ASBESTOS TESTING
Health services for military veterans at the VA Outpatient Clinic in Decatur, IL

Contact information for veterans to test for exposure to asbestos: Decatur VA Outpatient Clinic, 3035 East Mound Road, Decatur, IL 62526-9381. Phone: (217) 875-2670.

Tests for asbestos exposure should be administered to people who fit the description below. The following is a list of people at stronger risk of developing an asbestos-related disease, including mesothelioma:

• Those with breathing problems
• People with ongoing exposure to asbestos
• Anyone who thinks they have had extended exposure to asbestos
• Immediate family members of people who have worked in asbestos-related fields, even if the person who worked with asbestos has no visible symptoms or respiratory issues.

The following are the ailments that have been linked to 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). The most commonly known symptoms 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 don't understand your doctor's explanation, get him or her to explain it in a way that you can understand. 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. All citizens who have participated in the United States Armed Forces should receive the benefits they deserve. Weitz & Luxenberg is committed to making this happen. This includes compensation for deadly diseases that are caused by exposure to asbestos, such as lung cancer.

Coping with mesothelioma can be strenuous. Weitz & Luxenberg can help ease some of the difficulty by providing you with a free case evaluation. Your first step is to complete the form below.

Your next step . . .