Thursday, May 14, 2009

Belluck & Fox Partner Joseph W. Belluck in NYCAL Panel Discussion

Posted By Belluck and Fox at at 5:14 PM
Permanent Link: Belluck & Fox Partner Joseph W. Belluck in NYCAL Panel Discussion

Belluck & Fox is proud to announce that partners Joseph W. Belluck and Jordan Fox have once again been named to the Super Lawyers list of “Top Attorneys in the New York Metro Area”. The Super Lawyers selection process is a rigorous and objective assessment of an attorney’s legal abilities that includes peer nominations, independent research and blue ribbon panel review. The inclusion of Mr. Belluck and Mr. Fox to Super Lawyers again confirms their status among New York’s premier asbestos and mesothelioma attorneys.

Joseph W. Belluck has prosecuted numerous major cases involving injuries from asbestos, defective medical products, tobacco and lead paint, including a recent asbestos case that settled for over $12 million. He has lectured on product liability, tort law, and tobacco control policy and is a highly qualified consumer law and tort litigation attorney.

Jordan Fox is one of the nation's most experienced product liability litigators. Over the past seventeen years, Mr. Fox has represented and counseled victims of asbestos exposure, lead paint exposure and other environmental injuries. He has prosecuted thousands of asbestos cases and has settled hundreds of millions of dollars in claims. On two occasions, his verdicts were featured as The National Law Journal's Largest Verdicts of the Year.

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Belluck & Fox is a proud supporter of September 26 as Mesothelioma Awareness Day. We call on cities and states around the country to formally recognize the tragic history of asbestos use and to remember the many thousands of lives lost to this terrible disease by officially designating September 26 as Mesothelioma Awareness Day.

Belluck & Fox is a strong supporter of Mesothelioma Awareness Day and the efforts to give it formal recognition around the country. We believe that one of the best ways to honor the many thousands of lives lost to mesothelioma is to create a national day of awareness where cities and states formally acknowledge the tragic history of asbestos and come together to promote greater awareness of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. It is our sincere hope that Mesothelioma Awareness Day generates greater interest in the development of more effective treatments for patients who are diagnosed with this terrible disease.

About Asbestos & Mesothelioma

To learn more about mesothelioma and the other dangers associated with asbestos, Belluck & Fox recommends http://www.mesotheliomahelp.net/, one of the web’s leading sources of information about the disease. The website features in-depth information on the diagnosis and treatment of pleural mesothelioma and peritoneal mesothelioma, as well as detailed information on the disease’s rarer forms. MesotheliomaHelp.net also features patient profiles, biographic and contact information for mesothelioma specialists throughout the country and a daily blog where the latest research on asbestos and mesothelioma is reported on.

Disclaimer: The information contained in MesotheliomaHelp.net is provided as a public service for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice. Only a doctor can provide medical advice or specific diagnostic and treatment information. Questions about individual health should only be discussed with a physician.

MesotheliomaHelp.Net is sponsored by Belluck & Fox.

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. We provide personalized and professional representation and have won over $175 million in compensation for our clients and their families. Partner Jordan Fox has been named to the Best Lawyers in America and to Super Lawyers and on two separate occasions his verdicts were featured as the National Law Journal's Largest Verdict of the Year. Partner Joseph W. Belluck is a Super Lawyer who has prosecuted numerous cases involving injuries from asbestos, defective medical products, tobacco and lead paint, including a recent asbestos case that settled for over $12 million.

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Belluck & Fox supports the creation of the National Mesothelioma Virtual Bank and hopes its use will lead to more effective diagnostic and treatment techniques for patients with mesothelioma.

The National Mesothelioma Virtual Bank is a web-based database that provides mesothelioma researchers virtual access to tissue samples and related clinical data on over 600 individual cases of pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma. These case files are highly annotated and easily searchable due to the Bank’s richly-structured data architecture that allows researchers to cross-reference vast data sets and to precisely identify the information necessary for their research.

