Asbestos Contamination In Libby, Montana, A "National Tragedy," Says New York Mesothelioma Lawyer
NY attorney Joseph W. Belluck says EPA action underscores the need for further action and health care for area residents exposed to asbestos.
New York, NY (PRWEB) June 26, 2009
A new federal declaration of a public health emergency in two Montana towns contaminated with asbestos highlights the serious health consequences of asbestos exposure and the need to minimize it, says a New York personal injury attorney.
"The situation in Libby, Montana, is a national tragedy," said Joseph W. Belluck, a partner at the New York law firm of Belluck & Fox, LLP (http://www. belluckfox. com/), which handles asbestos-related injury cases. "It shows how far-reaching the adverse effects of breathing asbestos can be. Not only were the miners affected, but their families and the entire town suffered."
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson announced Wednesday that the agency has determined a public health emergency exists in the towns of Libby and Troy in northwest Montana. In recent years hundreds of asbestos-related disease cases have been documented in those communities.
It is the first time the EPA has made a determination under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, commonly referred to as the Superfund law, that conditions at a site constitute a public health emergency.
The EPA's action underscores the need for further action and health care for area residents who have been or may be exposed to asbestos, Belluck said.
"Based on what we've seen in our practice, it's no surprise that the first declaration of a public health emergency under CERCLA involves asbestos exposure," Belluck said.
Investigations performed by the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry have found the incidence of occurrence of asbestosis, a lung condition, in the Libby area to be much higher than the national average for the period from 1979-1998.
To learn more about the public health emergency and other useful information about mesothelioma, go to http://www. aboutmesothelioma. net (http://www. aboutmesothelioma. net).
About Belluck & Fox, LLP
Belluck & Fox, LLP (http://www. belluckfox. com/) 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 has won more than $200 million in compensation for its clients and their families.
Partner Jordan Fox is a well-know asbestos and mesothelioma attorney who has been named to the Best Lawyers in America, New York Magazine's "the 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 "The 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 its online contact form (http://www. belluckfox. com/contact_us. html).
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