The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Veterans: A Mesothelioma Announcement

Posted on | August 17, 2012 | 9 Comments

by Smitty

My father is recovering from prostate surgery. He served as an engineer, mostly on amphibious assault ships, back before the dangers of materials like asbestos was widely known. Thus, I amy sympathetic to the need to take care of old duffers wherever you find them, and present this post as a public service announcement:

The Financial Hardships of a Veteran with Mesothelioma

by Douglas Karr

Veterans are people who have served our country and put their lives on the line for other people.  This is why it is unfortunate that veterans are the most likely to get mesothelioma.  Mesothelioma is a very fatal cancer that happens if a person is overly exposed to asbestos.  Asbestos can be found in old walls and construction materials, and being exposed to it for a very long time can be a major problem.  Mesothelioma is often deadly because it is not normally caught until it is in its late stages.

The reason veterans are at greater risk for developing this cancer is simply because of all of the areas they may have traveled to.  For example, you might have been stationed in an old and abandoned building for months or even years at a time.  The old building may have had walls with asbestos or you may have even been told to renovate the building while there.  Being exposed to asbestos is a major problem because it can cause mesothelioma over time.  As stated before, this cancer is often not detected until it is simply too late.

One of the major things that every veteran should be aware of is that they can and should be compensated for their suffering.  If you can prove that you acquired mesothelioma while in the military, you can definitely get money for your problems.  While this cancer is often deadly, the money you receive can help your loved ones and the medical bills that you incur.  When it comes to dealing with mesothelioma, it is best that you take the steps to speak with a financial adviser and attorney whom will both be able to help you out further on your quest to being fully compensated.

The first step on your journey is to speak with an attorney.  The attorney you choose should be knowledgeable when it comes to mesothelioma and dealing with cases of this nature.  The more experience your attorney has, the better outcome you can expect with your own case.  Your new lawyer will be able to discuss everything with you and tell you how to go about setting up a case.  Most mesothelioma cases will win in court, especially if you are a veteran and contracted the cancer while working for the government.  You could get a lot of compensation in return for your suffering when you go to court.

Many veterans with mesothelioma do not think about being compensated in any way, but the truth is that you deserve it.  Your family will also benefit from this type of compensation so that they will be financially stable.  A reputable financial adviser will also be able to let you know what you should expect when it comes to going to court with this type of case.  It is a good idea to get as much financial and professional advice as possible so that you can be sure you are doing what is right when it comes to receiving any form of compensation.

The amount of money you receive as compensation is relatively personal, since every veteran cancer patient will receive a different amount depending on their specific case.  You will be able to work with an attorney to decipher how much you should ask for before going to court.  The entire process of going to court may take some time, but it is definitely worth it in the end when you get money for your suffering.  You should expect the case to be open for several weeks or even months before it is fully resolved by your attorney and the judge who is hearing the case.

As a veteran, you deserve the utmost respect and help for you ability to protect the country.  Even with mesothelioma, you will be able to protect your family and keep them financially stable.  It is important to get your financial life together and visit your doctor regularly if you have recently been diagnosed with this condition.  This will help to put your mind at ease when it comes to leaving your loved ones behind to fend for themselves.  Be sure to speak with a professional attorney in your area to find out more about the financial aspect to mesothelioma.

 

Category: Military

Comments

9 Responses to “Veterans: A Mesothelioma Announcement”

  1. Bob Belvedere
    August 17th, 2012 @ 8:09 am

    Those sailors who worked in the boiler rooms of ships before the end of the 1970’s are especially vulnerable to this.

    My old boiler room boss in the early 80’s, Eddie O’Connor, served for all of WWII in the South Dakota’s BR and was already experiencing lung trouble back in 83-84 when I was a Second Class Fireman under him. He died in the later part of that decade of mesothelioma. A good man who served his country well, his family was stuck with very high medical bills.

  2. Adjoran
    August 17th, 2012 @ 8:23 am

    There is no doubt asbestos exposure has disastrous health consequences at a demonstrable rate. The highest risk is in handling, installation, or removal. We have probably caused many thousands of future cancer cases by removing passive asbestos from previous installations. It would have been safer on balance in many or most of those instances to leave it where it was until a building was about to be demolished.

    But the industry which has arisen around asbestos in tort law isn’t interested in just compensation or real liability. It’s a huge scam. The money flows to the lawyers, the low-life John Edwards sort of bottom-feeders.

  3. Bob Belvedere
    August 17th, 2012 @ 8:53 am

    -Indeed, the bottom-feeders have come to join the fray like cockroaches on a bread crumb – witness the daily deluge of mesothelioma ads on TV [‘My name is Doug, and….’]. This is why it’s important to choose you lawyer wisely and stay away from the Edwards-type.

    -Regarding the dealing with asbestos: one of my other jobs during the time I worked for Eddie O’Connor [see my comment below] was to inspect the whole complex I worked at and seal torn asbestos insulation on pipes and machines. The asbestos consultant we hired recommended this as being safer than removal for the reasons you mentioned

  4. SDN
    August 17th, 2012 @ 9:10 am

    Smitty, If they worked with that stuff Stateside, their wives need to get checked too.

    My maternal grandfather was a welder in WWII, and he worked in the Mobile AL shipyards building Liberty ships. Lots of asbestos around, and later he had lung problems including mesothelioma. So did my grandmother, because she washed the clothes he was wearing while working, and they were loaded with the stuff.

  5. Bob Belvedere
    August 17th, 2012 @ 10:08 am

    Damn good point.

  6. jlwellfonder
    August 17th, 2012 @ 10:10 am

    God bless your Dad! Will keep him in my prayers!

  7. jlwellfonder
    August 17th, 2012 @ 10:10 am

    God bless your Dad! Will keep him in my prayers!

  8. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    August 17th, 2012 @ 10:17 am

    I know plenty of boilermakers who dies of asbestos and mesothelioma. But unfortunately tort litigation is the method we have to pay settlements. At this point it is basically a formula. If you meet certain criteria, you get joined into a case and get paid. The reason asbestos is different than other litigation is proof. Mesothelioma only happens from asbestos exposure. While smoking makes it worse by a factor of six or seven, they can prove exposure and get a settlement because of that unique cancer.

    Railing against lawyers is justified in some circumstances, but I would not paint all asbestos lawyers as bottom feeders.

  9. Veterans Took More Than Bullets And Bombs For Us | That Mr. G Guy's Blog
    August 18th, 2012 @ 2:20 pm

    […] Via Smitty; My father is recovering from prostate surgery. He served as an engineer, mostly on amphibious assault ships, back before the dangers of materials like asbestos was widely known. Thus, I amy sympathetic to the need to take care of old duffers wherever you find them, and present this post as a public service announcement: […]