Asbestos on U.S. Navy Ships

Why Was Asbestos Used in Navy Ships?

For decades, the U.S. Navy relied on asbestos-containing products to build naval vessels due to the mineral’s fireproofing ability and other prized qualities.

Asbestos was also:

• A good insulator
• Durable
• Inexpensive
• Resistant to the corrosive effects of salt water

The dangers of asbestos became public knowledge in the 1970s, and steps were taken to phase out its use. However, by this time, millions of Navy personnel had been exposed.

While Navy service members didn’t know about the dangers of asbestos, many manufacturers did. Instead of revealing the health hazards to protect the public, they hid the truth to increase their profits.

Get a free case review now to see if a top lawyer may be able to help you seek compensation for asbestos on Navy ships.

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List of U.S. Navy Ships With Asbestos

Asbestos products could be found on virtually every type of Navy ship — from battleships to submarines — throughout much of the twentieth century.

Asbestos products weren’t confined to one area of naval ships. They could be found from stem to stern, posing a danger to anyone onboard.

Use our asbestos Navy ships list search tool to see if a vessel you served on contained asbestos.

Health Risks: Mesothelioma & Navy Ships

Asbestos is made up of tiny fibers that can get stuck inside the body if they’re breathed in or swallowed. These fibers can irritate healthy tissue and cause cancerous tumors to grow many years later.

When asbestos products on ships were installed, maintained, or removed, these fibers may have become airborne, putting everyone onboard in harm’s way.

Illnesses caused by asbestos on Navy ships include:

• Mesothelioma
• Lung cancer
• Asbestosis
• Other health conditions

Mesothelioma symptoms can take 10-50 years to appear, so some veterans who served on U.S. Navy vessels decades ago are just now starting to show signs of this rare cancer.

Navy veterans with mesothelioma often face expensive medical bills and may not be able to work. However, they may be eligible for compensation to help cover their medical costs, basic living expenses, and more.

Play Video Walter Twidwell was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma decades after serving in the Navy. By working with our partner law firm Simmons Hanly Conroy, he was able to receive financial compensation to cover his medical bills. Duration: 3 min 09 sec

Compensation Options for Navy Veterans With Mesothelioma

Veterans with mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases from Navy ships may be entitled to benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and money from legal claims.

Sources of compensation for mesothelioma from Navy ships include:

• VA benefits: Veterans with mesothelioma typically qualify for almost $4,000 per month in tax-free disability compensation and other benefits like free or low-cost health care.
• Asbestos trust funds: Mesothelioma trusts contain an estimated $30 billion, and Navy veterans can access their share of this money from the comfort of their own homes.
• Mesothelioma personal injury lawsuits: These lawsuits award over $1 million on average and are filed against the companies that made and sold the asbestos products responsible for a Navy veteran’s illness.
• Mesothelioma wrongful death lawsuits: If a veteran has passed away, their family may be able to take legal action and seek compensation for their medical bills, funeral expenses, and more.

Veterans sickened by asbestos on Navy ships are often eligible for compensation from multiple sources, maximizing the amount of money they may receive.

Get a free case review now to see if a top lawyer may be able to file mesothelioma claims on your behalf.

Settlements & Verdicts for Navy Veterans With Mesothelioma

Asbestos lawsuit settlements award over $1 million on average for illnesses like mesothelioma and between $5 million and $11.4 million for those that end in a verdict.

LawFirm.com has a network of experienced mesothelioma lawyers who have recovered over $10.1 billion for military families and others affected by asbestos-related diseases.

Mesothelioma settlements and verdicts secured by our legal partners include:

• $40.1 million for a U.S. Navy veteran and boilerman who served on the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt, USS Gurke, and USS Zellars
• $3.4 million to the family of a U.S. Navy veteran in Illinois who served on the USS General Hershey
• $2.6 million for a U.S. Navy veteran in Ohio who served on the USS Blue Ridge, USS Perkins, and USS Turner
• $2.2 million to a U.S. Navy veteran from Tennessee who served on the USS Enterprise and the USS Irwin
• $2 million for a U.S. Navy veteran in Louisiana who served aboard the USS Bradford
• $1.7 million to a U.S. Navy veteran from Georgia who served on the USS Iowa
• $1.5 million for a U.S. Navy veteran in Florida who served on the USS Rehoboth and USS Curtiss
• $3.5 million to a U.S. Navy veteran from Wisconsin who served on the USS Orion

The asbestos attorneys we work with can handle all aspects of a lawsuit for asbestos on Navy ships, so you can focus on your health while they fight for compensation on your behalf.

Mesothelioma lawsuits are never filed against the U.S. Navy or government and don’t affect a veteran’s ability to get VA benefits.

Exposure to Asbestos on Ships

Navy veterans who served on vessels with keels laid before 1983 may have been exposed to asbestos, according to the VA. A keel is the backbone of a ship that runs lengthwise along the bottom.

Find out about the types of ships that contained asbestos and the dangerous products Navy personnel likely handled as they did their jobs.

Aircraft Carriers

Aircraft carriers served as full-length flight decks and airbases and often housed around 5,000 sailors and crew members. Asbestos on aircraft carriers placed all onboard in danger, as the toxic material could be found throughout these vessels.

Auxiliary Ships

Auxiliary ships in the Navy are not main combat ships, but they act as support ships that are important for self-defense. Asbestos was used in many areas of auxiliary ships, including in wardrooms, boiler rooms, and mess halls.

