While many veterans gave their lives to defend our country, others came home only to die decades later from mesothelioma, a cancer caused by asbestos, a toxic material used extensively in all branches of the military.

 

The military certainly had the safety of service members in mind when it first embraced asbestos as a fireproofing material, but use of the toxic mineral continued well after medical evidence first proved the harmful effects of breathing it and the tragic deaths that followed. Today, veterans account for nearly a third of all mesothelioma cases in the U.S.

 

Veterans who developed mesothelioma and other asbestos-related conditions after exposure to asbestos in the military qualify for special financial benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), including disability compensation, special monthly compensation and service-connected death benefits for surviving family members.

 

An approved mesothelioma VA claim provides much-needed help for veterans such as access to treatment at any facility in the VA network. Free travel is available for veterans who want to visit the Boston VA Healthcare System and the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, two leading facilities offering the best mesothelioma treatments.