Mesothelioma VA Claims

Mesothelioma is an uncommon type of cancer that generally develops as a result of exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is a natural mineral mined and used extensively as a building and manufacturing material. The mineral was mostly used during the 1900s.

Asbestos is still in use today, though there are strict guidelines and safety precautions that workers must adhere to when working with asbestos. These precautions are in place to protect people from the risk of developing mesothelioma. However, there are already workers who are suffering with mesothelioma because of exposure to asbestos decades ago.

Asbestos, Mesothelioma and Lawsuits

For centuries, people noticed that those who worked with asbestos often suffered from pulmonary problems. However, it was not until the later part of the 20th century that asbestos was identified as a definite cause of mesothelioma. Despite this, employers, businesses and corporations still used asbestos. For them, asbestos was an inexpensive, strong and fire-resistant material that was considered ideal for construction and manufacturing. However, many of the employers who used asbestos failed to warn their employees about the dangers of being exposed it.

As a result of employers' negligence, many lawsuits have arisen against those who failed to protect their workers from asbestos exposure. The use of asbestos was common in many different workplaces and jobsites, such as:

--naval yards

--shipyards

--schools

--manufacturing plants

--oil refineries

--commercial buildings

--residence homes

Military Workers and Mesothelioma

It is now widely-known that asbestos was used extensively in the United States military during the 20th century, particularly during the 1930s through the ‘70s. Though the mineral was used in all branches of the armed services, experts believe it was used most extensively on navy ships. It was used as insulation on the ships, and it was also used in boiler rooms and engines. Navy workers were unknowingly exposed to the mineral. Inhaling asbestos fibers may not have caused initial health problems for workers, and so the workers did not know they were at risk for health problems.

Thousands of U.S. military vets are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year. Being diagnosed is the first step to getting help. Some people ignore the symptoms of mesothelioma because they believe they are suffering from some other ailment. Symptoms most often include constant coughing, coughing up blood, chest pain, fatigue and several other symptoms that could be indicators of any number of diseases. If these symptoms arise, it is important to get help. As with all cancers, it is best to detect it early.

Unfortunately, early detection of mesothelioma is difficult. Sometimes patients do not show any symptoms of the disease until several decades after the person was exposed to asbestos. Thus, even if a person shows no symptoms at all, they should still seek medical attention if they believe they may have been exposed to asbestos. A doctor can run a series of tests to check for the cancer.

Mesothelioma VA Claims

If you are a military vet diagnosed with mesothelioma, you should contact your nearby VA office. Many veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma are eligible to file mesothelioma VA claims. Filing a claim is one of the initial steps to collecting disability compensation and health care provided by the VA. There is no cure for mesothelioma, but compensation for pain, suffering, loss of work and medical bills will help to alleviate extra stress.