Veterans Assistance Overview

Military veterans, especially ones who served in the U.S. Navy, were unnecessarily exposed to asbestos during their service, placing them at risk for developing pleural mesothelioma. Learn more about how veterans were exposed and benefits that can help today.

Pleural mesothelioma takes a disproportionate toll on U.S. veterans. Nearly one-third of all the annually diagnosed cases of this kind of cancer affect former service members. The statistic is a sobering reminder of the once-careless use of asbestos in every branch of military service, a policy decision that continues to generate serious health issues.
Asbestos materials once were desired by the military because they held the ability to strengthen, insulate and fireproof almost everything, including military bases, ships, vehicles and aircraft. In fact, the mineral and its versatility seemed perfect for the military, which used it to make safer machinery and weaponry. All branches of the military put asbestos construction materials in base housing and most every place where servicemen worked.
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Asbestos in the Military

The belief was that asbestos prevented burns and injuries. It did, but the reality is that the military took advantage of the many desirable qualities of asbestos and consequently put thousands of veterans at risk for developing asbestos-related diseases.
When asbestos fibers are broken or damaged through daily use or repair and maintenance of military property, they become airborne and easily inhaled through the mouth or nose. Persistent inhalation of these fibers overtime can cause them to build up in the lining of the lungs, which can cause tumor growth and eventually lead to pleural mesothelioma.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers some hope. It has a number of benefits for veterans who were exposed to asbestos during their service. The Veterans Department at The Pleural Mesothelioma Center is dedicated to ensuring that veterans receive all the VA benefits they deserve.

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Veterans Benefits

Our veterans department provides military veterans with resources they need to secure benefits from the VA. In addition to answering questions about asbestos-related cancer and these benefits, that is the department’s chief mission. Our staff is headed by retired Navy officers who have a working knowledge about how the VA renders its benefits decisions and how they best can help veterans get benefits. The VA is renowned for long, drawn-out processes. Our veterans department helps cut through that red tape.
The best news is that this service, and others that we provide to veterans and their families, is free. Among the benefits we fight for on behalf of veterans include Disability Compensation, Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) and VA Health Care.

• Disability Compensation

  Understanding Your Options

• (DIC) Dependants &

  Indemnity Compensation

• VA Health Care

  Help with Filing A Claim

If veterans have an injury that is service-connected, they are eligible for disability compensation through the VA. The VA does accept pleural mesothelioma and related conditions as service-connected, but proof of exposure is required.
Our VA-accredited Claims Agents can help prepare all the necessary paperwork to file this type of claim and help veterans write an asbestos exposure summary, which details their level of exposure while enlisted in the military.
The typical compensation rate for mesothelioma starts at about $2,800 per month, but rates are based on the level of disability and increases based on the number of dependents the veteran claims.

Eligibility for VA Benefits

A person who served in the active military service and who was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable is considered a veteran who may be eligible for VA health benefits and services.
Once the nature of a veteran's discharge from military service is established, other eligibility requirements include:

Length of military service
Classified as a service-connected disability
Income level
Number of dependents
Available VA resources
Proof of a diagnosis caused by asbestos exposure

The key to filing a successful VA claim is convincing the VA that the majority, if not all, of a veteran’s asbestos exposure was a direct result of his or her service in the military. The veteran must provide documentation from an accredited physician stating that the diagnosis is asbestos-related and that the disease was caused by military service.

Have Questions About VA Benefits?

We are here to help. Our VA-Accredited Claims agents are dedicated to guiding you through the process of filing a VA claim, as well as answering questions about veteran’s exposure and risk of developing pleural mesothelioma.

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or call us at (855) 548-6041

Who Was Affected?

Any man or woman who served in the U.S. military prior to the late 1980s is at risk for developing pleural mesothelioma or other asbestos-related conditions. During this time, asbestos use was at its highest. It was extensively used in every facet of military life from land to sea.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), 21.5 million veterans currently live in the U.S. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of these veterans were exposed to asbestos during their service.
Although veterans from all military branches may have been affected by asbestos, sailors of the U.S. Navy are among those with the highest risk of exposure.
Our veterans department talks to veterans who fit into all the categories listed below. Many times veterans call immediately after getting a doctor’s diagnosis of mesothelioma, and we can help them determine pretty quickly whether they encountered asbestos. An official determination will come in the form of the veteran’s service record, among other records. For many veterans, the life-threatening exposure actually came after they left the service and when they went to work in civilian life.

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  Navy

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  Marines

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  Army

Navy

Of all the service branches, the Navy has the most links to asbestos. During the early and mid-20th century, the Navy built and maintained most of its ships with the toxic material. From bow to stern, Navy vessels were laden with more than 300 asbestos-containing materials.
Archived documents and repair logs confirm the use of asbestos in pipe covering, insulation, adhesives, millboard, packing material, thermal material, cables, deck covering material, valves, gaskets, grinders, paneling, bedding material and boilers onboard ships.
Sailors encountered these parts and products while installing and repairing things in:

• Boiler rooms and other rooms subject to high temperatures
• Navigation rooms
• Decks
• Mess halls
• Sleeping quarters

Service men and women who repaired these products are at the highest risk, but most ships also had poor ventilation systems that allowed for loose asbestos dust to easily travel through air vents and circulate in just about every room, placing anyone on board at risk.
Sailors most at risk for exposure include veterans who served on ships whose keels were laid before 1983, who worked below deck before the early 1990s or worked in shipyards from the 1930s through the 1990s.

Why was Asbestos Used?

The military utilized thousands of asbestos-containing products because it was a cheap, fireproof and readily available material to construct everything from its ships, aircraft, land transportation vehicles and bases.

At the time, it was a one-material fixed all type of solution. It was such an affordable, versatile material that the military struggled with finding a cost-effective replacement. Even though the Navy was well aware of the hazardous health effects associated with asbestos as early as 1939, its greed for asbestos and its many valuable properties outweighed the health of its service men and women.

Whether you ‘re seeking more information on how asbestos was incorporated into the military, or personalized assistance with filing a VA claim or if you’re just looking for some advice, our experienced VA-Accredited Claims Agents are determined to help you in any way they can.