Belluck & Fox believes that greater access to research materials is essential for the development of more effective diagnostic and treatment techniques and we support any project that can benefit the lives of mesothelioma patients. As a firm with a history of representing victims of asbestos, we are very familiar with the difficulties of treating mesothelioma, but we remain hopeful that medical science will one day develop a cure for this terrible disease.

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Belluck & Fox is proud to announce that partner Joseph W. Belluck is a speaker at the upcoming New York State Bar Association event “Practical Skills: Basic Tort and Insurance Law Practice.” The event is a full-day practical skills program designed for attorneys “who want to learn or review the types of issues confronting those who litigate cases involving personal injury incurred on the premises, in the construction environment, or in automobile accidents.”

Mr. Belluck will be speaking on a panel discussing the fundamentals of litigation.

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Belluck & Fox is proud to announce that New York Governor David A. Patterson has appointed partner Joseph W. Belluck to the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct, the state agency responsible for investigating complaints of judicial misconduct. Mr. Belluck began his four year term on the Commission on April 1^st 2008.

The Governor is only allowed to appoint one attorney to this commission.

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This is Mr. Fox’s third time being named among the best lawyers in New York.

Mr. Fox is among the nation’s top product liability litigators. Over the past seventeen years, Mr. Fox has represented and counseled victims of asbestos exposure, crime and other environmental injuries. Mr. Fox’s listing in Best Lawyers confirms his reputation as a dedicated advocate for the rights of the injured. He has prosecuted thousands of asbestos cases and has settled tens of millions of dollars in claims. On two occasions his verdicts were featured as The National Law Journal’s Largest Verdicts of the Year.

Mr. Fox is a former homicide and sex crimes/special victims prosecutor in the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office. He is a frequent lecturer at national conferences on asbestos and injury law, and has been a frequent guest on Fox News. Along with his listing in Best Lawyers, he is also a listed Super Lawyer. Mr. Fox is a member of the Product Liability Committee of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, as well as a member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the New York State Trial Lawyers Association and the National Crime Victim Bar Association.

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Belluck & Fox is pleased to announce that Judge James W. McCarthy of the Oswego County Supreme Court has ruled in favor of our client Paul Tuttle. Along with a number of other companies who sold asbestos-containing products, Belluck & Fox sued Gardner Denver on behalf of Mr. Tuttle for allegedly exposing him to pumps containing asbestos during his service with the United Status Navy. Gardner Denver moved for dismissal against Mr. Tuttle’s case on a number of issues, but Judge McCarthy denied their request, ruling that Belluck & Fox had presented strong evidence that warranted a trial (Paul Tuttle, et al. v. A.W. Chesterton Co., et al., No. 2006-5602, N.Y. Sup., Oswego Co.).

Judge McCarthy handles all of the asbestos cases in Syracuse, Oswego, Watertown, Utica and Rome.

Mr. Tuttle is represented by Joseph W. Belluck of Belluck & Fox.

Mr. Belluck said, “Companies like Gardner Denver should do the right thing and pay the veterans it exposed to asbestos—its right for our clients and for Gardner Denver’s shareholders.”

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In the article “Identification of genomic events associated with progression of pleural malignant mesothelioma,” Belluck & Fox is thanked for its financial contribution to the Mesothelioma Biomarker Discovery Laboratory, the lab that completed the study the paper was based on. The researchers studied chromosomal aberrations and the breakdown of the normal genetic processes involved in the development of malignant mesothelioma. Using sophisticated analysis and technological methods, it identified the most common DNA changes and the most significant chromosomal areas and genes that lead to the disease.

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Belluck & Fox is proud to announce the launch of www.mesotheliomafromnavy.com—a website providing Navy veterans and other mariners with the most up-to-date information available on mesothelioma treatment and support. Mesotheliomafromnavy.com is a mesothelioma reference portal with information about this tragic cancer, as well as information on lung cancer and other asbestos-related diseases. The website contains lists of ships and ship yards, as well as lists of Navy occupations and seafaring professions. The site details many of the asbestos-related hazards encountered by Navy veterans. For veterans who have already been diagnosed with mesothelioma and are looking to learn more about the disease, www.mesotheliomafromnavy.com provides contact information for mesothelioma specialists and treatment centers, as well as detailed descriptions of the current treatment options available for mesothelioma victims.

