Mesothelioma Asbestos Help

The History of U.S. Military Veterans and Mesothelioma

The History of U.S. Military Veterans and Mesothelioma

Currently, there are twenty-five (25) million people existing who have served in the military at one point in their lives, as is stated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). It is also estimated that among these 25 million military veterans, possibly millions of these remaining veterans were exposed to deadly asbestos substances. Asbestos was commonly used in every branch of the armed forces, due to its’ fireproof ability and its’ capability to resist heat. Asbestos was held in such high importance that it was permitted for common use until it was later slowly replaced and use of the use of asbestos materials were finally completely brought to an end in the 1970’s.An astounding 300 or more products contained asbestos-related materials, mostly found in insulation, were applied and used, mainly by the U.S. Navy beginning in the 1930’s until the 1970’s.

These asbestos-related products were widely used in boiler rooms and engine rooms, along with other ‘below-deck’ areas, for fireproofing reasons. Although all navy personnel who worked on-board navel ships between the 30’s -70’s are at risk for asbestos-related cancers, mesothelioma, those veterans whose jobs required them to be below-deck, such as those who worked in the boiler or engine rooms, and even in the sleeping quarters, were more profoundly exposed to asbestos and are at a much higher risk for mesothelioma.

A much more profoundly telling statistic shows that of those surviving American veterans who are now suffering from mesothelioma, those who were exposed to asbestos or asbestos-related materials during their active military service exceeded 30% of the military population.

Asbestos-Related Illness and American Veterans

Those veterans who are currently living with illnesses that is asbestos-related (illnesses created specifically by exposure to asbestos or other materials containing asbestos fibers); These ill and suffering veterans find themselves in a complex complicated situation with little to no compensation provided by the U.S.  Government. While it is forbidden for the veteran to attempt to obtain any form of compensation (i.e. lawsuit) against the U.S. government through the current judicial system. Veterans who are experiencing asbestos-related illnesses must apply at the VA office for veteran benefits. The process will begin with submitting n application at a Veterans affairs office, from the time of application it could be a long and hard battle to receive medical benefits or any type of disability compensation. Furthermore, the patients claim may be immediately denied because it is the responsibility of the patient to prove that their illness is, indeed, due to their exposure to asbestos during their military service. If the veteran is unable to prove their exposure to asbestos resulted from their time in service, they must seek compensation through the asbestos manufacturers. The VA accepts mesothelioma as a service related illness but the VA may deny their claim for medical disability, unless the veteran can prove that their mesothelioma was probably not a result of their time in service.

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Asbestos Exposure

Asbestos Exposure

While statistics have revealed that an increasing number of people who have never before worked with asbestos or asbestos materials many people are afflicted with illnesses that are asbestos-related.  Most of the cases that have been documented of these illnesses or diseases are a result of occupational exposure. This is because of the possibility of repeated exposure, which happens as a result of normal operations in many industries.

Jobsites

As you would expect, work places like that of processing plants, asbestos mines, manufacturing plants and any other place where asbestos products and materials were developed, are well known for having high occupational exposure. But, many other work places (shipyards, automobile manufacturing factories, oil processing plants, power plants, and chemical factories, for example)  also maintain a high record of asbestos exposure, too. People who previously worked in these areas, especially in the early 1900’s, were almost certainly exposed to asbestos or asbestos-related materials and products and are at greater risk of developing mesothelioma.

Occupations

Specific jobs result in a more high risk of asbestos exposure. Many workers, in various fields, did come in contact with asbestos, because many, both industrial and domestic, products contained asbestos materials.

Because asbestos was incorporated into many electrical and plumbing products , plumbers and electricians have a high chance of  having an asbestos-related disease.

Jobs with a high Risk Of Asbestos Exposure

• Automotive Mechanics – frequently used for brake pads, clutch assemblies and other automotive parts.
• Coast Guard and Navy – Asbestos was regularly present on ships from the 1930’s until the 1970’s.
• Construction- to include the following occupations.
  Demolition
  Steamfitters
  Steel and Iron Workers
• Chemical Plants – used as a filter within chemical plants, often.

• Electricians - Asbestos was commonly used as insulation for  wiring
• Factories – Factory workers who created, developed or packaged asbestos-related materials
• Merchant Marine – Asbestos was often used aboard ships in bunk and deck areas for fireproofing purposes.
• Power Plants – Workers in power plants may have been exposed to asbestos materials as it was used for fireproofing purposes.
• Shipyards – at risk to exposure would be workers who removed or those who installed asbestos in ships or on ship parts.

Asbestos & the Military

Primarily used for insulation reasons in vehicles, buildings and aircraft, asbestos-related materials were commonly used throughout every branch o the US military, particularly in the Navy and Coast Guard. The Navy used asbestos materials in hundreds of different ways within their shipyards and ships, throughout the 1930’s until the 1970’s. Thousands of Navy veterans and shipyard personnel were on board ships and were highly exposed to asbestos. Due to the small areas they worked in, without proper ventilation, their exposure to asbestos materials causes them a much higher risk of developing asbestos related illnesses or diseases. World War II also created a higher demand for necessary supplies. The high demand caused a large increase of manufacturing of asbestos products and materials throughout shipyards.

Accidental Exposure

Most records of asbestos exposure occur from certain workplaces, but accidental exposure has become a way in which people contract asbestos-related illnesses and diseases.

One such example of accidental exposure occurred on 9/11/2001 when the World Trade Center buildings were attacked.  A projected 2,000 tons of asbestos filled the air in the huge dust cloud that formed as the buildings fell. A shocking 62% of those people, who were trapped in the dust cloud, trying to escape, are now coping with serious respiratory illnesses, as reported by a the Center for Disease Control in 2006.Another example occurred from the most expensive natural disaster in US history, hurricane Katrina in 2004. The storm damaged or destroyed many older homes, which were contaminated with asbestos. Some of these homes are still intact today. This area continues to restore and rebuild structures, while preventing asbestos exposure.

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