Over the next several weeks, we’ll continue to explore some of the key topics of interest for veterans of the military regarding exposure to asbestos and the possible consequences to their health and finances that can result from the exposure.
Veterans at risk for potentially fatal levels of asbestos exposure typically are those who served between the years of the First World War and Vietnam. Those individuals were not made aware of the risks to their well being at their time of service, and some may not even be aware of them now. The purpose of these next several articles is to educate and inform those who may have been affected by toxic levels of asbestos about their medical, legal and financial options in the years following exposure.
More information about the risks and consequences of asbestos exposure for veterans of the U.S. Military, including a free consultation of your possible case against those responsible for exposing you to a known dangerous carcinogen, you can contact Shrader Law and Associates, LLP directly anytime of the day TOLL-FREE at 1-877-637-6347.
PART VIII: THE MILITARY’S STANCE ON NAVY SHIPS WITH ASBESTOS
Today, most veterans are aware of the clear and present danger presented by navy ships with asbestos, during the decades encompassing both World Wars and all the way through combat in Vietnam. However, most of the potentially affected individuals learned about their past exposure and its associated risks only recently-within the past two decades-when asbestos exposure and its legal connotations became a hot-button issue for the U.S. media.
The Official Stance of The U.S. Military on Asbestos Usage During the 20th Century
Every branch of the U.S. Military has acknowledged publicly the use of asbestos-containing materials in constructions form the 1930s-1970s-including tanks, jets, watercrafts and even on-base housing and administrative buildings. The branch most notorious for asbestos usage, however, is the U.S. Navy. Navy ships with asbestos are believed to be the cause of the extremely high rates of mesothelioma and other related illnesses in former navy shipman and shipyard workers alike.
Assistance and Resources Offered By the VA
Through the Department of Veteran Affairs, educational resources and other information has been made widely available to the veteran community-including families of potential exposure victims-as well as the public at large, in the aftermath of the mesothelioma litigation landslide of the 1990s and 2000s.
Veterans who worked on or around navy ships with asbestos can visit their local VA office directly or contact the department via telephone or the Internet in order to determine exactly what benefits are available to them. The War Related Illness & Injury Study Center (WRIISC), a branch of the VA’s Office of Public Health (OPH), plays an especially integral role in addressing the after-effects of asbestos exposure by providing educational resources specifically related to recognizing the early warning signs of mesothelioma and other asbestos-linked illnesses, as well as gaining access to preventative health care and (when necessary) urgent medical treatment.