Asbestos exposure has seriously impacted veterans across the country, including those from Louisiana. Nationally, these veterans account for 30% of the 3,000 Americans diagnosed with mesothelioma – a rare, aggressive form of cancer that primarily affects the lining of the lungs or abdomen.
In Caddo parish alone, the state recorded well over 5,000 asbestos-related deaths during an 18-year period from 1999 to 2017. Out of Louisiana’s 64 parishes, Caddo Parish Ranked seventh for having the highest death toll. Caddo accounted for a total of 164 deaths, an average of eight per year.
Military veterans are among those most affected explained attorney Jordan Cade. He says, “That’s because there are two major Air Force bases in Louisiana, the Barksdale Air Force Base and the Lake Charles Air Force Station. But both of them have a lot of, because of their age, because of, you know, what are called ACMs, or asbestos-containing materials, that the military has used for so long, there were a lot of folks that were exposed to asbestos.”
Cade says asbestos-related illnesses can lay dormant for decades before the cancer presents itself. Often, this can leave veterans in the dark about what’s happening to them and what options they have. Cade says Louisiana is home to almost a quarter of a million Veterans, of which 14,500 live in Caddo Parish.
Cade works for Environmental Litigation Group, one of the many law firms that offer legal advice and services to affected veterans. Cade emphasizes, “It’s very important to work with an experienced environmental attorney, an experienced environmental group that can help you navigate this process because at the end of the day it is not extremely difficult. But it certainly requires legal counsel to discuss your options and what the next best step is for you and your family.”
Cade says many veterans turn to the national Mesothelioma Claims Center. It was created to help victims and their families recover compensation to assist with medical expenses. 30-billion dollars has been set aside by asbestos manufacturers for the Asbestos Trust Funds. For more information you can call 1-800-712-7000.
