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New York City personal injury attorney Joseph W. Belluck says World Cancer Day is a time to focus on preventing mesothelioma through the elimination of asbestos use.

New York, NY (PRWEB) February 5, 2011

New York attorney Joseph W. Belluck said World Cancer Day is a fitting time to reflect on deaths caused by preventable cancers, such as mesothelioma, and renew efforts to eliminate recognized cancer causes.

“Each year, thousands of families lose loved ones to cancers that could have been prevented through early detection, treatment or safer workplaces,” said Belluck, a partner in Belluck & Fox, a New York law firm that represents . “It’s appropriate to have a day to consider how to eliminate known carcinogens such as asbestos.”

World Cancer Day, which occurred this week, is organized by the Union for International Cancer Control, the world’s largest cancer organization headquartered in Switzerland. The UICC’s mission is to eliminate cancer, which annually takes the lives of 7.6 million people. Each year, 12.7 million people discover that they have cancer.

Millions of cancer deaths could be avoided through prevention, early detection and proper treatment, including , which is linked to inhalingand which impacts the lining of the lungs or abdomen.

Today, about 125 million people worldwide are exposed to asbestos, primarily in the workplace or by living near factories that handle asbestos. Microscopic asbestos fibers can accumulate in the lung and cause mesothelioma, including pleural mesothelioma and peritoneal mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis, a chronic scarring of the lung.

Symptoms of mesothelioma typically appear 20 years to 50 years after exposure. Mesothelioma claims about 3,000 lives each year in the United States.

Workers exposed to asbestos are at a higher risk of developing mesothelioma and other respiratory diseases.

For example, first responders such as New York firefighters, NY police, paramedics and volunteers involved in the rescue and cleanup after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center site, have a higher risk of developing mesothelioma and asbestos-related diseases, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Belluck said that many residents of New York and elsewhere are surprised to learn that asbestos, despite its toxicity, is still used in manufacturing in the United States and in many other countries. The use of asbestos in the U.S. was limited in the late 1970s, but some asbestos-containing products are still imported.

“Many health groups have appropriately called for a ban on asbestos mining and use,” said Belluck, a nationally recognized New York mesothelioma lawyer. “As long as asbestos is put in building materials and automotive products, people will die of mesothelioma.”

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 $350 million in compensation for clients and their families.

Partneris 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.

Partneris 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.

In September, Belluck & Fox, LLP, won a coveted spot on a list of America's best law firms, which was published jointly by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers magazine. The listing showcased 8,782 different law firms ranked in one or more of 81 major practice areas.

For more information, contact the firm at (877) 695-2909 or through the .

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Joseph W. BelluckBelluck & Fox, LLP(877) 695-2909Email Information