Belluck & Fox believes the large number of Navy veterans with mesothelioma is not only a tragedy that deserves recognition, but a wrong that needs to be made right. Many servicemen and shipyard workers gave their lives to the protection of the homeland and have now been diagnosed with mesothelioma—a disease caused by asbestos materials. Manufactures knew the dangers of asbestos, but kept them hidden from the Navy and veterans. We have developed this website so veterans, other mariners and their families will only need one place to go for all of their mesothelioma information needs.

Belluck & Fox is committed to continually updating http://www.mesotheliomafromnavy.com to provide the best and most current information on mesothelioma treatment and support.

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Belluck & Fox strongly supports the U.S. Senate’s unanimous passage of the “Ban Asbestos in America Act of 2007”. For decades, corporations have sold asbestos without proper warnings. To this day, companies are still selling asbestos products, including roof cement available at many hardware stores in the United States. Because big business was unwilling to stop using asbestos, the United States Government stepped in and voted to ban asbestos in the United States. A companion bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives and we hope the House moves swiftly to pass its version of the bill.

Belluck & Fox applauds Senator Patty Murray for her determined efforts to ban asbestos. Sen. Murray first introduced this legislation six years ago and she has tirelessly pursued its passage ever since. We can only hope that once asbestos has been banned, the scourge of asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma, will finally start to decline.

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Belluck & Fox is proud to announce that partners Joseph W. Belluck and Jordan Fox have been named to the New York Super Lawyers list. The designation of Super Lawyer for Mr. Belluck and Mr. Fox confirms their status among New York’s premier asbestos and mesothelioma attorneys, as only five percent of New York Metro attorneys are named to the Super Lawyer list. The Super Lawyer selection process is a rigorous and objective assessment of an attorney’s abilities that includes peer nominations, independent research and blue ribbon panel review.

Joseph W. Belluck has prosecuted numerous cases involving injuries from asbestos, defective medical products, tobacco and lead paint, including a recent asbestos case that settled for over $12 million. He has lectured frequently on product liability, tort law, and tobacco control policy and is a highly qualified consumer law and tort litigation attorney.

Jordan Fox is one of the nation’s most experienced product liability litigators. Over the past seventeen years, Mr. Fox has represented and counseled victims of asbestos exposure, crime and other environmental injuries. He has prosecuted thousands of asbestos cases and has settled hundreds of millions of dollars in claims. On two occasions, his verdicts were featured as The National Law Journal’s Largest Verdicts of the Year.

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Belluck & Fox Partner Jordan Fox was quoted in a Newsday.com article entitled, "Officials say no health risks after blast, but NYers have doubts," about the recent steampipe explosion on Manhattan's East Side. The article details the city's assurances that the air around the blast zone is free from asbestos and safe to breathe, while also noting the skepticism that many residents feel towards the city's proclamations regarding air quality. When asked about his position on the city's assurances, Mr. Fox said, "They lied to us on Sept. 11 and thereafter. It's clear they misrepresented exposure after 9/11. A lot of people would ask, 'Why should we trust them now?". He continued, "We're wary of outside air. I don't know anybody here who's going out to lunch.... It's musty out there, it's humid, and the air is kind of thick. That could keep the asbestos entrained in the air."

Mr. Fox's cautionary remarks mirror those of Linda Reinstein, executive director of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, who noted in a July 19th press release, "While it may be true that disease is 'unlikely' to occur from such an episode, it is never correct to characterize any level of asbestos as safe.... We are seeing from the unfortunate residual effects of 9-11, even short term exposure to asbestos can cause significant health problems."

The Newsday.com article can be seen here: Officials say no health risks after blast, but NYers have doubts.

Ms. Reinstein's comments can be found in an ADAO press release that can be seen here:
Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization Issues Statement of Warning Regarding Asbestos Exposure During July 18 Explosion in New York.

