For too many years, many industrial workers, including miners and railroad workers in Kentucky and shipbuilders in Virginia, weren’t protected from asbestos exposure and weren't told the risks of breathing it.
New York, NY (PRWEB) February 11, 2010
The efforts by Kentucky lawmakers to establish a Mesothelioma Awareness Day in the state is a sign of progress in the growing national concern about asbestos-related diseases, New York personal injury lawyer Joseph Belluck says.
“For too many years, many industrial workers, including miners and railroad workers in Kentucky and shipbuilders in Virginia, weren’t protected from asbestos exposure and weren't told the risks of breathing it,” said Belluck. Belluck is a partner in Belluck & Fox, a nationally-known law firm based in New York that represents victims of asbestos-related disease. His firm sponsors an online resource for mesothelioma victims, http://www.mesotheliomahelp.net.
“Many workers exposed to asbestos in the 1950s and 1960s are still being diagnosed with this terrible disease," Belluck said.
A committee in the Kentucky State Senate on Feb. 3 approved Senate Bill 62, designating Sept. 26 of each year as Mesothelioma Awareness Day. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the lung or abdomen that is closely associated with exposure to asbestos fibers. The legislation now moves to the full Senate for a vote. If approved by the Senate, the measure will go next to the Kentucky House of Representatives.
Numerous other states have designated Sept. 26 as Mesothelioma Awareness Day. The date was chosen because it is the wedding anniversary of a Pennsylvania widow who spent many hours making others aware of the disease that claimed her husband’s life.
The sponsor of the resolution, Sen. Johnny Ray Turner, said it was important to raise awareness about the prevalence of mesothelioma and the serious problems associated with the disease. Asbestos was widely used in construction materials in buildings built before the mid-1970s.
Each year, approximately 3,000 American die from mesothelioma, and between 2,500 and 3,000 new cases are diagnosed, often 30 to 40 years after initial exposure. Many of the New York firefighters, police officers and rescue workers who worked at Ground Zero after Sept. 11, 2001 could be at risk of developing mesothelioma in the future because an estimated 400 tons of pulverized asbestos were released during the collapse of the buildings.
“People will only be safe when asbestos is banned and all the asbestos is safely removed from buildings and disposed of,” Belluck said. “Legislative actions such as the measure in Kentucky show we’re making progress, but we still have a long way to go.”
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. Belluck & Fox has won more than $200 million in compensation for its 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 occasions, his verdicts were featured as the National Law Journal's Largest Verdict of the Year.
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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