Asbestos Exposure Continues to Scar U.S. Workers and Their Families, New York Attorney Says

Nationally recognized asbestos and mesothelioma lawyer Joseph W. Belluck says the history of asbestos exposure is still being written.

New York, NY (PRWEB) April 15, 2010 -- Although most asbestos use was banned in the early 1980s, Americans continue to suffer from manufacturers’ use of this product decades ago in dozens of household and building products, says Joseph W. Belluck, a New York attorney who represents clients with mesothelioma, a disease linked to asbestos exposure.

“Many myths surround the dangers of asbestos, the chief of which is that the problems with asbestos exposure have ended,” says Belluck, a lawyer with Belluck & Fox LLC in New York, NY. “Asbestos is still all around us in many products in our homes, and people continue to be exposed to asbestos because of its presence in our lives.”

Asbestos is still all around us in many products in our homes, and people continue to be exposed to asbestos because of its presence in our lives.

Asbestos is a mineral fiber that was once common in construction materials, favored for its insulating properties and as a fire-retardant. Asbestos has been used in dozens of common building materials, including roofing shingles, ceiling and floor tiles, pipe insulation, furnace ducts, and patching and joint compound. Workers and homeowners face exposure from these products, Belluck noted.

When asbestos-containing materials are disturbed by repair, remodeling or demolition activities, microscopic fibers become airborne and can be inhaled into the lungs, where they can cause significant health problems, sometimes decades after the initial exposure. The Environmental Protection Agency says asbestos can cause several deadly diseases, including:

Mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer found in the thin lining of the lung, chest, abdomen and heart that is almost always linked to asbestos exposure; Lung cancer, which causes the largest number of deaths related to asbestos exposure; Asbestosis, a serious, progressive, long-term non-cancer disease of the lungs for which there is no effective treatment.

“One misconception is that anyone made ill by asbestos in the past would have been diagnosed a long time ago,” Belluck said. “But we know, and the EPA confirms, that symptoms of lung disease caused by asbestos show up many years after exposure.”

Many types of trades workers have been exposed to asbestos, including shipyard workers, factory workers, pipefitters, sheet metal workers, plumbers, laborers, machinists, mechanics, powerhouse workers and electricians.

“In fact,” Belluck added, “asbestos is so toxic that mesothelioma has been diagnosed in family members of workers who brought asbestos fibers home on their clothes.”

Belluck & Fox has obtained many multi-million-dollar judgments on behalf of families whose loved ones suffered and died from mesothelioma caused by asbestos exposure. “The judgments we’ve obtained, and the courts’ willingness to rule for families again and again, is solid indication that manufacturers that used asbestos should be and can be held responsible for the harm they’ve caused,” Belluck said.

The firm sponsors a mesothelioma information Web site, MesotheliomaHelp.Net.

About Belluck & Fox, LLP

Belluck & Fox, LLP is a nationally recognized law firm that represents individuals with asbestos and mesothelioma claims, as well as victims of crime, medical malpractice, motorcycle crashes, lead paint and other serious injuries. The firm provides personalized and professional representation and has won nearly $225 million in compensation for clients and their families.

Partner Jordan Fox is a well-known asbestos and mesothelioma attorney who has been named to the Best Lawyers in America, New York Magazine’s “Best Lawyers in the New York Area” and to Super Lawyers. On two separate occasions his verdicts were featured as the National Law Journal’s Largest Verdict of the Year.

Partner Joseph W. Belluck is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell and is listed in New York Magazine’s “Best Lawyers in the New York Area” and in Super Lawyers. Mr. Belluck has won numerous cases involving injuries from asbestos, defective medical products, tobacco and lead paint, including a recent asbestos case that settled for more than $12 million.

For more information, contact the firm at 877-695-2909 or through the online contact form.

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[Via Legal / Law]

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