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Mesothelioma in US States

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Exposure to Toxic Asbestos & Veterans of War

Catherine A. Murphy

During the period from the 1930s through to the 1970s, the US military depended heavily on the use of asbestos for many of their equipments. This was due to the many qualities of asbestos. Asbestos provided them with one material that was readily available, cheap, flexible and had high thermal resistance. As a result, it was utilized in many cases where there was a need for providing insulation without compromising weight. Many applications of asbestos within the military during that era ranged from insulating pipes, making ducting, clutches, boiler insulation and airplanes. In fact, studies show that the military used asbestos in over 250 different products.

Veterans such as those who worked as pilots, marines, and ship builders were particularly exposed as there integrally involved in the cutting and shaping of many of these applications. Once these veterans became exposed to these airborne asbestos particles, they became prime targets for development of mesothelioma.

The Golden Era of Asbestos in the Military — before the 1970s

From the discovery of asbestos in the late nineteenth century, it was always known to have adverse effects if its particles were inhaled. However, due to the important role asbestos played in the success of world war two, the Korean and Vietnam War, these effects were largely either ignored or suppressed by the decision makers within the military. Instead, asbestos was touted as a wonder product that could be used in the making of planes, ships and portable storage facilities. This left many soldiers extremely exposed in part due to trust of their superiors and the degradation of the equipment they were using.

It was not until the late 1960s and early 1970s that the rights of individuals began to be heard by the justice system. This eventually led to the passing of legislation that led to the restriction of the use of asbestos within the military.

Medical care for Veterans with Mesothelioma Lacking

Though many veterans will be willing to sit you down for hours to give you many triumphant stories of Vietnam, Korean and world war two, many will tell you that they feel deceived by the very persons that they were willing to put their lives on the line for. Many of these veterans were unaware of the effects of asbestos exposure as it is only now that the issue is out in the public, that the authorities are talking about the issue.

Now that over fifty years have passed, many are now being diagnosed with mesothelioma and again are being sidelined by the system. With over six hundred thousand mesothelioma claims for federal benefits for veterans, many are now complaining of being languishing in bureaucratic red tape for years. This has resulted in many having to resort to other means of sourcing financial resources to deal with the demands of the disease.

Rights of Veterans for Mesothelioma Compensation

Though under the Feres Doctrine, veterans are not allowed to sue the federal government due to their exposure to asbestos, the law does not prevent them from suing the many private contractors who supplied the military with their asbestos-based products. Some of the grounds on which many of these companies have been sued include loss of income, medical bills, death of love one and discomfort that arises from the disease.

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