NY Attorney Urges Focus on Health Screenings and Early Detection for Workers at Risk of Mesothelioma and Other Asbestos-Related Diseases
As Congress struggles to pass the 9/11 health care bill designed to bring financial relief from the medical bills owed by first responders and New Yorkers exposed to the noxious dust cloud from the terrorist attacks, first responder and New York police detective Kevin Czartyoryski died of lung cancer. The NY Police Department medical board presumed his health condition was caused by toxic air he breathed, which contained asbestos and other toxic substances, at Ground Zero nearly a decade ago. Asbestos is a known carcinogen and is proven to cause mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis.
The affects of asbestos are typically not evident for decades after exposure. Most cases of mesothelioma, for example, are diagnosed 30 years or more after exposure. However, in the case of the 9/11 workers evidence of lung scarring and respiratory distress was noted within several years of the collapse of the Twin Towers. About 400 tons of asbestos were used in the towers, and upon their collapse, asbestos and other substances such as mercury and lead were released into the air. Exposure at these levels had not been experienced in the United States prior to September 11, 2001.
New York attorney Joseph W. Belluck said, “The state of New York and the federal government need to improve screening and early detection of serious respiratory diseases such as mesothelioma and lung cancer among rescue workers.” Currently there is no cure for mesothelioma, but it can be treated with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Early detection of mesothelioma can positively influence a patient’s survival by increasing treatment options and improving his quality of life while battling the cancer.
Belluck, a founding partner of the New York law firm of Belluck & Fox LLP, which represents victims of asbestos-related diseases including mesothelioma, further said, “Breathing asbestos is a time bomb that can claim workers’ lives decades after the exposure. We are likely to see health effects from 9/11 for many years.” He added, “The loss of one of our 9/11 heroes underscores the respiratory hazards that rescue workers and demolition workers confront any time they enter collapsing structures or burning buildings filled with asbestos and other carcinogens.”
