Hello. My name is Larry Dandridge and I am a 75-year-old senior citizen and retired soldier. I am also a Vietnam-era wounded warrior and combat 100% disabled veteran. Like hundreds of thousands of other military men and women, I was exposed to asbestos and other hazardous materials daily, for 24 years, at 16 different duty stations, while serving as an Army aviator and maintenance officer.
I retired from the Army in September of 1991 and continued working around asbestos for another 20 years as a defense contractor and logistician. As time passed after my retirement, I began to develop a number of illnesses and injuries related to my long exposure to asbestos.
Today I have scars on my lungs and chronic bronchitis, stage 3 kidney failure, and a number of heart problems, including Atrial Fibrillation, ischemic heart disease, enlarged heart, and a heart murmur.
As these conditions have worsened over the past 15 years, I became alarmed and read about the connection these conditions and several forms of cancer have with asbestos exposure. I also discovered online that there are over 50 asbestos trusts set up to help veterans like me and our families to obtain compensation for these injuries.
At first, I called a well-known law firm that supposedly specialized in helping veterans like myself and their families to file claims with asbestos trusts. When I asked them to please send me their free booklets on asbestos injuries and illnesses, I did not get an answer. I sent a follow-up email and a representative of that firm called me and asked me if I had a diagnosis for cancer from a doctor and I told him, “No”. He then abruptly told me, “We cannot help you.”
I then explained that, as a past Veterans Service Officer and Adviser to my local VA hospital, I frequently help veterans, military members, and their families with understanding their veterans’ benefits and filing for VA health care. I went on to tell him that if I could get copies of their free information, that I would share it with other veterans. Needless to say, I got no help from that law firm and I never got their so-called free pamphlets.
Then I met Blane Erwin, the CTC Technology Partner. He had read one of the veterans’ benefits articles I wrote for a local newspaper. He thanked me for helping veterans and told me about the ClearTrust Claims mission to become a part of the family of those veterans his company serves. He went on to explain why his new company is different from other law firms that help veterans with claims to asbestos trusts. He told me and I have confirmed the following encouraging things about CTC LLP:
- Firstly, CTC LLP not only helps veterans with cancer, but will also help qualifying veterans with claims against numerous trusts for less serious but still dangerous and debilitating illnesses such as scarring of the lungs, chronic bronchitis, and other breathing problems, and other asbestos-related conditions.
- Secondly, he told me that his company charges nothing for claims that are not awarded by the asbestos trusts, and, more attractive to me, he explained that CTC LLP only charges 10% of the award, plus expenses, for any award made to me by asbestos trusts!” Compared to the 30% or more charged by many other law firms, this was welcome news.
- Thirdly, he described a new, automated, and rapid process that his firm has developed to identify and file claims against asbestos trusts that I am eligible to file claims with.
- Finally, he pledged that CTC LLP is totally committed to becoming a part of my family and leading me through the process for however long it takes to file and get the results of my claims. He also told me that I may be eligible to file claims with up to 10 or more different asbestos trusts, each of which provides separate compensation to eligible claimants.
Since I met Blane, I have gone to their easy to understand website, filled out a simple questionnaire form, talked numerous times with my personally assigned attorney, Geoffrey Bestor (who will guide me through the process from beginning to end), obtained copies of my military personnel and medical records, obtained copies of my civilian and VA medical records, and with Geoff’s help constructed a chronological list of my military duty stations, and prepared a statement supporting my claim to go with each claim CTC is submitting for me.
Since I started this process, I have had personal conversations with Craig Miller, CTC Administrative Partner, Blaine Erwin, CTC Technology Partner, and my personal lawyer and CTC´s Chief Legal Officer, Geoffrey Bestor. Each of these kind, compassionate, empathetic, and highly qualified gentlemen has been so supportive and easy to work with. I have been especially grateful to my personal lawyer, Geoffrey Bestor for his understanding, patience, and expert guidance through this process. I have talked with my highly acclaimed attorney at least once weekly, since beginning this.
My message to other veterans is this. “I hope you have not been overly exposed to asbestos and I pray you do not have injuries and illnesses caused by asbestos exposure. However, if you do have the symptoms of illnesses and injuries that are related to asbestos exposure, I recommend you use Clear Trust Claims. CTC will not let you down and will not deny your request for help based on the fact that your illnesses and injuries are not cancer.”
January 14, 2022
