball tournament. What made this achievement even more notable was during the 1960s, the champion of the Sweet 16 were typically from Jefferson County (Louisville) or Fayette County (Lexington) since school boundaries were being re-written to conform to school desegration orders. To this day, Earlington remains one of the smallest schools to ever win the "Sweet 16" in the modern era. When the city school board decided to merge with the Hopkins County School System, the school and community was literally split into two. Half of the student population was enrolled at South Hopkins High School approximately 3 miles to the South and West Hopkins High School, located approximately 8 miles to the West. The dividing line was the railroad line that still bisects the town. The City of Earlington also had a private school that operated until the 1970s. Immaculate Conception, the only Roman Catholic Parish in Earlington and the oldest parish in Hopkins County, operated a school periodically from the 1890s until the school was condemned due to poor building conditions. The school was a kindergarten through sixth grade. It was located across the street from the parish building and demolished after the school closed.

What is toxic tort law?

Toxic Tort cases involve people who have been injured through exposure to dangerous pharmaceuticals or chemical substances in the environment, on the job, or in consumer products -- including carcinogenic agents, lead, benzene, silica, harmful solvents, hazardous waste, and pesticides to name a few.

Most toxic tort cases have arisen either from exposure to pharmaceutical drugs or occupational exposures. Most pharmaceutical toxic injury cases are mass tort cases, because drugs are consumed by thousands of people, many of whom become ill from a toxic drug. There have also been many occupational toxic tort cases, because industrial and other workers are often chronically exposed to toxic chemicals - more so than consumers and residents. Most of the law in this area arises from asbestos exposure, but thousands of toxic chemicals are used in industry and workers in these areas can experience a variety of toxic injuries. Unlike the general population, which is exposed to trace amounts of thousands of different chemicals in the environment, industrial workers are regularly exposed to much higher levels of chemicals and therefore have a greater risk of developing disease from particular chemical exposures than the general population. The home has recently become the subject of toxic tort litigation, mostly due to mold contamination, but also due to construction materials such as formaldehyde-treated wood and carpet. Toxic tort cases also arise when people are exposed to consumer products such as pesticides and suffer injury. Lastly, people can also be injured from environmental toxins in the air or in drinking water.

Answers to toxic tort law issues in Kentucky

In certain kinds of cases, lawyers charge what is called a contingency fee. Instead of billing by the hour, the...

Because of the health problems caused by lead poisoning, the federal Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction...

Property owners may be liable for tenant health problems caused by exposure to environmental hazards, such as...

In general, mass tort cases involve a large number of individual claimants with claims associated with a single...