WASHINGTON-Baltimore superlawyer Peter Angelos confirmed he may take over mobile phone-cancer litigation in Maryland that was dealt a major legal setback recently, but he distanced himself from press reports last week that said his law firm intended to file lawsuits around the country against the wireless industry.
“Contrary to reports in the news media, although we are currently considering becoming involved in a case in Baltimore, we have not at this time reached a decision to file suit against any company in the wireless phone industry, whether manufacturer, distributor or service provider. Any stories about our intentions to bring suit against specific companies are presently speculative, if not incorrect,” said Angelos in a written statement Friday.
A story published last Tuesday by The Times of London, which reported Angelos planned to file 10 lawsuits against the U.S. mobile-phone industry, was picked up by news services and spread like wildfire for days after.
The Times story is attributed to John Pica, a lawyer at the Angelos law firm and a former Maryland state legislator. “If these companies knew about the dangers of mobile-phone radiation they should be punished and they should be punished dearly: not only for what they did to the public, but for the billions of pounds of profits they made,” Pica told The Times.
Pica, according to The Times, said three lawsuits would be filed in Maryland, Kentucky and California before March and the other seven during the rest of this year. The Times also had Pica saying Verizon Wireless, 45-percent held by Great Britain stalwart Vodafone Group plc and the largest U.S. mobile-phone operator, would be named in nearly all the lawsuits. Pica said the suits would name wireless carriers, landline telephone companies and equipment manufacturers as defendants.
“We’re not aware of any filings from Mr. Angelos,” said Andrea Linskey, a Verizon Wireless spokeswoman.
A nearly identical story, quoting an unnamed member of Angelos’ law firm, appeared three weeks ago in Microwave News, a trade newsletter.
Angelos told RCR Wireless News recently he planned to assume control of an $800 million mobile phone-cancer lawsuit filed by Baltimore lawyer Joanne Suder on behalf of a 42-year-old neurologist. A federal court in Maryland on Dec. 21 threw out several claims in the lawsuit and gave Suder until Jan. 16 to file amended complaints against Motorola Inc., Verizon Communications, the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association and the Telecommunications Industry Association.
Though Angelos pulled back from Pica’s statements, the mere possibility that a well-heeled, successful litigator like Angelos, might be targeting Verizon sent Vodafone stock tumbling in London trading. According to one U.K. press report, Vodafone lost 2 percent-or nearly $3 billion-as a result of the news stories.
The Angelos law firm has earned more than $1 billion in personal injury claims against tobacco and asbestos manufacturers. Angelos, owner of the Baltimore Orioles and a leading Democratic benefactor, also is pursuing personal injury lawsuits against lead paint makers and a government agency that uses audio tape erasing machines that produce strong electromagnetic fields.
The reason for the conflicting signals coming from Angelos and Pica is unclear. Pica has been leading the law firm’s investigation of claims that mobile phones cause brain cancer in recent years.
New epidemiology studies found no near-term link between mobile phones and cancer, though the interpretation of findings has come under attack by Dr. George Carlo, the scientist who headed a six-year, $28 million cancer research program funded by wireless carriers and manufacturers.
Other research, including some conducted by Carlo, has found genetic damage, DNA breaks and increased cancer in rodents exposed to mobile-phone radiation.
In a new book, Carlo criticizes the cellular industry, Food and Drug Administration and Congress for not doing more to protect the nation’s 107 million mobile phone subscribers against possible health risks.
CTIA was not available for comment.
In addition to litigation, sources say Angelos plans to fund new mobile phone-cancer research.
“Our review of materials so far has raised questions about the safety of frequent usage of cell phones,” said Angelos. “We do not believe that the recently published results of research projects financed by the cellular telephone interests preclude the possibility that electromagnetic radiation emitted by these phones may cause harmful biological effects.”
Angelos said his law firm has been contacted during the last two years by many people who believe their injuries were caused by heavy cell-phone usage.
“Should we decide to proceed with litigation against any concern, we will make an appropriate announcement at that time,” Angelos stated.
