ASBESTOS TESTING
Health care services for military veterans at the Michigan Upper Peninsula Vet Center Outstation

Contact information for military veterans to test for exposure to asbestos: Michigan Upper Peninsula Vet Center Outstation, 2600 College Ave., Escanaba, MI 49829. Phone: (906) 789-9732.

Tests for asbestos exposure should be administered to people who fit the description below. Primarily, there are some questions one should ask to figure out if exposure to asbestos is an issue.

These topics include: 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 you have answered yes to any of these questions, you may wish to discuss this with your health-care provider.

In general, there is a group of diseases that are associated with asbestos exposure: Mesothelioma (a cancer of the thin membranes lining the thoracic and abdominal cavities and surrounding internal organs), asbestosis (a serious, chronic, non cancerous fibrous hardening and scarring of the lungs), lung cancer, and pleural plaque and thickening (scarring of the lining of the lung).

Certain specific signs of asbestos-related diseases are coughing, coughing blood, shortness of breath, chest pain and weight loss. Unfortunately, the tangible symptoms of asbestos exposure can appear up to 25 years after primary exposure. Annual or even semi-annual asbestos detection tests are recommended.

It is recommended to get tested if you imagine that you have been exposed to asbestos. Initial testing is an X-ray (side and front view of your chest.) Other tests may include a pulmonary function test, blood work, a CT scan and/or biopsy. At times, medical professionals may speak a language incomprehensible to the layman. Be sure to ask your doctor about your status. If you don't understand your doctor, get him to clarify so you can better understand.

Weitz & Luxenberg believes that all men and women who have participated in the U.S. Armed forces should receive the medical services they are entitled to. This includes compensation for life-threatening diseases, such as mesothelioma.

Being exposed to asbestos can negatively impact your health. Weitz & Luxenberg understands this and wants to help. For a free consultation, fill out the form below.

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