Spouses of Veterans Exposed at Home

Service members who worked around asbestos could carry fibers home on their clothing, hair, boots and gear. Spouses often shook out and laundered those clothes, releasing dust into the air of the home, sometimes daily. Over years, this routine could add up to significant exposure. Children and other relatives in the household could be affected too. Because the exposure happened decades ago, spouses often do not connect their own diagnosis to their partner's military service until a doctor or claims professional asks detailed questions about the family's history and household routines.

VA disability compensation is for veterans with service-connected conditions, so a spouse's own mesothelioma is not covered by that program, even if the exposure came from the veteran's service. Spouses may still receive certain VA benefits connected to the veteran, such as survivor benefits after the veteran's death or caregiver support while the veteran is living, but those are based on the veteran's service, not on the spouse's illness. For the spouse's own diagnosis, the main options are legal claims and asbestos trust claims against the companies whose products were involved in the veteran's work.

These claims rely on showing two things: that the service member was exposed to specific products, and that the spouse was exposed through household contact with that dust. The service member's military records, job duties and ship or base assignments help establish the first part. Descriptions of the laundry routine, how work clothes were handled, the family's living arrangements and the years involved support the second. Statements from grown children, relatives or neighbors who remember the routine can help. Many asbestos trusts accept secondary exposure claims, though their specific criteria vary.

1. 1

   Write down how you handled your spouse's work clothes and for how many years.

2. 2

   Gather your spouse's military records showing duties, ships or bases.

3. 3

   Ask relatives who remember the household routine for written statements.

4. 4

   Contact an attorney about legal and trust claims for secondhand exposure.