Authored By: Candace Whitman

According to PersonalInjury.com, veterans “make up 30 percent of all known mesothelioma deaths in the country.”

Veterans who served from the 1900s to the mid-70s are at a risk of contracting mesothelioma due to the militaries use of asbestos for its heat resistance and fireproofing properties.

Asbestos exposure is the only-known cause of mesothelioma. PersonalInjury.com reports that veterans who served “between 1940 and the 1990’s are at the greatest risk of developing asbestos-related diseases…,” particularly those who worked in “mining, milling, shipyard work, demolition of old buildings, carpentry and construction, manufacturing and installation of products such as flooring and roofing.”

PersonalInjury.com says that it can take between 15 and 50 years for mesothelioma symptoms to occur. Mesothelioma is often initially mistaken as a more minor illness which can delay proper treatment and allow the cancer to spread.

There is not a cure for mesothelioma, but early diagnosis is very important. PersonalInjury.com suggests that veterans who believe they may have been exposed to asbestos request chest x-rays and other screening tests if they experience any of the possible early symptoms.

For more details on this topic, click here to read Personal Injury.com’s article.

Photo Credit: Steven Cukrov