Contact VISN 12: VA Great Lakes Health Care System for Veterans' Information
Contact information for VISN 12: VA Great Lakes Health Care System is P.O. Box 5000, Building 18 Hines, IL 60141-5000 Phone: (708) 202-8400.
Could you have been exposed to asbestos? Read the following to see if you fall under a category at risk. Primarily, there are some questions one should ask to figure out if asbestos exposure is an issue. Some questions to ask 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 any of your answers to these questions were affirmative, you may wish to discuss this with your health-care provider.
Four specific diseases 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). Some symptoms of asbestos-related diseases are coughing, coughing blood, shortness of breath, chest pain and weight loss. Unfortunately, these signs of asbestos exposure can appear up to 25 years after primary exposure. Annual or even semi-annual asbestos detection tests are recommended.
It is important to get tested if you feel that you have been exposed to asbestos. The usual mode of testing is an x-ray (side and front view of your chest.) Supplementary tests may include a pulmonary function test, blood work, a CT scan and/or biopsy. Often, doctors speak a language that could be confusing to the layman. Don't be afraid to question your doctor about your condition. If you don't fully understand your doctor, request that he clarify so you can better understand. All those who have participated in the U.S. Armed Forces should receive the services they deserve. Weitz & Luxenberg is committed to making this happen. This includes compensation for deadly diseases that are caused by inhalation of asbestos, such as mesothelioma.
If you or someone you love has developed mesothelioma after having contact with asbestos, let us help. It's never too late for a free case evaluation. The form below starts the process.
your next step . . .
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Know more about information for Vets available at VISN 12: VA Great Lakes Health Care System