Navy Veterans Speak Out About Asbestos Legislation

With over 20 million living US veterans, and given the long latency period between asbestos exposure and the development of diseases like Mesothelioma, it stands to reason that asbestos diseases will claim lives of the brave men & women who gave service to our country.

This week, the Star Tribune reported that Veterans in Wisconsin urged Gov. Scott Walker to oopose a bill affecting asbestos-exposure lawsuits and denying justice to victims. The proposal would require plaintiffs who suffer from asbestos exposure to reveal how many businesses their attorneys plan to sue. They would also have to file claims to asbestos Trusts before they sue in court.

If you think that the bill is protecting the rights of victims, it is not. It is about protecting corporations," said a tearful Renee Simpson, state commander of the Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars. She displayed a photograph of her dad, a U.S. Army veteran who died in 2019, nine months after being diagnosed with Mesothelioma.

Opponents of the bill, including Wisconsin Senate Democrats say the bill is designed to slow lawsuits down in the hopes plaintiffs will die and thereby protect corporations from making payouts.

At George & Farinas, we have worked with Navy veterans with Mesothelioma and other asbestos diseases for years. We are familiar with laws specific to military veterans and work closely with clients who are need of assistance with their Veteran's benefits