Government Compensation Limits - Veterans and Mesothelioma
Military veterans who had job ratings such as engine room workers, machinist mates, electronics technicians, welders – just about any job on a ship, submarine, airplane or military installations – are likely to have been exposed to asbestos.
If a veteran later developed mesothelioma, asbestos exposure from military service is a reason for the veteran and the veteran's family to receive financial compensation from the U.S. government. The Veterans Administration spells out dollar amounts and financial limits for the compensation.
Many veterans who were exposed to asbestos while serving in the military later worked in civilian jobs like milling, mining, shipyard work, insulation work, demolition of old buildings, carpentry and construction, manufacturing and installation of products such as flooring and roofing. Those occupations also may have contributed to their asbestos-related disease.
Are you are a veteran who is eligible for more government compensation? Let our Veterans Assistance Program walk you through the process.
VA Benefits for Asbestos Exposure
Veterans do not have to pursue a legal claim against the government through the court system to receive compensation. Asbestos-exposed veterans can file for disability compensation benefits and health care benefits.
To qualify for benefits, veterans must be discharged in any way except dishonorably and also must convince the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that asbestos exposure occurred during active duty in the military service.
That means a veteran is eligible for compensation as long as he or she had:
- An Honorable Discharge;
- A General Discharge;
- An Other-than-Honorable Discharge; and
- A Bad Conduct Discharge.
Once that qualification is established, the veteran then must convince the VA that the subsequent disease was likely a result of asbestos exposure.
This history of military job ratings, discharge status and civilian work history is called an "exposure summary." For example, a lung cancer victim must provide medical evidence that his or her lung cancer came from asbestos exposure and that they were exposed to asbestos while on active duty in the military.
Disability Compensation Limits
Disability compensation is usually paid on a monthly basis. The amount of compensation is determined by the veteran's disability level, which is interpreted on a percentage scale of 0 through 100. Mesothelioma and other cancers have a 100-percent disability rating.
The government's veterans compensation benefits rate for mesothelioma typically starts at $2,769 per month and increases depending on the number of dependents a veteran has.
For example, an unmarried veteran with no children and a 100 percent disability rating can expect to receive $2,769 a month in benefits. A veteran with a spouse and child can expect to receive $3,037 a month in benefits.
In addition to disability compensation benefits, the government provides healthcare at several VA treatment centers across the country for veterans that may have been exposed to asbestos and other environmental hazards while on active duty.
Asbestos-related diseases most often develop in older veterans, but young veterans are susceptible to developing them in the future. That's because while asbestos is heavily regulated in the United States, the same is not true for other countries around the world.
Soldiers who served in recent campaigns in Iraq, in Afghanistan and in other countries may have been exposed to asbestos when older buildings were damaged.
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© 2012 The Mesothelioma Center |
Last Modified Thursday, May 10th, 2012 | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy |
The information provided by The Mesothelioma Center is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Sponsored by a law firm concentrating in asbestos litigation, The Peterson Firm, LLP with offices at 1350 Connecticut Ave, NW, Fifth Floor, Washington DC 20036.
