ASBESTOS TESTING
Information on veterans' services at the Maryland VA Capitol Health Care Network

Veterans contact information for asbestos testing at the VA Capitol Health Care Network in Maryland.

Do you need to contact VISN 5: VA Capitol Health Care Network? Address: 849 International Drive (Suite 275), Linthicum, MD 21090. Phone: (410) 691-1131.

Certain types of people with asbestos exposure should be tested for asbestos-related diseases. Read each of the following points for the main characteristics of people who may be at risk for asbestos exposure:

• Those with breathing problems
• Anyone with prolonged exposure to asbestos
• Those who think they have had protracted exposure to asbestos
• Immediate family members of anyone who has worked in asbestos-related areas, even if the person who worked with asbestos has no evident exposure signs or breathing problems

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 main indicators of asbestos-related diseases are coughing, coughing blood, shortness of breath, chest pain and weight loss. Unfortunately, these warning signs of asbestos exposure 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 necessary that the other 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 people who have participated in the U.S. 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 mesothelioma.

Surviving with lung cancer can be exhausting. Weitz & Luxenberg can help alleviate some of the hardship by providing you with a free case evaluation. Your first step is to fill out the form below.

Your next step . . .