Asbestos was considered an ideal insulator with thermal stability and resistance, and a natural compound for noise reduction, heat and cold in airplane cockpits as well as passenger compartments. Asbestos was the product chosen by engineers to house fuel, electrical and hydraulic service lines. Air Force veterans with asbestos-related illnesses are entitled to receiving disability compensation and free cancer treatment if they file a VA claim to have their condition recognized as service connected.
Air Force veterans may have been exposed to asbestos incorporated into countless aircraft components including:
Aircraft mechanics who had to install or refit these components were exposed to a significant amount of asbestos. As asbestos-containing products deteriorate over time, fibers are released into the air. Once inhaled, the fibers accumulate in human tissue causing inflammation and damage. Decades later, asbestos exposure triggered cellular mutation in some veterans that led to asbestos-related benign and malignant diseases. The exposure to asbestos was not only to aircraft mechanics but also mechanics that were aboard US Navy aircraft vessels. Aircraft maintenance technicians who served onboard a Navy carrier, or working at an Air Force Base, or airport, have been exposed to significant amounts asbestos before regulations were put into place.
Anyone who has served in the U.S. Air Forces in the past 40 years and has since developed asbestos-related cancer may be able to attribute their condition to asbestos exposure. Therefore, whether you served our country at sea, in the air, or on land, we can help you get access to compensation through VA claims and trust funds claims as well.