An asbestos bill currently going through Congress could lead to U.S. veterans who suffer from asbestos related illnesses unable to claim compensation before they die.
The bill, if passed, would make it even harder for veterans to claim damages from the government’s compensation money for victims of asbestos exposure and its related diseases.
The new bill’s rules would add yet another layer of bureaucracy for veterans trying to gain compensation through mesothelioma claims. Many veterans who were exposed to asbestos on U.S. Navy ships decades ago are now climbing into their 70s.
The bill essentially helps the asbestos industry wait for the clock to run out on those who suffer from asbestos exposure.
Though the Republican sponsors of the bill claim that it is designed to reveal attempts at fraud, it also makes the road to asbestos compensation much longer – time that many asbestos sufferers, including U.S. veterans, may not have.
Veterans make up the largest group of over three million asbestos exposure claims since the 1980s. The federal government began regulating asbestos in the 1980s, which is also when the military stopped using asbestos-containing material.
Companies that at one time produced asbestos, and actively hid its dangers from the public, were forced to set up pools of compensation money for asbestos exposure victims.
In the last decade, mesothelioma claims have surged in number. This is primarily because of the decades-long delay between asbestos exposure and disease diagnosis for asbestos mesothelioma victims.
Republicans claim that the bill has been introduced to combat potential fraud, as some attorneys have allegedly filed multiple awards for asbestos mesothelioma victims, and their fear is that such fraud would empty out asbestos trusts and keep money from mesothelioma victims who need it.
According to the Government Accountability Office, the likelihood of fraud is very low – about .3 percent of settlements were linked with potential fraud.
Thus far, according to the Government Accountability Office, around 60 separate trusts across the country have ended up paying over $17 billion to mesothelioma victims.
Some trusts have begun to reduce payments for mesothelioma victims, including veterans, in recent years. According to the Government Accountability Office, $17.5 billion of the total $37 billion contained in the trusts has been paid out already.
For mesothelioma claims, the average payout from the trust was $34,000.
Jason Johns, a national judge advocate for the veteran organization Military Order of the Purple Heart, has said that the bill could enable the asbestos industry to delay cases by demanding more information up until the point where veterans die, then unable to claim their compensation.
“The longer you can delay the case,” Johns said, “the less likely that veteran is going to be able to appear in court themselves.”
Asbestos Mesothelioma Claims
Most asbestos mesothelioma claims are linked with workers or veterans who have been exposed to large amounts of asbestos over time. Mesothelioma is typically diagnosed years after initial exposure, and often in late stages of the disease.
Some U.S. veterans were exposed to asbestos on ships back when the military still used asbestos-containing products. Asbestos dust and fibers became airborne on a regular basis, and could enter a person’s lungs.
Asbestos exposure can lead to mesothelioma diagnosis, incurring physical, mental, and emotional pain and suffering, as well as serious medical expenses.
According to many asbestos mesothelioma claims, the companies that allow their workers to be exposed to asbestos should have been aware of the dangerous nature of their asbestos-containing materials. Companies should also be aware of its ability to cause disease and even fatalities. There are many asbestos regulations in place to prevent these kinds of issues.
Many mesothelioma victims have filed asbestos mesothelioma lawsuits searching for some kind of compensatory mesothelioma lawsuit payouts.
If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with or died from an asbestos-related disease due to exposure to asbestos, you may be able to file an asbestos mesothelioma lawsuit.
Do YOU have a legal claim? Fill out the form on this page now for a free, immediate, and confidential case evaluation. The attorneys who work with Top Class Actions will contact you if you qualify to let you know if an individual mesothelioma lawsuit or asbestos class action lawsuit is best for you. [In general, mesothelioma lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.] Hurry — statutes of limitations may apply.
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If you or a loved one were exposed to asbestos and developed mesothelioma, lung cancer, or cancer in the lining of the lungs, abdomen or chest cavity, you may be able to take legal action against the companies responsible. Don’t delay – in most states the statute of limitations is two years to file an asbestos lawsuit after you’re diagnosed. Obtain a free and confidential case evaluation be filling out the form below.
An attorney will contact you if you qualify to discuss the details of your potential case at no charge to you.
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