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Asbestosis Hearing on December 18th, 2008 !!

PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2008 9:45 pm
by Mike Thom
Hi I'm Mike Thom, I live in Scandia MN. I was on the USS Black 1964-1967. My rating was GMG2.I spent 1967-1968
in Vietnam on a riverboat.
I'm trying to find out how many of us have gotten any lung disease from the USS BLACK and how the VA has been handling it.
As many of you know the steam and water pipes running over our heads(and I had a top bunk) were full of alot of brittle asbestos.When we were firing off rounds there would be alot of dust. I also spent time cleaning out the bilges where there was alot of wet asbestos. In 1972 I became a Pipefitter.In 1983 my left lung showed plueral thickening from asbestos. At this time the doctor told us it takes about 20 years for that to appear so we knew it was Navy related. X-rays over the next few years didn't change much so we ignored it. In May of 1998 I had a series of strokes which left me disabled. I do have a pretty good quality of life with my wife as my full time care giver. My lungs at this time are bilaterally scarred and we have been trying to seek disability benefits since October of 2007. We were denied because of my occupation as a pipefitter. Most of the job sites I worked on up until the first asbestos xray results were new construction. The plueral thickening according to the doctor in 1983 would take that 20 years to appear.
We decided to go to a lung specialist outside of the VA for more thorough xrays and a expert opinion. The lung specialist wrote a letter to the VA that states that he believes that my exposure in the Navy is a contributing factor to my asbestosis. Armed with xray reports and the doctors opinion I felt sure there would be some type of disability benefit. We were denied again. Now I have a hearing on December 18, 2008 with a VFW rep as my agent whom I haven't met yet.I feel so strongly that they are responsible so I'm trying one more time without a lawyer. I don't understand why they don't agree.
Basically I am computer illiterate. I hope I can find this site again.I was told to find Chris Welsh for some guidance.I would welcome any input.

651-433-4808

Re: Asbestosis Hearing on December 18th, 2008 !!

PostPosted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 6:17 pm
by chris
Sorry to hear about your lungs mike. There have been 2 direct death from asbestoes exposure while on the USS Black Tony Cadlo and Richard Warbus both passed because of it. You might get a hold of nancy west she has a lot of info on this. Mike and yes I do remember you.