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Belluck & Fox partner Jordan Fox has been listed among the top Mass Tort Litigation attorneys in New York Magazine's "The New York Area's Best Lawyers." This list reflects lawyers from the New York area who are featured in the 2007 list of The Best Lawyers in America. The Best Lawyers list identifies top attorneys from all fifty states.

Mr. Fox is one of the nation's most experienced product liability litigators and for the past eleven years he has represented and counseled victims of mesothelioma and other forms of asbestos exposure, as well as lead paint exposure and other environmental injuries. Mr. Fox's listing in Best Lawyers confirms his reputation as a dedicated advocate for the rights of the injured. He has prosecuted thousands of asbestos cases and has settled tens of millions of dollars in claims. On two occasions his verdicts were featured as The National Law Journal's Largest Verdicts of the Year.

Mr. Fox is a former homicide and sex crimes/special victims prosecutor in the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office. He is a frequent lecturer at national conferences on asbestos and injury law. He is a member of the Product Liability Committee of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, as well as a member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the New York State Trial Lawyers Association and the National Crime Victim Bar Association.

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Belluck & Fox strongly supports Senator Patty Murray's efforts to ban asbestos and fully endorses the "Ban Asbestos in America Act of 2007" bill.

Scientists have known since the 1930s how deadly asbestos can be to those who work with it and to those who live with asbestos workers, yet, asbestos continues to be a scourge to the welfare of all Americans. Asbestos is still a major component in multiple products, so many workers and their families are continually at risk for the terrible diseases it can cause: lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis. While Europe and most of South America have already banned asbestos, the United States continues to put people at risk by building products with asbestos and by importing large amounts of it. According to Sen. Barbara Boxer's opening statements to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works EPW Hearing on the Health Effects of Asbestos, in 2005 the United States, "... imported 2,530 metric tons of asbestos, and ... more than 90,000 metric tons of products that may contain asbestos." These products include cement and gaskets, as well as brakes and clutch parts for automobiles.

Sen. Murray's "Ban Asbestos in America Act of 2007" is an important step in protecting the lives of Americans and their families. Asbestos should have been banned years ago and its continued use is a threat to each and every one of us. Congress has the responsibility to protect American lives and turning this bill into law is a strong statement that it takes this responsibility seriously.

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Belluck & Fox Partner Joseph W. Belluck has been appointed to another term of the Binghamton University Harpur Law Council Steering Committee. The Law Council provides legal programs and services to Binghamton University alumni and pre-law students.

Mr. Belluck is a 1989 graduate of Binghamton University.

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Belluck & Fox is pleased to announce that partner Jordan Fox has been appointed to the Association of the Bar of the City of New York's Product Liability Committee. Mr. Fox is one of the nation's most experienced product liability litigators. He has prosecuted thousands of asbestos cases and has represented and counseled victims of asbestos exposure, lead paint exposure and other environmental injuries. On two occasions his verdicts were featured as The National Law Journal's Largest Verdicts of the Year.

Mr. Fox is a former homicide and sex crimes/special victims prosecutor in the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office. He is a frequent lecturer at national conferences on asbestos and injury law. He is a member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the New York State Trial Lawyers Association and the National Crime Victim Bar Association.

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The University of Buffalo Law School has created a new civil justice professorship through a generous donation by Belluck & Fox partner Joseph W. Belluck and his wife Laura L. Aswad. Mr. Belluck is a 1994 graduate of the Law School, where he served as Articles Editor of the Buffalo Law Review, received the New York State Bar Association's Legal Ethics Award and completed his law degree magna cum laude. He is currently an adjunct professor at the Law School where he teaches a course on mass torts.

The school has named professor James A. Gardner to the new position, which Mr. Belluck describes as his way of saying thank you to the school for the education he received as a law student.

Mr. Belluck's practice is focused on consumer, environmental and defective product litigation, especially litigation related to asbestos exposure and mesothelioma. Prior to his partnership at Belluck and Fox, he served as counsel to the New York State Attorney General during the State of New York's litigation against the tobacco industry. Mr. Belluck was instrumental in settling New York State's tobacco lawsuit for $25 billion. He also served as Director of Attorney Services for Trial Lawyers Care, an organization dedicated to providing free legal assistance to victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

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