Military personnel are an important and revered part of our country. They protect the country from many forms of danger that keep our country safe. As these men and women age, though, different ailments and medical concerns arise due to hazardous conditions they were exposed to during their service.
Many individuals that served various branches of the U.S. Armed Forces were exposed to a harmful material known as asbestos. Asbestos has been removed from nearly all working areas since it has been linked to a cancer of the mesothelial tissue known mesothelioma. This article will discuss how veterans suffering with mesothelioma can make use of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). If you are suffering with mesothelioma, it will be necessary to file a claim with them.
Asbestos was used in almost all military transportation vehicles, as well as its housing, for many years. Automobiles, tanks, ships, aircrafts, building materials, and cement pipes used in the construction of military bases all contained some amount of this toxic substance. Regardless of branch or occupation, a veteran was highly likely to have been exposed to some amount of asbestos. However, other workers such as pipefitters, shipyard workers, miners, insulation workers, demolitionists, manufacturers, roofing and flooring installers, maintenance crews, and mechanics were put at the most risk concerning asbestos exposure. If you are suffering from mesothelioma contracted by exposure to asbestos during military service, contact an experienced mesothelioma disability claim attorney.
Benefits of filing a claim
If you served in the military and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you should file for compensation with the Department of Veteran Affairs. You will also want to hire an experienced veterans affairs lawyer to answer any questions you have, as well as give you any legal advice about the matter.
By filing a claim with Veteran Affairs, a veteran will almost immediately receive disability compensation, one hundred percent medical care, and pension benefits. If the veteran has a spouse and/or children that are minors, they will be entitled to survivor benefits. One reason for this is that the Department of Veteran Affairs classifies mesothelioma as being a one hundred percent disability.
A veteran will be eligible to receive both a pension or any other entitlements due to them by being approved for one hundred percent disability. Pensions and the monthly stipends paid by disability will vary depending on the size of the veteran’s family. This means that a veteran who is single will receive less than one who is married, has children, or other dependents.
Along with benefits for veterans, there are also benefits available to the caregivers of veterans. If an individual or a family member is the acting caregiver for a veteran suffering from a disability, such as mesothelioma, they could also be entitled to compensation. There are several programs available specifically for the family members of veterans with mesothelioma. Taking advantage of these programs allow veterans to receive the best possible care for the condition from which they are suffering.
Some requirements for eligibility include the following:
- You must have been honorably discharged under usual conditions. Those who have been discharged under dishonorable conditions do not qualify for this assistance.
- Your job required the use of asbestos or you worked a location that exposed you to asbestos.
- Apart from exposure, you must also be suffering from a disability or disease that is related to asbestos exposure.
- You will also need to provide evidence of your exposure to asbestos while on active duty.
- You will need to show any medical documentation that states your illness is directly related to asbestos exposure.
Things to help you choose the right lawyer for your case
If at this point you feel you are eligible for these benefits, you will need to retain the services of an experienced veteran disability lawyer. Before you begin your search, you might want to keep a few things in mind. You will need to make sure the attorney has experience handling veteran disability cases. An attorney that lacks the proper experience in veteran disability cases may not be able to lead you through the process properly, which could result in you not being able to receive all the benefits available. Having an experienced veteran disability lawyer at your side can make all the difference as you are filing your claim.
The Department of Veteran Affairs, will usually be very cooperative with veterans in need of assistance, but it is not a guarantee that your case will go in your favor. The only way to ensure that you will receive the amount of benefits to which you are entitled is find an experienced disability lawyer working for your best interests.
One way to find a lawyer or firm that is certified and licensed to take on these types of cases, veteran affairs claims, workers’ compensation claims, or disability claims is to visit your state’s bar association website. Any attorney listed on the website will usually offer free consultation. If you happen to have any friends or family that have dealt with a disability lawsuit, it would be helpful to ask which disability lawyer helped them. They may know an excellent disability claim lawyer that you could contact, saving you hours of research on which disability claim lawyers are the best for disability claims. If you do not have family or friend that have used a veterans disability lawyer, do not let this affect your search.
Visit the website of any lawyers you are considering and investigate what services they offer. Most professional lawyers and law firms will have a quality website where will be able to find out about their qualifications as well as experience in different cases. If you are in the Greenville area, contact the Surface Law Firm for a free consultation to review your case and determine whether you will be able to file a successful claim. The experienced mesothelioma attorneys at Surface Law Firm will give you the advantage you need while filing your claim.
The Department of Veteran Affairs is in the business of helping veterans, but because of the risk of fraud, disability cases are highly scrutinized. Officials at Veteran Affairs set distinct amounts for disability payouts and do not make it easy to get access to these entitlements unless you are working with or know someone who has a position within the department. So, finding a skilled professional veteran affairs lawyer in Greenville will be your best option in making sure your settlement is what you deserve.
