New York, NY (PRWEB) October 29, 2011

New York City mesothelioma lawyer Joseph W. Belluck today expressed outrage over a report that Canadian lobbyists defeated a mid-1980s effort by the United States to ban asbestos, resulting in the importation of an additional 300,000 tons of Canadian asbestos into the country.

The disregard for human health in the name of profits demonstrated by this report is absolutely astonishing, said Belluck, a partner in the New York City personal injury law firm of Belluck & Fox, LLP.

Belluck, a nationally recognized attorney whose practice focuses on asbestos-exposure and mesothelioma litigation, said that 2,500 to 4,000 Americans are diagnosed with mesothelioma and asbestos-related diseases every year.

According to this report, by the 1980s there was no debate whatsoever about the danger posed by asbestos exposure, yet officials in both the Canadian and U.S. governments turned a collective blind eye to the potential harm they were content to bring to untold thousands of Americans, Belluck said.

The International Ban Asbestos Secretariat(IBAS) revealed the Canadian lobbying effort in a mid-October report based on documents obtained from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Canadian sources.

The IBAS 5,800-word report explains how multiple Canadian officials, up to and including then-Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, and asbestos-industry representatives lobbied the Reagan administration over several years before succeeding in October 1991 in overturning the U.S. Asbestos Ban and Phase-out Rule (ABPR).

The ban, in effect since 1989, had introduced prohibitions on the import, processing, manufacture and distribution of asbestos products in three stages over 10 years.

In the vacuum left by the demise of the ABPR, a further 300,000+ tons of asbestos fiber was used, most sourced from Canadian mines, and vast amounts of asbestos-containing construction products, friction materials and assorted other asbestos-containing items were incorporated into the U.S. infrastructure, the IBAS said.

Asbestos is a heat-resistant fibrous material used in a variety of industrial, construction and consumer products, though it has been identified as a carcinogen since the 1920s. Asbestos fibers easily break down when disturbed, and if inhaled can result in mesothelioma, asbestosis and other diseases, which are usually fatal.

Victims of asbestos-related disease are most often those who had long-term contact with the carcinogen in an industrial or manufacturing job, though even a single exposure to asbestos from a consumer product can be harmful, according to Belluck.

Besides the physical tragedy of mesothelioma and other diseases caused by asbestos exposure, there is a terrible expense around each of these cases in not only medical bills, but loss of work and loss of production, which itself is a terrible cost to American industry, Belluck said.

The U.S. continues to allow asbestos in infrastructure and consumer products, which is a practice that must stop, Belluck said. The U.S. continues to import asbestos-containing products from Canada, which is another practice that must be stopped.

Victims of respiratory problems like mesothelioma, asbestosis or lung cancer who think their disease is the result of an exposure to asbestos may be eligible to file claims or lawsuits for compensation from the parties responsible for their disease, Belluck said.

Pressure from those who have been harmed by asbestos exposure is a viable weapon against those who would profit from this deadly product, he said.

In addition to protecting the rights of mesothelioma victims and obtaining for them the compensation they deserve, we at Belluck & Fox, LLP, are dedicated to pursuing mesothelioma and asbestos-exposure lawsuits as a means to hold responsible those who manufacture, distribute, supply and/or install asbestos-containing materials or products.

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, motorcycle crashes, lead paint and other serious injuries. The firm provides personalized and professional representation and has won over $ 400 million in compensation for clients and their families.

Partner Joseph W. Belluck is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell and is listed in Best Lawyers in America, New York Magazines 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.

Partner Jordan Fox is a well-known asbestos and mesothelioma attorney who has been named to the Best Lawyers in America, New York Magazines Best Lawyers in the New York Area and to Super Lawyers. On two separate occasions his verdicts were featured as the National Law Journals Largest Verdict of the Year. He recently secured verdicts of $ 32 million and more than $ 19 million on behalf of individuals who had contracted mesothelioma from asbestos exposure.

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) 637-6843 or through the online contact form.

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