Army Veterans and Mesothelioma

Army veterans often faced asbestos exposure during service, putting them at risk. Asbestos is the leading cause of mesothelioma and other related diseases. Diagnosed veterans may qualify for VA benefits and can pursue legal compensation with the help of experienced attorneys.

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How Army Veterans Were Exposed to Asbestos

The U.S. military widely used asbestos from the 1930s through the 1980s, including in areas where Army veterans worked, lived, ate, and slept. Asbestos was commonly used for insulation, fireproofing and heat resistance, putting soldiers at risk of exposure.

Common Army Asbestos Exposure Sites

• Barracks: Asbestos was often used in insulation, flooring and ceiling materials in older barracks, exposing soldiers to it in their living quarters.
• Construction sites: Soldiers handled asbestos-containing materials used for insulation and fireproofing.
• Demolition sites: Tearing down older buildings released asbestos fibers into the air, increasing the risk of inhalation.
• Housing and workspaces: Asbestos was present in many on-base buildings, including housing, dining areas and workspaces in products like flooring, insulation and ceilings.
• Secondary exposure: Fibers could be accidentally carried home on uniforms, skin or hair, exposing others.
• Tanks and vehicles: Military vehicles often contained asbestos in brakes, clutches and engine parts. 

The Army has phased out asbestos use, but legacy asbestos is still found in older Army equipment and buildings. This means soldiers may still be at risk. In some cases, combat operations can also lead to exposure as older buildings with legacy asbestos are damaged or destroyed. This damage causes asbestos fibers to be released into the air.

Microscopic asbestos fibers are primarily inhaled or ingested, and become lodged in tissues in the body. Over the course of decades, these asbestos fibers cause irritation that can lead to cancer like mesothelioma. No safe level of asbestos exposure has been established.

High-Risk Occupations for Army Veterans

Occupational exposure is the most common type of asbestos exposure. While all Army veterans could have been exposed to the hazardous mineral, certain roles involved more frequent or intense contact. Soldiers who worked with building materials, especially prior to the 1970s, in construction or demolition roles, likely faced heavy and consistent exposure. Performing maintenance on military vehicles also posed a higher risk of asbestos exposure.

Higher Risk Army Jobs

• Construction: Involved direct handling of asbestos-containing materials used for insulation and fireproofing.
• Demolition: Demolishing older buildings may have caused the release of asbestos into the air.
• Engineering: Soldiers who designed, oversaw or maintained infrastructure and building systems regularly encountered asbestos-containing materials such as pipe insulation, cement board and roofing felt.
• Vehicle Maintenance: Mechanics and motor pool personnel were exposed to asbestos-containing brakes, clutches and engine components.

Mesothelioma risk is directly tied to how much asbestos a person was exposed to and for how long. The more intense and prolonged the exposure, the greater the risk, which is why certain jobs carried a significantly higher danger than others.

Veterans who served in these roles should speak with their doctor about their exposure history, even without symptoms. Mesothelioma takes 20 to 60 years to develop, and often symptoms don’t appear until people are in later stages of the disease.

Diseases Linked to Army Asbestos Exposure

Asbestos exposure is linked to a range of diseases, from chronic noncancerous conditions like asbestosis and pleural disease to malignant diseases like laryngeal and lung cancers. Army veterans with any history of asbestos exposure should discuss screenings and monitoring with their doctors.

Asbestos-Related Illnesses

• Asbestosis: This chronic lung disease that causes breathing difficulties can develop after inhaled asbestos creates significant scarring of lung tissue.
• Laryngeal cancer: Inhaling asbestos fibers can cause this cancer that affects the voice box.
• Lung cancer:  Malignant tumors can develop in the lungs after prolonged asbestos exposure, especially when combined with other risk factors.
• Mesothelioma: This rare and aggressive cancer forms in the lining around the lungs, abdomen or heart and is most strongly linked to asbestos exposure.
• Ovarian cancer: While this cancer is often associated with asbestos-contaminated talc products, direct exposure is also a recognized contributing factor for veterans who served in high-risk roles.
• Pleural disease: A group of conditions affecting the lining of the lungs (pleura), including pleural plaques and fluid buildup (pleural effusion), they can develop from asbestos exposure and may affect breathing.

Army veterans with a history of asbestos exposure should be conscious of indicators of illness. While diseases like mesothelioma share warning signs with more common illnesses like flu or pneumonia, it’s important to tell your doctor about any new or worsening symptoms. These include persistent cough, chest pain or shortness of breath. 

