Due to the complexity of the system, filing a claim to receive benefits from the VA is notoriously challenging.  Eligibility for benefits for the VA's medical program is defined by a classification system that categorizes veterans based upon a series of "priorities", which can be perplexing to define and appear to be subjectively limiting. For example, veterans exposed to toxic herbicides such as Agent Orange during the Vietnam War are classified as a "priority 6" (on a scale from 1-8, 1 being the highest priority)-but veterans exposed to asbestos during service that consequently developed mesothelioma are not assigned any priority whatsoever.                                                 The Next Step                   Despite having served their county, veterans coping with asbestos-related disease are limited in seeking compensation and benefits through the government and VA system. But with the assistance of an experienced mesothelioma lawyer, veterans can effectively seek compensation for their medical costs and personal losses by filing a claim against the asbestos company that produced the toxic materials which led to their illness.                                                                                         For more information about veterans' rights and filing a claim, please give us a call at 800-615-2270 or fill out the form on the right to receive a comprehensive information packet on all issues surrounding asbestos exposure and resulting diseases. Widely used by every U.S. military branch, and especially by the Navy, asbestos products were heavily applied and highly regarded for their heat resistance and fireproofing properties.                                                               Due to widespread usage, hundreds of thousands, if not millions of veterans were exposed to toxic asbestos-containing materials during military service. As a result, more than 30 percent of Americans beset with mesothelioma (an asbestos cancer that attacks the internal lining of the lungs, abdomen, and heart) were exposed to asbestos during military service. Though the Navy has chosen not to assemble statistics in relation to how many naval veterans have suffered from asbestos-related diseases, other resources of statistical data indicate 26 percent of mesothelioma patients are Navy veterans and shipyard workers. In addition, naval veterans also account for 16 percent of asbestos-related lung cancer and 13 percent of severe respiratory diseases.

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