ASBESTOS TESTING
Asbestos testing for veterans at St. James Health Services

Relevant contact information for South Central CBOC is St. James Health Services, 1205 Sixth Avenue South, St. James, MN 56081 Phone: (507) 375-3391.

Certain types of people with asbestos exposure should be tested for asbestos-related diseases. Some examples of these people include those that have had contact with asbestos through a "burst exposure" i.e. a very heavy concentration of asbestos for short periods of time, irregular breathing patterns, ongoing contact with asbestos, or friends or relatives of people who have involved themselves with asbestos-related areas even if the person who worked with asbestos has no visible symptoms.

The following are the ailments which are associated with 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). Some 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 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 important 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 men and women 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 life-threatening diseases that are caused by inhalation of asbestos, such as mesothelioma.

If you or someone you love has developed mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos, we can help. It's never too late for a free case evaluation. The form below initiates the process.

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