Canadian Mesothelioma-Causing Asbestos Mines Should Remain Closed
Workers have stopped digging deadly asbestos fibers from Canadian mines for the first time in 130 years, and a descendant of the man who started the country’s first asbestos mine recently called for a permanent end to the country’s involvement in the trade, according to the Montreal Gazette. New York mesothelioma attorney Joseph W. Belluck agrees.
“Too many lives in America and around the world have already been lost due to asbestos exposure,” said Belluck, a partner in the New York City personal injury firm of Belluck & Fox, LLP. “To protect people from more asbestos-related diseases, the asbestos that remains in the Canadian mines should be left in the ground.”
At one point in the 20th century, Canadian mines were the source of 85 percent of the world’s supply of asbestos — a carcinogenic product that has caused countless deaths from mesothelioma and other asbestos-related cancers and diseases.
As of 2010, Canada was responsible for about 5 percent of worldwide asbestos production, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. That supply was cut off when the last two asbestos mines in the Canadian province of Quebec stopped operations in 2010.
While this marked the first time since the 1880s that no asbestos was mined in Canada, it might not be a permanent halt. In a Canadian Press article, the president of one of the mining companies insisted that his mine is not closed. It is merely awaiting a loan guarantee from the Quebec government so it can access new deposits that could turn out asbestos for another 50 years, he said.
However, many in Canada are urging the government to bar the asbestos mines from resuming operations, including Susan Henry, whose family founded Canada’s first asbestos mine in 1878. Henry told the Montreal Gazette last week that she is participating in a letter-writing campaign that calls on the government to end the country’s exportation of asbestos.
Belluck, the New York mesothelioma lawyer, supported the activists’ calls for keeping the Canadian asbestos mines shuttered.
“I have seen the tragic consequences that asbestos has had for countless people in this country who were exposed to the cancer-causing fibers. It is simply inconceivable that our neighbor would still allow companies to mine and export asbestos when its tragic consequences are so clear,” Belluck said.
His firm represents victims of asbestos exposure who have developed diseases related to the substance. One type of cancer caused by asbestos is mesothelioma, a disease that often lies latent for decades after exposure before aggressively attacking victims’ ability to breathe. There is no known cure for mesothelioma, and most patients die less than two years after diagnosis.
Because asbestos-related diseases usually cause rapid deterioration after symptoms appear, Belluck said it is important for patients to seek prompt medical help from specialists. They should also contact a qualified mesothelioma attorney for aggressive legal representation to ensure that they and their families secure all of the compensation they are entitled to receive.
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 Magazine’s “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 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. 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.
