Information Regarding our Veterans: Harry S. Truman Memorial

You can reach Harry S. Truman Memorial at 800 Hospital Drive Columbia, MO 65201-5297 Phone: (573) 814-6000 or (800) 349-8262. The Hospital provides services to Veterans in the Missouri area.

Learn more about the dangers of asbestos exposure and decide if you should be tested. Read each of the bullet points below for the most significant characteristics of individuals who may be at risk for asbestos exposure:

• Anyone with breathing problems
• Those with protracted exposure to asbestos
• Anyone who thinks they have had ongoing exposure to asbestos
• Immediate family members of people who have worked in asbestos-related trades, even if the individual who worked with asbestos has no visible symptoms or irregular breathing patterns

Four specific diseases 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).

It is important to see a doctor if you presume that you have been exposed to asbestos.

Certain specific signs of asbestos-related diseases are coughing, coughing blood, shortness of breath, chest pain and weight loss. Unfortunately, the tangible 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.

One form of testing is an x-ray (side and front view of your chest.) Additional tests may include a pulmonary function test, blood work, a CT scan and/or biopsy. 

Living with lung cancer can be taxing. Weitz & Luxenberg can help alleviate some of the distress by providing you with a free case evaluation. Your first step is to complete the form below.

your next step . . .