Veterans and mesothelioma can often be spoken about in the same sentence as Veterans of the US Navy are more likely than the rest of the population to be diagnosed with mesothelioma. In fact, about 33% of mesothelioma victims in the US were members of the US Navy. If you were a Navy service member and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, it is important to act fast if you want to obtain compensation from multiple avenues.

Veterans and Mesothelioma – Types

Asbestos is a carcinogen, meaning that it can cause cancer. It is a naturally occurring silicate material that is extremely harmful to breathe in. Breathing in asbestos can cause a multitude of asbestos-related diseases including:

• • Mesothelioma

• • Lung cancer

• • Asbestosis

The most common form of mesothelioma is pleural mesothelioma, which originates in the lining of the lungs. It affects approximately 75% of all mesothelioma victims. The second most common form of mesothelioma is peritoneal mesothelioma, which affects approximately 10 to 20% of all mesothelioma patients. It begins in the abdominal cavity. Pericardial mesothelioma is extremely rare and begins in the lining of the heart. Testicular mesothelioma is also very rare and starts in the cell layer covering the testicles. It affects approximately 1% of mesothelioma victims.

Asbestos on US Navy Ships

The reason why US Navy veterans are more susceptible to being diagnosed with mesothelioma than the rest of the population is because US Navy ships were laden with asbestos. Even those who did not work on the ships but slept on the ships were exposed to high levels of asbestos, putting them at risk for developing mesothelioma later in life. Areas in US Navy ships that contained asbestos include but are not limited to:

• • Pipe insulation

• • Boilers

• • Adhesives

• • Pumps

• • Valves

• • Paneling

• • Insulation

As previously mentioned, even sleeping on the ships exposed those in the Navy to asbestos, as the pipes flowed throughout the ship, and they were insulated with asbestos. If work was done to the piping on the ship, everyone in the surrounding environment would be exposed to the carcinogen.

Over 300 materials that contained asbestos were used on US Navy ships. These products existed throughout the ships. This is one of the reasons why Navy veterans and mesothelioma are often spoken about together.

Compensation

There are multiple ways for US Navy veterans to obtain compensation for their mesothelioma diagnosis. Not only can companies and manufacturers that exposed those in the service be sued, but there are also asbestos trust funds as well as Veterans Affairs claims. Navy veterans can get compensation through the VA. To do this, it must be proven that mesothelioma or other asbestos-related disease is directly correlated to their time in the US Navy. To learn more about filing a claim with the VA, check out our page on Veteran Resources.

To learn more about how we can help US Navy veterans file mesothelioma claims, call us at (800) 505-6000 or simply fill out our contact form. We help mesothelioma victims in Pennsylvania file claims and get compensation.