That’s just one way of saying more than 30 percent of Americans suffering with mesothelioma (a cancer of the internal lining of the lungs, abdomen, and heart) were exposed to asbestos during their military or naval service.

Veterans who served up to the 1970s have a great risk of developing asbestosis, cancer and other related disease. And, for Navy personnel and workers employed in shipyards through the 1970s, the risk  for developing a disease caused by asbestos exposure is even greater.

Veterans with an asbestos related illness should contact a veteran’s service officer and file their claims. It is important you select a VSO who will think outside of the VA box, especially on these type conditions.

The veteran must provide proof that their disease is asbestos related and that exposure occurred during military service. The burden of proof is always on the veteran, in this case, due to mind sets, the proof is difficult even though it is totally obvious.

The Department of Veteran Affairs recognizes asbestos as well as mesothelioma as a service connected disability.

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Witches’ Night film Asbestos-laden materials were used to build almost every vessel built prior to World War II. It was used for all sorts of applications including buildings, navigation rooms and in air craft. Because of this, thousands of military veterans, along with civilian tradesmen and shipyard workers, were exposed to asbestos fibers as part of their military service.

Although asbestos exposure does not always lead to an illness, frequent and long term exposure will greatly raise those risks. Asbestos exposure can cause serious illnesses such as asbestosis and malignant pleural mesothelioma, a severe lung ailment that accounts for three percent of cancer diagnoses in the United States.

Flash Point movies Asbestos-related illnesses may not appear until 20 to 50 years after exposure, which makes mesothelioma diagnosis even more difficult.

Asbestos manufacturers were aware of the toxic qualities surrounding the mineral but repressed this information from the public, often with government assistance, in the case of the military.

The Jane Austen Book Club movies Currently, mesothelioma is not readily recognized as a service-related medical ailment. However, veterans can apply for Veteran Affairs (VA) benefits for asbestos-related illness if they can  provide proof that their exposure occurred at the time of their military service.

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A Dennis the Menace Christmas dvd If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer, please consult with an experienced asbestos attorney right away. You could qualify for compensation but, depending on where you live, there could be time limits on your case.

Gerald Gray died in April of 2009 from mesothelioma.  He contracted the disease after inhaling asbestos fibers on naval ships for many years.  His family has recently been awarded over $1 million in damages.

Gray joined the Navy in 1951 and served for 20 years until he retired in 1971.  During those 20 years, he worked on many ships and rose to command master chief for the Atlantic fleet, which is the second highest enlisted rank in the Navy.

Asbestos was used extensively on submarines and ships on parts such as gaskets, seals, pumps, and other boiler room applications.  Asbestos was found to have extreme ability to resist heat, fire, salt water, and other biological processes.  Not only was it used by the military on vessels, but also in shore-based buildings like barracks and offices.  Many veterans who served between World War II and into the 1980s have contracted mesothelioma from the exposure to so much asbestos.

Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer that very difficult to diagnose. It often takes 20 years or longer for mesothelioma cancer symptoms to appear and by then, it is too late for successful treatment. This is the heart break of asbestos exposure.

Four of the five initial defendants settled out of court.  But the jury was not told of the out-of-court settlements and was allowed to assign a percentage of blame to each of the parties.  John Crane Inc., which manufactures gaskets and other parts used on the vessels, was assigned 30 percent of the blame, which totaled about $1.2 million.

Twenty years of breathing in fibers from those parts caught up with Gary decades later when he was diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer. He took his case to court, and was awarded a substantial amount for his medical bills, pain and suffering — $4 million.

Unfortunately, it was already too late for Gary. He died 16 months after his diagnosis at the age of 75. His videotaped deposition appeared at trial after his death. Gary’s lawyers told the jury that his death was preventable—and it was.

As in most cases, the manufacturers of the gaskets and pumps that Gary used were well aware that the asbestos they contained would be harmful to the health of those who worked with them. They purposely kept this information from consumers to make a profit at the expense of public health.

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Mesothelioma researchers have made a discovery that could help monitor the progression of a tumor and may even eliminate the tumor development completely.

The team of researcher studied the enzyme p21-activated kinase 2 (PAK2) which is a biological indicator of cancer growth.  The team discovered that the enzyme is activated in mesenchymal cells which are the connective tissues in the body, blood, and lymphatic vessels, and not in the epithelial cells as once believed.

The discovery also found that Erbin, a protein in the body, controls Merlin, a gene which suppresses tumors.  Researchers said they found that a protein called Erbin, in cooperation with the NF2 tumor suppressor Merlin, controls the outcome.

Tumors are formed when Merlin is absent from cells.  As long as there is Merlin in cells, the threat of cancer is greatly reduced.  Mutations in Merlin were found in 40 percent of the mesothelioma cases studied by a Swiss group.

Erbin and Merlin are closely related and together help prevent PAK2 activity which prevents tumor growth.  Without Erbin and Merlin, a growth factor protein known as beta (TGF-B) stimulates PAK2 growth.

The discovery is very important because it may allow future researchers to identify how tumor growth can be stopped and reduce mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is typically caused by asbestos exposure. People who work in refineries and smelters or on construction sites and at shipyards in the U.S. Navy are particularly at risk for asbestos exposure leading to asbestosis, lung cancer or mesothelioma.

In other words, no one is responsible for the asbestos necessary for the operation of a machine if the machine’s manufacturer didn’t put it there.

The specific cases involve two men who once worked aboard Navy ships, Joseph Simonetta and Vernon Braaten.

Mr. Simonetta alleged that he developed lung cancer after performing maintenance on an evaporator, a device that removes salt from seawater. Mr. Braaten was a pipefitter, and he later developed mesothelioma.

Something’s Gotta Give In Mr. Simonetta’s case, after the evaporator was shipped from one plant in 1941 or 1942, it was later insulated with asbestos products made by another company.

The asbestos exposure that contributed to Simonetta’s lung cancer allegedly occurred in 1958 or 1959, when asbestos insulation had to be removed from the evaporator during maintenance work. Simonetta served in the Navy 1954 to 1974, and was diagnosed in 2000 and 2002.

In Braaten’s case, the defendants were manufacturers of valves and pumps sold to the Navy and used aboard ships. Doesn’t seem quite right that the Navy can know but turn a blind eye to the presence of asbestos on their ships, but whatever.

After the valves and pumps were installed, the Navy applied asbestos-containing insulation. Braaten c

Rise of the Dead movie Street Thief ipod But, because asbestos resists heat, it is very useful in military applications and was used extensively through the 1970s, especially in the Navy. Engineers used asbestos to line pipes carrying high temperature fluids like steam, electrical fixtures and hull construction.

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As asbestos-containing age they become more unstable and more hazardous. Technicians who worked aboard naval vessels or elsewhere in military installations, likely encountered asbestos when these materials were repaired or replaced. As asbestos fibers are disturbed they are easily released into the air where they can be inhaled.

That’s the problem, of course. It can take 15 years –sometimes three decades — for symptoms of asbestos-related diseases to appear and by then it is usually too late to do anything about it.

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Not everyone exposed to asbestos becomes ill of course, but those who do develop pulmonary conditions like asbestosis and mesothelioma, a fairly rare but aggressive form of lung cancer. There is no known cure for mesothelioma and patients usually die within 18 months of diagnosis.

If you were in the military and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you do have options. Experienced mesothelioma attorneys have access to all kinds of resources and support information. In addition, they can evaluate your situation for a potential mesothelioma lawsuit to help recover compensation.

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