Thousands of veterans have been exposed to life threatening contact with asbestos over decades.  Asbestos is a material utilized over the years in shipyards, field repair shops, and manufacturing applications including cement, gaskets, ships, and a multitude of other applications. Asbestos has been shown to be a contributing cause to Mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is an extremely deadly cancer that manifests itself through symptoms including:

  • Shortness of breath
  • Chest pain

As the cancer progresses, other symptoms that may be present are:

  • Increased shortness of breath
  • Weight loss
  • Decreased appetite
  • Night sweats
  • Voice changes
  • Loss of diaphragm function

Pleural Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma affecting the lungs is Pleural Mesothelioma and the symptoms associated with this type of malignancy are due to accumulation of fluid within the pleura or the membrane that surrounds the lungs.

The symptoms of pleural Mesothelioma are:

  • Shortness of breath
  • Pain under the rib cage or chest
  • Mild to severe constant cough
  • Sudden weight loss

Veterans are an extremely large contingent of the population that has been exposed to asbestos from a multitude of sources. Navy veterans are particularly a large group because of the use of asbestos in naval shipyards, and naval vessels. Navy veterans, in particular, and other veterans who exposed to asbestos may be able to claim benefits from the VA system as a service related condition.

Websites with information on Mesothelioma include:

Go to www.TADPGS.com to view our job openings and join our LinkedIn group, Veterans Hiring Solutions for Veterans and Companies at http://linkd.in/Sg346w. If you have specific questions about issues affecting you, your benefits, your dependents etc., feel free to send them to me personally and I will try to help you. If you have questions about compensation and disability benefits or VA health care benefits, ask the First Sergeant at randymayer7@hotmail.com.