Help for Veterans: Dubuque VA Clinic

Are you looking for information about the Dubuque VA Clinic because you are a veterans and concerned about asbestos disease?  Read below to see if you may be at risk for exposure to asbestos.

Primarily, there are some questions one should ask to figure out if asbestos is a personal health threat. These are: Do you think you have had prolonged exposure to asbestos? Are you an immediate family member of someone who has worked in asbestos-related industries? Have you worked somewhere where asbestos insulation was used? Is it possible your exposure to asbestos was in the form of a "burst exposure" (a very heavy concentration) to asbestos for short periods of time? If any of your answers to these questions were affirmative, you may wish to discuss this with your health-care provider.

Certain illnesses result from asbestos exposure: lung cancer, asbestosis (a serious, chronic, non cancerous fibrous hardening and scarring of the lungs), mesothelioma (a cancer of the thin membranes lining the thoracic and abdominal cavities and surrounding internal organs), and pleural plaque and thickening (scarring of the lining of the lung). The warning signs of asbestos-related diseases are coughing, coughing blood, shortness of breath, chest pain and weight loss. Unfortunately, the tangible signs of contact with asbestos can appear up to 25 years after initial exposure. Annual or even semi-annual asbestos detection tests are recommended.

It is imperative to seek a professional opinion if you believe that you have been exposed to asbestos. One form of testing is an x-ray (side and front view of your chest.) Additional tests may include a pulmonary function test, blood work, a CT scan and/or biopsy.

If you or someone you love has developed lung cancer after being exposed to asbestos, let us help. Complete the form on this page for a free review of your asbestos lawsuit.

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