Asbestos Exposure and the Military
As all of us know now, past exposure to asbestos can be related to a multitude of health problems later in life. For many veterans, exposure to asbestos was a part of their duty, depending on their military situation. Luckily, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is recognizing most diseases that stemmed from military asbestos exposure as being eligible for disability benefits.
In addition, if a veteran is affected by multiple illnesses that stem from asbestos exposure while in the military, they are able to request financial compensation for each illness. An example would be an occurrence of asbestosis with colorectal cancer. Given that the two correlate, but are separate, the individual could technically apply twice for VA compensation.
Asbestos Exposure and Proper Diagnosis
In order to have a successful VA disability asbestos claim, a veteran must have a diagnosed condition. The most common stumbling block to a claim of this nature is for a veteran to be able to prove the link between their illness and asbestos exposure while serving in the military.
This is where having a lawyer involved can help improve your chances of ultimately being approved. Lawyer like Tabak Law will assist in the process and make sure everything is being properly examined to prove asbestos exposure and make the service-related link clear. This includes examination of X-rays to check for asbestos fibers in a person’s lungs, among other helpful tactics.
Eligible Disability Claims Related to Asbestos
The following asbestos-related illnesses make a veteran eligible to file a disability compensation claim with the VA.
- Pleural/Peritoneal Mesothelioma
- Gastrointestinal Cancer
- Bladder Cancer
- COPD
- Lung Cancer
- Esophageal Cancer
- Colorectal Cancer
- Pulmonary Fibrosis
- Histoplasmosis
- Asbestosis
- Throat Cancer
- Kidney Cancer
- Pleural Plaques
- Atelectasis
Because misdiagnosis is common with service-related asbestos exposure illnesses, it is important for the medical professional to make the link to the above service-related disease. Illnesses such as chronic bronchitis is a common misdiagnosis, in addition to pneumonia, asthma and emphysema.
See the connected compensation to each asbestos-related disease below. If you think you may be suffering from one of these diseases due to exposure to asbestos while in the military, don’t hesitate to get Tabak Law involved by calling 844-432-0114.
Asbestos-Related Illnesses and VA Compensation
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