Information for Our Vets
Relevant contact information for Grand Rapids Vet Center is 1940 Eastern Avenue, S.E. Grand Rapids, MI 49507 Phone: (616) 243-0385.
Certain types of people with asbestos exposure should be tested for asbestos-related diseases. Primarily, there are some questions one should ask to figure out if the threat posed by asbestos is a problem. 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.
Certain illnesses have been linked to 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 detectable warning signs of contact with asbestos can appear up to 25 years after initial exposure. Annual or even semi-annual asbestos detection tests are recommended.
If you need more information from your doctor, don't be afraid to ask.It is vital that the usual mode of testing is an x-ray (side and front view of your chest.) Further tests may include a pulmonary function test, blood work, a CT scan and/or biopsy. Doctors sometimes speak a language unintelligible to the layman. Weitz & Luxenberg supports the notion that all people who have participated in the United States Armed orces should receive the services they deserve. This includes compensation for potentially fatal diseases such as mesothelioma.
If you or someone you love has developed mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos, we want to help. It's never too late for a free case evaluation. The form below initiates the process.
your next step . . .
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Know more about help for Veterans available at Muskegon VA Outpatient Clinic