Veterans asbestos exposure
Asbestos is a material that was once used in many buildings and products. If you served in Iraq or other countries in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, you may have had contact with asbestos when old buildings got damaged, releasing toxic chemicals into the air. Or, you may have had contact with asbestos if you worked in certain jobs or settings, like shipyards, construction, or vehicle repair. Find out if you can get disability compensation or benefits for illnesses believed to be caused by asbestos.
Am I eligible for disability benefits from VA?
You may eligible for disability benefits if you have an illness believed to be caused by contact with asbestos and you meet both of the requirements listed below.
Both of these must be true:
- You had contact with asbestos while serving in the military, and
- You didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge
Who’s covered?
Veterans
What kind of disability benefits can I get?
- Health care
- Compensation (payments)
How do I get these benefits?
You’ll need to file a claim for disability compensation and provide the evidence (supporting documents) listed below:
- Medical records that state your illness or disability, and
- Service records that list your job or specialty, and
- A doctor’s statement that there’s a connection between your contact with asbestos during military service and the illness or disability
How do I know if I have an illness caused by my contact with asbestos?
If you worked in certain jobs or with certain products, talk to your doctor about getting tested for illnesses that affect your lungs.
Get tested if you’ve worked in:
- Mining
- Milling
- Shipyards
- Construction
- Carpentry
- Demolition (knocking down old buildings)
Get tested if you’ve made or worked with products like:
- Flooring
- Roofing
- Cement sheet
- Pipes
- Insulation
- Clutch facings and brake linings (called friction products)
Get more information
Do you think you may have had contact with asbestos?
Learn about asbestos-related illnesses