Attorney Joseph W. Belluck of Belluck & Fox, LLP says research provides new evidence of the deadly risks associated with asbestos exposure.

New York, NY, August 25, 2009 -- A new study by prominent researchers shows that sheet metal workers are at higher risk of contracting and dying from asbestos-related diseases, a well-known New York attorney says.

"Like other important studies, this research is strong evidence of the deadly risks associated with asbestos exposure," said Joseph W. Belluck, a New York attorney who concentrates in litigation involving asbestos-related disease. "This study hammers home what too many sheet metal workers and their families already know: Asbestos exposure can make for a deadly profession."

The study was published in the August issue of the American Journal of Industrial Medicine and was conducted by researchers at Duke University and the Center for Construction Research and Training in Silver, Spring Maryland. The researchers found higher mortality among sheet metal workers for mesothelioma, asbestosis and cancers of the pleura or lining of the chest and abdomen. Mesothelioma is a rare cancer nearly always related to asbestos exposure.

Led by John Dement of Duke's Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, researchers analyzed the overall mortality patterns of 17,345 workers with 20 years or more in the sheet metal trade and found significantly higher risk of asbestos-related diseases including mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis.

The researchers said the study offered additional evidence that workers who experienced periodic exposure to asbestos are at increased risk of asbestos-related diseases. Many workers do not begin showing symptoms until decades after exposure. Asbestos exposure continues to threaten workers who work in older structures or who work in the field of asbestos removal.

Other professions already linked to asbestos-related diseases and death include construction workers, miners, shipyard workers, drywallers, asbestos removal workers, demolition workers and auto mechanics and textile workers who produced asbestos products.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the World Health Organization Asbestos classify asbestos as a human carcinogen. But until the 1970s, asbestos was widely used in manufacturing, particularly for building materials, because of its properties of heat resistance and durability.

About Belluck & Fox

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 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 "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 successfully won numerous cases involving injuries from asbestos, defective medical products, tobacco and lead paint, including a recent asbestos case that settled for over $12 million.

For more information, contact the firm at 877-695-2909 or through the online contact form.

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