The City’s Department of Education needs to take a careful approach to properly handling and disposing of asbestos found in school lighting fixtures, New York City injury lawyer Joseph W. Belluck says.
What’s important is protecting the health, safety and future of countless school children, teachers and workers.
New York, NY (PRWEB) April 21, 2011
New York City personal injury attorney Joseph W. Belluck said this week that city education officials need to adopt a cautious and careful approach to removing asbestos that was recently found in school lighting fixtures.According to reports by the New York Daily News and public radio station WNYC, the city’s Department of Education announced last week that its plan to replace lights containing cancer-causing PCBs in nearly 800 schools had become complicated by the discovery that the fixtures are insulated by equally problematic asbestos materials.
PCBs have been linked to cancer and other health problems, while asbestos has been linked to lung cancer and mesothelioma, a particularly aggressive and deadly form of cancer that affects the thin membrane lining and encasing the lungs.
“Old schools and factories are often filled with asbestos-containing materials, and if the asbestos is not properly handled and disposed of, the workers removing the asbestos and those who occupy those buildings could be at risk of inhaling asbestos,” Belluck said. “Even though it’s important to remove these contaminated lights as quickly as possible, it’s more important to conduct the removal in a safe fashion.”
Belluck is a partner in the New York City personal injury law firm of Belluck & Fox, LLP, which is one of the nation’s leading advocates for the rights of mesothelioma victims.
For decades, asbestos was widely used in products such as insulation because of its flame-resistant qualities. However, because of its link to diseases such as mesothelioma, the product is rarely used in the U.S. although it is still used in many developing countries.
“The problem is getting rid of the asbestos that was so widely used for such a long time,” Belluck said. “When the asbestos is disturbed, the fibers can be breathed in and become lodged in the lining of the lungs, so special procedures and equipment must be used. Those who remove asbestos must be specifically trained and certified to do it safely.”
According to WNYC, education department officials said the discovery of the asbestos may result in the lighting fixture replacement project taking 10 years and an estimated $850 million to complete.
“As an attorney who has seen up close the devastation caused by asbestos exposure, I believe that the time and cost of this project is not what’s important,” Belluck said. “What’s important is protecting the health, safety and future of countless school children, teachers and workers.”
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, exposure to 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.
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. 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 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 online contact form.
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