How the “Michael Lecik Military Firefighters Protection Act” Might be a Game Changer
by Miguel Leyva Sep 19, 2023
Firefighters encounter countless health hazards regularly on the job, such as carbon monoxide, asbestos, benzene, sulfur dioxide, particulates, and hydrogen cyanide. Toxic exposure is highly prevalent among these brave people, so cancer is the leading cause of death among firefighters. They are 9% more likely to develop cancer and have a 14% higher risk of dying from cancer. Military firefighters are no exception, as they are exposed to the same harmful agents occupationally.
While most veterans injured by toxic exposure that occurred during active duty are entitled to VA benefits such as disability compensation, military firefighters are often denied these benefits. This is because the VA does not recognize the connection between military firefighting and cancer as a service-connected disability. Perhaps the most eye-opening example in this regard is the story of Michael Lecik, a former U.S. Air Force firefighter diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2019. After filing a VA claim for his diagnosis, Lecik was denied the benefits he was entitled to, and in 2021, he passed away.
Still, the death of Michael Lecik might not be in vain, as in 2020, the Michael Lecik Military Firefighters Protection Act was introduced by Representative Abigail Spanberger. The primary goal of this bill is to establish presumptions of service connection for diseases associated with firefighting, including lung cancer, multiple myeloma, heart disease, bladder cancer, and skin cancer. However, because the bill did not become law, it was reintroduced in 2021.
Firefighters have a significantly higher risk of developing some cancers than the general population. According to a study, they are twice as likely to come to struggle with mesothelioma, a very aggressive cancer occurring on the outer lining of the lungs. The only cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos, which is currently present in approximately 30 million homes and 20% of public and commercial buildings across the country. Military firefighters are exposed to asbestos even more often, as the mineral was extensively used in the military between the 1920s and the 1980s, and it is still present in many structures.
The Michael Lecik Military Firefighters Protection Act is currently awaiting to become law. If the bill was signed into law, military firefighters would no longer have to struggle financially due to the high cost of cancer treatment, and we might also witness fewer deaths within this vulnerable demographic.
Miguel Leyva is a case manager at Atraxia Law in San Diego, CA. He provides assistance to military firefighters injured by toxic exposure during active duty. Miguel helps veterans with cancer and other diseases gather and organize relevant information about their injuries so they can subsequently file a claim.
https://www.courierjournal.net/news/article_a9270706-5438-11ee-841b-2f8c4dfffb8c.html
