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Lung Cancer

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rway

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rway Contributor

rway

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My husband has been diagnosed with Stage IV Lung Cancer since Nov 06. He only smoked 3 years while he was in the Navy. He spent those 3 years on the USS Lester from Jul 1959- Jul 1962. The rest of his working career was with the Depart. of Defense working for the Air Force, now retired (1995). He is enrolled with the VA, but has never filed for any service connections. Is there a chance that we could win a claim for service-connection for his cancer?

Thanks rway

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Pete53 Grand Master

Pete53

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I don't know but your husband is in my prayers.

Veterans deserve real choice for their health care.

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Big Papa Rookie

Big Papa

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My husband has been diagnosed with Stage IV Lung Cancer since Nov 06. He only smoked 3 years while he was in the Navy. He spent those 3 years on the USS Lester from Jul 1959- Jul 1962. The rest of his working career was with the Depart. of Defense working for the Air Force, now retired (1995). He is enrolled with the VA, but has never filed for any service connections. Is there a chance that we could win a claim for service-connection for his cancer?

Thanks rway

Did your husband serve in Vietnam or in the waters offshore between January 6, 1962 and July 1962?

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free_spirit_etc Grand Master

free_spirit_etc

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Or is there a possibility he had been exposed to asbstos during his time in the Navy? And that he has a type of cancer that would be related to asbestos expsoure?

Also - would there be any benefits available through the department of defense?

Free

Free

Did your husband serve in Vietnam or in the waters offshore between January 6, 1962 and July 1962?
Think Outside the Box!
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rway Contributor

rway

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Thanks Pete. My husband was only on the ship during that time. I looked up the ship and it was listed as having asbestos. But, then again, every ship during those years were made with asbestos insulation. I was told by my va doc that the navy had certain time frames that admitted to the asbestos and are paying disability. I have been unable to find it via the internet. I just thought maybe someone has heard something this.

rway

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free_spirit_etc Grand Master

free_spirit_etc

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Rway,

It sounds like you might have some backing from the VA doc on a cancer claim. If the doctor can give you a statement that the type of cancer your husband has is a type that can result from asbestos exposure - and that IF your husband WAS exposed to asbestos for 3 years on the ship - that is is more likely than not that the asbestos exposure played some role (or cannot be disassociated from) the eventual development of cancer - then you will need to be able to show that it is more likely than not that your husband was exposed to asbestos while in the service.

The claim won't be as easy as claims that are more direct - but can be well worth it - as cancer is rated 100% -

I'm not sure of all the Navy PIES that Berta has a list of - but it will strenghten the claim if your husband had a job classification in the Navy that would be assumed to have exposed him to asbestos.

Also - it will also help your claim that - for all intents and pusrposes -your husband was a nonsmoker - as they won't be able to blame the cancer on that.

What would work against his claim would be if your husband had a job AFTER service that exposed him to asbesots.

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your husband and the battle against his cancer.

I'm rooting for you 100%

Free

Thanks Pete. My husband was only on the ship during that time. I looked up the ship and it was listed as having asbestos. But, then again, every ship during those years were made with asbestos insulation. I was told by my va doc that the navy had certain time frames that admitted to the asbestos and are paying disability. I have been unable to find it via the internet. I just thought maybe someone has heard something this.

rway

Think Outside the Box!
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Berta

Berta

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Free is correct and she made very good points there.

The NAVY PIES list is at

http://www.hadit.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1269

and these is considerable more info here on asbestos claims.

GRADUATE ! Nov 2nd 2007 American Military University !

When thousands of Americans faced annihilation in the 1800s Chief

Osceola's response to his people, the Seminoles, was

simply "They(the US Army)have guns, but so do we."

Sameo to us -They (VA) have 38 CFR ,38 USC, and M21-1- but so do we.

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