U.S. Coast Guard veterans claims

Cancer that makes you eligibile to file an AFFF claim

Because AFFF was the primary firefighting agent used aboard USCG Air Stations and U.S. Coast Guard and Navy vessels for flammable liquid fires between the 1960s to the early 2000s, contamination with PFAS was inevitable. The U.S. military has been heavily using PFAS-containing foam for fire suppression during non-critical missions and in training exercises in several of its branches, including the Coast Guard, since the latter part of the 60s.

This heavy use of AFFF also has a significant impact on the environment. For instance, in June 2018, 1000 gallons of AFFF were inadvertently spilled at Selfridge Air National Guard Base by the Coast Guard. This news went largely unnoticed. Although cleanup operations were completed a week after the incident, it's almost impossible to know how much damage the spill has caused to the environment and the communities around the area. At the source of the spill, concentrated levels of PFAS, in excess of 1,000,000 ppt, were found.

With decades of use by Coast Guard services personnel and the amounts leaked into the areas on and around the Coast Guard stations, it is possible that thousands of retired or active military firefighters have or will develop the following types of cancer from exposure to the dangerous compounds:

• kidney cancer
• testicular cancer
• prostate cancer
• liver cancer
• pancreatic cancer
• badder cancer
• male breast cancer
• thyroid cancer

If you were diagnosed with cancer and you believe is due to the exposure you suffered during service, our team of legal experts can help you with filing a claim on your behalf.

The Department of Veterans Affairs oversees an enormous number of benefits and services for veterans of our nation’s armed forces, including the Coast Guard. Unfortunately, many deserving veterans of the United States Coast Guard face initial denials of benefits and have to go through a confusing and time-consuming appeals process. The claim process is complicated and the paperwork and waiting time involved in filing a veteran’s compensation claim can be confusing, long, and frustrating. Whether you are just starting the application process, or your claim has been denied and are preparing an appeal, we know the law, and the process, and we want to help.

Asbestos-related cancer makes you eligible to file a claim

Even mere travel on ships rich in asbestos products could expose the crew to toxic fibers since almost all insulating products between the 1930s and the 1970s contained asbestos. Boilers were among the richest in asbestos, followed by electrical insulation and asbestos reinforcement in walls around the ship. Practically anywhere you turned in the confined space of a Coast Guard ship, asbestos was sure to be there. And, on those ships or buildings that are still in use decades later, the danger is still there. Nearly 250 Coast Guard cutters were built with asbestos or asbestos-containing products. This widespread use of asbestos means that U.S. Coast Guard veterans face some of the highest risks of developing asbestos-related cancer among the branches of the military.

• lung cancer
• esophageal cancer
• bronchial cancer
• gastrointestinal cancer
• colorectal cancer
• throat cancer
• mesothelioma

Asbestos products include, but are not limited to

• insulation
• gaskets
• coating
• floor tiles
• mastics
• electric wires

Because of its insulating and fire-retardant properties, asbestos was initially hailed as a life-saver by the U.S. Armed Forces, and by civilian industries across the country. Its benefits seemed to know no bounds, and for decades all signs to the contrary were ignored. Most at risk among the Coast Guard servicemen and women were those directly exposed to asbestos in shipyard work, whether it was shipbuilding, maintenance, or repairs. Since asbestos is brittle and easily releases fibers into the air if not wet or if its surface tension is broken, exposure was almost impossible to avoid when doing work on older vessels.

Structural and mechanical components containing asbestos include:

• thermal insulation cement
• cement sheet and siding
• vinyl floor tiles and vinyl sheet flooring
• drywall joint compound
• ceiling tile
• welding blankets
• sprayed structural and reinforcing cement
• joint compound
• valve packing
• brake linings

While most of the Coast Guard’s asbestos-containing cutters have been decommissioned, some are still in service, and many were still active until 2017. The Coast Guard has initiated major renovations to remove asbestos-containing products on board its vessels, but it is unlikely that all of these products have been removed.

Surviving family members of deceased U.S. Coast Guard veterans are entitled to financial compensation

Surviving spouses and dependents of Coast Guard veterans who have died from an asbestos-related cancer as a result of their service may be eligible for dependency and indemnity compensation. If their loved one has passed away from cancer, family members can also receive compensation from one or more of several trust funds created to provide financial compensation to victims and their families. Because the money comes from the asbestos trust funds which have been established to assist victims of asbestos exposure, the legal process involves no litigation and takes significantly less time to complete.

We handled thousands of asbestos exposure claims throughout the country and we have successfully recovered over $2 billion for over 25,000 asbestos-exposed clients and their families. We are highly experienced and skilled in protecting the rights of asbestos exposure victims and their family members.