Assistance for Our Veterans
Do you need to contact VA Palo Alto Health Care System? 3801 Miranda Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94304-1290 Phone: (650) 493-5000 or 800-455-0057.
Could you have been exposed to asbestos? Read the following to see if you fall under a category at risk. First off, there are some questions one should ask to figure out if asbestos is a personal health threat. The questions 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). Certain specific signs of asbestos-related diseases are coughing, coughing blood, shortness of breath, chest pain and weight loss. Unfortunately, these symptoms of contact with asbestos can appear up to 25 years after primary exposure. Annual or even semi-annual asbestos detection tests are recommended.
Don't be afraid to question your doctor about your health.It is vital that the initial 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 stands by the belief that all those who have participated in the U.S. Armed orces should receive the services they deserve. This includes compensation for life-threatening diseases such as mesothelioma.
Being exposed to asbestos can negatively impact your health. Weitz & Luxenberg understands this and is here to help. For a free consultation, fill out the form below.
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Learn more about help for Vets available at Concord Vet Center