Battleships

A battleship is a type of large warship that’s heavily armed. Asbestos on battleships could be found in insulation and fireproofing, as these ships were frequently attacked and designed to resist fire and heat.

Cruisers

Cruisers, another type of warship designed to be smaller and faster than battleships, contained tons of asbestos products — including panels, tiling, and fire shields – meant to keep those onboard safe during an attack.

Destroyers

Destroyers are heavily armed naval warships that have multiple offensive and defensive capabilities. They were popular during World War I and World War II. Asbestos on destroyers could be found in deck matting and insulation.

Frigates

Frigates, known for their speed and maneuverability, are often used in scouting and escort missions. The highest concentrations of asbestos on frigates could generally be found in the fire rooms below deck.

Minesweepers

Minesweepers are small warships that clear naval mines so other warships can pass through the area safely. Asbestos was used heavily in minesweepers as thermal insulation, due to their need to withstand heat and fire.

Submarines

Submarines are marine vessels capable of operating underwater or at the water’s surface. These vessels primarily operate underwater, so asbestos on submarines posed a real danger to crew members due to poor ventilation and close quarters.

This isn’t a complete list — many other types of Navy ships had asbestos that posed a danger to those who served on them.

While asbestos on Navy ships wasn’t limited to one part of a vessel, some areas contained more asbestos and were especially hazardous. High-risk areas included the boiler room, engine room, and pump room.

LawFirm.com can help veterans with mesothelioma from asbestos on Navy ships file for VA benefits and pursue other forms of compensation.

See if you may qualify for mesothelioma Navy compensation by getting a free case review now.

Get the Compensation You Deserve

Take the first step toward compensation and justice for mesothelioma.

Get a Free Case Review

Asbestos Products on Navy Ships

Asbestos-containing products were used to build U.S. Navy ships for most of the 20th century. These products placed sailors and other Navy service members in danger.

Many companies that made and sold these products knew of the health risks but chose not to warn the public to protect their profits.

U.S. Navy ship parts made with asbestos include:

• Adhesives
• Boilers, boiler linings, and heat shields
• Cables
• Caulk
• Ceiling and floor tiles
• Deck coverings
• Electrical coating
• Engines
• Gaskets and valves
• Grinders
• Insulation
• Lagging and rope
• Linings of steel wall plates and doors
• Meters
• Packing
• Paint
• Paneling
• Pipes, pipe insulation, and pipe coverings
• Pumps
• Thermal insulation
• Tubing
• Turbines

All in all, asbestos could be found in over 300 components used on Navy ships. The asbestos lawyers we work with have key resources to help figure out the products that made you sick and the companies that made them.

Call (866) 447-8466 right now to get help for mesothelioma from Navy ships.

“I was surprised at the stuff that my lawyer knew. He just knew the names of all the pumps and the valves going far back for a way. They were prepared. They could go back to day 1.”

– Walter Twidwell, a U.S. Navy veteran who worked with our partner firm

High-Risk Jobs for Asbestos Exposure on Navy Ships

While all Navy jobs placed service members at risk of asbestos exposure, those who worked in high-risk areas of Navy ships or handled asbestos products daily were more likely to breathe in or swallow the cancer-causing fibers.

Even normal vibrations from a ship at sea could disturb these microscopic particles and cause them to become airborne. The contained nature of the vessels meant that the fibers had nowhere to go.

High-risk jobs for asbestos exposure on Navy ships included:

• Boiler technicians
• Electricians
• Engine room technicians
• Fire control technicians
• Gunner’s mates
• Instrument technicians
• Insulators
• Machinist’s mates
• Mechanics
• Pipefitters and plumbers
• Shipbuilders and shipyard workers
• Steamfitters
• Water tenders
• Welders

Like those in other branches of the military, Navy veterans were unaware of the dangers of the mineral and had limited protective gear that could have helped keep them safe.

U.S. Navy personnel sometimes experienced asbestos exposure during naval vessel overhauls. This work, which was typically performed in Navy shipyards, would have stirred up a substantial amount of asbestos dust, putting workers at risk.

Mesothelioma & Navy Shipyards

Many naval shipyards used asbestos products to build, repair, and maintain vessels. Workers may have come in contact with the mineral as they cut or drilled asbestos-containing materials or worked in the dusty environment.

Navy shipyards that used asbestos included:

• Avondale Shipyards in Louisiana
• Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York
• Charleston Naval Shipyard in South Carolina
• Hunters Point Naval Shipyard in California
• Mare Island Naval Shipyard in California
• Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia
• San Diego Naval Shipyard in California
• Todd Shipyard in Portland, Maine

This is only a partial list — asbestos use was widespread throughout U.S. Navy shipyards before the 1980s, putting service members and other workers at risk of mesothelioma later in life.

Get Help for Exposure to Asbestos on Navy Ships

Navy veterans who sacrificed so much for our country shouldn’t have been placed in harm’s way by greedy asbestos companies.

LawFirm.com has partnered with top mesothelioma law firms that can help veterans sickened by asbestos on Navy ships file for VA benefits and pursue other forms of compensation.

The asbestos lawyers in our network never charge any upfront costs or hourly fees and can help Navy families in all 50 states.

Call (866) 447-8466 right now or get a free case review to see if they may be able to help you, too.