VA Benefits for Army Veterans With Mesothelioma

Army veterans with a service-related mesothelioma diagnosis could qualify for  VA benefits that include disability compensation, medical care and additional financial assistance. The PACT Act of 2022 broadened the eligibility for veterans who were exposed to toxic substances, including asbestos. Army veterans who have an honorable or general discharge, a confirmed mesothelioma diagnosis and evidence that the illness is related to service may qualify.

Benefits for Army Veterans with Mesothelioma

• Aid and Attendance: This is an additional VA benefit available to Army veterans who need help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing or eating because of their medical condition.
• Caregiver Benefits: The VA offers programs that provide financial support, training and resources to family members or caregivers assisting Army veterans with serious health conditions.
• Dependency and Indemnity Compensation: DIC is a tax-free monthly payment available to surviving spouses, children or dependents of Army veterans who died from a service-connected condition such as mesothelioma.
• Funeral and Burial Reimbursement: The VA may reimburse certain funeral and burial expenses for eligible Army veterans whose death is connected to their military service.
• Housebound Benefits: Additional monthly payments are available for Army veterans who are largely confined to their homes because of a disability.
• Special Monthly Compensation: SMC is extra compensation available to Army veterans with severe disabilities or special medical needs beyond the standard disability rating.
• VA Disability Compensation: Army veterans with mesothelioma typically receive a 100% disability rating, which currently provides $3,938 per month for a single veteran, $4,158.17 for a married veteran and higher payments for veterans with dependents in 2026.
• VA Health Care: Army veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma may qualify for treatment through the VA health care system, including specialized cancer care and related services.
• VA Pension: A needs-based monthly benefit available to wartime Army veterans with limited income who meet certain service and medical criteria.

There is help for Army veterans with service-related mesothelioma from asbestos exposure. Filing for VA benefits doesn’t preclude an Army veteran from also seeking legal compensation at the same time. The processes are separate and don’t affect each other. An experienced mesothelioma attorney from the Nemeroff Law Firm can help Army veterans navigate their legal rights and financial assistance options. 

Legal Options for Army Veterans With Mesothelioma

Army veterans with mesothelioma have many options for financial compensation. While veterans don’t file lawsuits against the U.S. military or government, they can file lawsuits against asbestos manufacturers. Army veterans can also file claims against bankrupt companies that established asbestos trust funds. An estimated $30 billion remains in these funds.

Compensation Options for Army Veterans

• Asbestos trust funds: Claims are often processed within a few months to a year and don’t require going to court. The average payout is estimated between $300,000 and $400,000.
• Mesothelioma lawsuits: These cases may take months to a few years to resolve and may involve a trial, though most cases settle. The average settlements range from $1 million to $2 million.
• VA Disability compensation: This provides monthly payments (often at a 100% disability rating for mesothelioma) and access to VA health care. Claims can take several months to process and don’t require going to court.

While many mesothelioma cases resolve in settlement, some proceed to trial. Trial verdicts average higher than settlements, but no outcome is guaranteed. Army veterans can pursue lawsuits, trust fund claims and VA benefits simultaneously, as these processes are all independent of each other. Our experienced asbestos attorneys can guide Army veterans and their families through every option.

Treatment for Army Veterans With Mesothelioma

Army veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma may receive treatment through the VA health care system, at little to no cost for eligible veterans. Treatments could include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy. Doctors could prescribe more than one treatment at once, which is called multimodal care. 

• Chemotherapy: Powerful drugs shrink tumors and kill cancer cells. This is a first-line treatment for most cancer patients.
• Immunotherapy: This FDA-approved treatment helps the immune system identify and attack cancer cells and has become standard care for pleural mesothelioma. It’s still being studied for peritoneal mesothelioma.
• New therapies and clinical trials: Researchers are studying new mesothelioma treatments like cancer vaccines and gene therapy. Some veterans may qualify to participate in clinical trials testing these new therapies.
• Radiation therapy: High doses of radiation target cancer cells, shrink tumors and help relieve symptoms.
• Surgery: Tumors or affected tissue are removed, often when the disease is diagnosed at an earlier stage and surgery is usually part of multimodal care.

For Army veterans who live far from a mesothelioma specialist, the VA offers options to help improve access to care. This may include virtual appointments, remote care or travel reimbursement for treatment. Under the VA MISSION Act, veterans may also be eligible to receive care from civilian providers if the services they need are not available locally.

Army Veterans and Mesothelioma FAQs