Veterans With Asbestos-Related Breathing Diseases May Be Entitled To Compensation From The Federal Government, Canada

Main Category: Asbestos / Mesothelioma
Also Included In: Veterans / Ex-Servicemen;  Cancer / Oncology
Article Date: 28 Jul 2008 - 4:00 PST

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The Lung Association recommends that navy veterans who worked on ships or shipyards during the Second World War and up until the 1970s to see their doctor for an examination. These veterans may have been exposed to asbestos and may have an asbestos-related breathing disease as a result.

Those who have been diagnosed with asbestos-related breathing diseases may be entitled to compensation from the federal government.

Up until the 1970s, the Royal Canadian Navy ships used asbestos-based insulation around pipes and boilers to prevent fires and to line bulkheads. Asbestos, a fire-resistant material, was widely used as insulation on navy ships.

Veterans who worked as pipe fitters or in an engine room or shipyards may have been exposed to asbestos. Others who slept near or handled asbestos insulation may also have been exposed. As a result of this asbestos exposure, some veterans have now developed asbestos-related breathing diseases.

When significant amounts of asbestos fibres are breathed in, they can scar the lungs and make breathing difficult. Asbestosis is one asbestos-related breathing disease. Asbestos can also cause lung cancer and pleural mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the lung lining.

Navy veterans who worked with or near asbestos should tell their doctors about their asbestos exposure and ask for an examination.
Veterans who have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease like asbestosis may be eligible for disability benefits.

For more information, call Veterans Affairs Canada at 1-866-522-2122. Veteran's Affairs only compensates from the time a claim is made, not from the time of diagnosis. So it is important to make a claim as soon as possible. Read about compensation for vets exposed to asbestos on the Veterans Affairs Canada website.

Read more about asbestosis, a breathing diseases caused by breathing in asbestos fibres.

Established in 1900, The Lung Association is one of Canada's oldest and most respected health charities, and the leading national organization for science-based information, research, education, support programs and advocacy on lung health issues.

The Lung Association