After proving their valuable capabilities during WWII, the former Army Air Force won its independence from the Army and Navy and officially became the Air Force on September 18, 1947. Air Force veterans served bravely in air combat in WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and beyond. The mission of the Air Force is to “fly, fight, and win.” After surviving through combat, many Air Force veterans never imagined the hidden dangers of asbestos exposure. Asbestos related diseases like mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer have posed a life threatening hazard to Air Force veterans for decades. Consequently, mesothelioma help for Air Force veterans is the first step to finding answers about asbestos exposure.
History of asbestos at Lowry Air Force base
Whether you are an Air Force veteran who served at Lowry Air Force Base or not, these findings should be seriously considered.
Spread out over 1,866 acres, the site of the former Lowry Air Force Base is located within the city limits of Denver and Aurora, Colorado. In 1937 the area was home to the Army Air Corps Technical School. Within the site, Building 898 was utilized as a dispensary and dental clinic. In 2007, asbestos abatement was carried out and Building 898 was demolished. During the testing of the demolition site, access to the site was restricted due to the discovery of asbestos in the soil. In 2008 the additional asbestos contaminated building debris was treated through an environmental remediation process. Air Force veterans who served at Lowry Air Force Base may have been exposed in living quarters, training buildings, and administration facilities.
Air Force veterans at risk for developing mesothelioma
Air Force veterans have been at risk of asbestos exposure, and developing mesothelioma and related diseases, since the late 1930’s. Asbestos minerals were widely used for decades due to their exceptional heat resistant properties, fireproofing, insulation, and cost effectiveness. As a result of these characteristics, asbestos has been used in a wide variety of manufactured goods. Many Air Force veterans may have been exposed to asbestos through items which include:
- ceiling and floor tiles
- cement products
- roofing shingles
- insulation products
- plaster
- coating
- fire proof fabric based clothing
- paper products
- packaging
- brakes
- clutches
- transmission parts
Mesothelioma help for Air Force veterans: legal rights
Air Force veterans and their families are entitled to take legal action. Currently,
Air Force veterans do not have the option of filing a lawsuit against the government for damages suffered during their service. Despite this fact, there is an opportunity to file an asbestos lawsuit against the company or companies that manufactured the asbestos products which caused eventual development of mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos lung cancer.
In recent years, many thousands of lawsuits have been filed against asbestos companies for product liability compensation with veterans prevailing in the courtroom.
If you are an Air Force veteran and you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or other asbestos related diseases, you may be eligible to receive compensation. If you want to talk to an asbestos attorney about the nature of asbestos legal action, please contact us today.