MILITARY VETERANS AND MESOTHELIOMA CANCER
Military veterans are at great risk for developing asbestos-related illnesses

Approximately 30 percent of patients diagnosed with mesothelioma are military veterans. Furthermore, according to the Centers for Disease Control, officials discovered that the number of deaths related to asbestos exposure have steadily increased between 1999 and 2005.

MILITARY VETERANS AND MESOTHELIOMA

October 30, 2009 - According to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, thousands of military veterans are now suffering from the asbestos-related illness, mesothelioma.

Many veterans were exposed to asbestos while working on naval vessels, where asbestos was used as the main form of insulation.

Vets who served decades ago are only today beginning to demonstrate symptoms of asbestos-related illnesses, because some cancers can take up to 20 to 50 years to develop.

The U.S. Navy and asbestos

The Navy knew about the dangers of asbestos. And evidence has been accepted in court that the hazardous qualities of asbestos were swiftly covered up by certain asbestos manufacturers.

In 1983, the Navy Asbestos Control Program was created to help facilitate compliance with asbestos-related regulations set by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Despite these actions, many veterans continued to be exposed to high levels of asbestos, even after the Navy began to replace contaminated ships.

Asbestos was commonly used as insulation in piping, boilers, sleeping quarters and navigation halls aboard vessels.

The mineral’s innate resistance to fire and highly durable qualities made it an ideal choice for use in all sectors of the military, where fiery combat was likely.

Mesothelioma typically develops decades after moderate to heavy exposure to asbestos. Approximately 3,000 new mesothelioma cases are reported every year in the United States.

Time to seek justice

Weitz & Luxenberg has protected the legal rights of military veterans since 1986. And in that time the firm's mesothelioma lawyers have won several billion dollars in verdicts and settlements for clients, many of whom were harmed by asbestos in New York’s Brooklyn Navy shipyards during WWII.

If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma and seek a free case review, please notify us through the communication form on this page. We will pursue your claim with vigilance to help you pay for medical bills, lost wages, and suffering.

Please know, the firm works on a contingency basis so there is no cost to you until we obtain a verdict or reach a settlement in your favor.