Asbestos Exposure and Military Personnel: Risks and Compensation

The enemy wasn’t the only danger that service members faced.

Unknown to the United States military, they bought asbestos goods based on their benefits from manufacturers who failed to disclose the inherent dangers of inhaling the toxic material. As a result, service members who lived in asbestos-constructed quarters and handled asbestos products have been exposed to numerous health risks.

Asbestos Exposure to Military Personnel

Asbestos Exposure in the United States Navy

The U.S. navy saturated most of its ships with asbestos products due to its heat resistance capability, thus exposing the captains and crew members to the material’s toxicity. Asbestos exposure in the U.S. navy has left many veterans to pay the price with their health after decades of service.

The areas with more concentration of asbestos in the naval ships were below-deck compartments, such as in ammunition storage rooms, boiler rooms, mess halls, engine rooms, and sleeping quarters. Hence, more than one-third of individuals who file asbestos-related lawsuits are veterans who have served in the navy.

Asbestos Exposure in the United States Army

The 20th century saw the United States Army service members exposed to asbestos fibers in the homes, barracks, and buildings where they ate, slept, and worked. Materials used to cover pipelines contained asbestos and were used to make cement, roofing, and flooring.

Although asbestos was no longer used in new construction by the late 1970s, it was still found in Army installations years later. 32 Army bases were decommissioned or relocated before the turn of the century due to the exposure caused by asbestos. It was regarded as one of the primary pollutants, necessitating a $1 billion environmental clean-up.

Asbesto en los Marines de los Estados Unidos

Marines were most at risk of asbestos exposure when traveling to warring zones in armored cars, planes, and ships. The exposure was also derived from the bases where they were housed and trained.

Like the other armed forces personnel, marine mechanics and repairers were among the military members who diligently, but unknowingly, handled friable asbestos that discharged deadly dust into the air. This caused mass exposure.

Factors That Exposed Military Personnel to Asbestos Exposure

World War II involved widespread military use of asbestos.

Due to the lack of data, the number of World War II veterans who have passed away from asbestos-related illnesses like mesothelioma cannot be determined with any degree of accuracy. Nevertheless, no generation of combat heroes had ever been more exposed to the ravages of this deadly material.

Asbestos materials helped fireproof military vehicles, buildings and equipment, but they pose huge health risks.

Leaders in the navy believed that items containing asbestos were perfect for use on ships and submarines, except for the surgeon general, who expressed concerns about asbestos’ potential health risks in 1939. Sadly, this cautionary warning was disregarded, and the army, air force, and marines followed the navy’s example.

Government officials had designated asbestos as a much-needed material before the United States entered World War II—shortages caused by the product’s global demand surpassing its supply frightened military authorities.

The Korean War and Asbestos Exposure

Almost all forms of transportation utilized during the Korean War contained asbestos, including ships, aircraft, jeeps, tanks, and trucks. On ships constructed during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, asbestos was found in more than 300 parts.

A veteran of the navy, Jeff Burdine from Salem, Ohio, served on the USS Neosho for two years during the Korean War. According to the News Herald of Port Clinton, he received an asbestosis diagnosis in 2012.

Cleaning asbestos-insulated steam pipes was one of Burdine’s usual tasks. He felt that the Navy was the only source of asbestos exposure, even considering his post-navy work experience, which made him eligible for U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits.

Asbestos Exposure from Burn Pits in Iraq 

When stationed abroad, the military must figure out how to eliminate all kinds of waste and garbage without domestic standards. The military used hoyos para quemar for a long time to create and sustain a solution to this issue. 

The smoke from these burn pits was highly poisonous and hazardous to breathe in. In addition, exposure to asbestos-filled fumes resulted in various illnesses and diseases for service members in Iraq and Afghanistan.

AsbestosClaims.Law

Para Justinian C. Lane, obtener una indemnización por las víctimas del asbesto es algo personal.

Los abuelos de Justiniano y su padre trabajaron con asbesto en su juventud y murieron de cánceres relacionados con el asbesto en sus últimos años.  

En el momento de cada una de sus muertes, nadie en la familia de Justiniano sabía que eran elegibles para presentar una demanda por asbesto y buscar una compensación de los fideicomisos de asbesto.

Debido a que nadie en la familia de Justiniano conocía sus opciones, nunca recibieron compensación alguna por la muerte de sus seres queridos. 

Si cree que su lesión o la de su familiar estuvo relacionada con la exposición al asbesto, podría tener derecho a una compensación significativa.

Este es dinero que podría usar para cubrir los costos de los servicios de remoción de asbesto, pagar el tratamiento médico y proteger de manera preventiva su bienestar físico. 

También hay fideicomisos de asbesto que ofrecen compensación mucho más rápida y fácilmente (sin presentar una demanda).

Si desea ayuda para presentar un reclamo, ponerse en contacto por correo electrónico a [email protected]  o llámenos o envíenos un mensaje de texto al (833) 4-ASBESTOS (427-2378) o (206) 455-9190. Escucharemos su historia y le explicaremos sus opciones. Y nunca cobramos por nada a menos que reciba dinero en su bolsillo.

Además de demandas legales, discapacidad de veteranos, seguridad social y protección del empleo como compensación de trabajadores, FELA y La ley de Jones para los trabajadores marítimos, hay fideicomisos de asbesto que se han establecido para indemnizar a los perjudicados por el asbesto sin tener que presentar una demanda.

No hay riesgo ni costo para hablar con uno de nuestro personal sobre su litigio de asbesto. No hay cargos a menos que reciba dinero.

Si tiene preguntas o inquietudes adicionales relacionadas con el asbesto, visite nuestro sitio web y página de YouTube para ver videos, infografías y respuestas a sus preguntas sobre el asbesto, incluida la salud y la seguridad, prueba de asbesto, la eliminación del asbesto de su hogar y edificio, y información legal sobre la compensación por lesiones de asbesto.

Presentamos la base de datos de información sobre asbesto más grande del planeta.

W.A.R.D., que significa Worldwide Asbestos Research Database, ayuda a los clientes a reducir cuándo y dónde pueden haber estado expuestos, así como qué productos aún pueden contener asbesto.WARD también ayudará a indicar los tipos de compensación ya cuánto puede tener derecho una persona.