Uxbridge is a suburban New England town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, in the United States. First "officially" settled by Europeans in 1662, it was later incorporated in 1727 at Suffolk County, and named for England's Earl of Uxbridge. The town was split off from Mendon and located at two former Praying "Nipmuck" Indian villages, at Rice City and at Wacentug, ("walk-in-tuck"). It's part of Greater Boston, and the Worcester metropolitan statistical area, in the nation's fifth largest Combined Statistical Area. It is located 16 miles (26 km) SSE of Worcester, 20.4 miles (32.8 km) NNW of Providence, Rhode Island, 34 miles (55 km) SW of Boston, and 8.7 miles (14.0 km) WSW of Interstate 495. The 2009 estimated population is 13,247. The census of 2000 reported 11,156 people. Uxbridge spanned the colonial era, the American Revolution and the industrial revolution, having been noted for early textiles, and women's rights. Among its first settlers was the Taft family from England. Today it is the geographic center of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, the oldest industrialized region in the U.S. There are over 375 state or national historic sites here, with an excellent variety of architectural styles, and well preserved remnants of the Blackstone Canal. Cashmere woolens, and military uniforms were manufactured here for over 100 years in several large mills. The first U.S. Air Force dress uniform, dubbed "Uxbridge Blue", was made here. Notable women included: 1) America's first legal woman voter, Lydia Chapin Taft, a Revolutionary war soldier, Deborah Sampson, 3) fiery abolitionist Abby Kelley Foster, 4) Olympic Medalist, Alice Bridges, and 5) film art producer, Jeannine Oppewall. Baxter Hall, an 18 year old drummer, helped "muster" America's first battle for freedom at the Lexington Alarm. Colonel Seth Reed from Uxbridge, fought at Bunker Hill, and was apparently "instrumental", in placing E Pluribus Unum, on U.S. Coins.

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 Massachusetts

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...