Navy Veterans and Asbestos Exposure
It has been reported that more than 30 percent of Americans now dealing with mesothelioma were first exposed to asbestos while serving in the military. While veterans from all branches of the military have battled this disease, Navy veterans account for an unusually high number of mesothelioma victims.
This is because, until as recently as the mid-1970s, nearly every ship and shipyard built by the United States Navy was constructed with asbestos materials.
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Common Navy Products Containing Asbestos
Mandated into use by all branches of the military, asbestos was especially popular with the Navy for its heat-resistance capabilities, since seagoing vessels and submarines contained engines and boiler rooms and other below-deck areas that generated great amounts of heat.
While asbestos was used in great quantities in these dangerous below-deck areas, it was also used in everything from mess halls to sleeping quarters. More than 300 products that contained asbestos were used by the Navy between 1940 and the 1970s, including:
- Adhesives
- Boilers
- Cables
- Deck coverings
- Grinders
- Pipe coverings
- Tubes
- Valves
Our clients have served on all classes of naval ships, including the following:
Mesothelioma Lawyers for Navy Veterans
Whether they operated mainly above deck or below deck, Navy men and women suffered from asbestos exposure every day. While asbestos has not been used heavily in military ships since the mid 1970s, many older ships constructed with asbestos continued to operate for decades.
Given the long latency period – about 10 to 40 years – between asbestos exposure and the development of diseases like pleural mesothelioma, it stands to reason that mesothelioma will yet claim many more of the brave men and women’s lives who have given their service. While statistics show that Navy veterans and shipyard employees who worked between the 1930s and the 1970s have a greater chance of developing asbestos-related diseases, all veterans are at an increased risk for mesothelioma and asbestosis.
At Simmons Hanly Conroy, we have been working with Navy veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma for over a decade. The lawyers at Simmons Hanly Conroy are dedicated to working with Navy veterans who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma. Chairman John Simmons is a U.S. military veteran, and many of the mesothelioma lawyers on staff have also served in the armed forces. We are familiar with the laws specific to military veterans, and we use our experience to fight for their rights every day.
If you are a Navy veteran battling mesothelioma, please Contact Us today for a free case consultation.
Simmons Hanly Conroy Represents Navy Veterans Throughout the Country
Simmons Hanly Conroy has represented hundreds of Naval veterans throughout the country – officers and crew who endured years of unsafe work environments in contaminated shipyards and all classes of Naval ships, including: destroyers, destroyer escorts, LST’s, submarines, battleships, carriers, frigates, tenders, cruisers and assault craft. A number of our clients, for instance, were stationed on board the USS Kitty Hawk, a Pacific fleet carrier that served our county with distinction for nearly fifty years. Sailors on carriers such as the Kitty Hawk,especially during the 1940s-1970s, were at substantial risk to asbestos exposure.
Mesothelioma Settlements for Navy Veterans
$3 MILLION
California
Navy Veteran & Telephone Technician
$4 MILLION
Kansas
Navy Veteran & Boiler Operator
$2.4 MILLION
Pennsylvania
Navy Veteran & Millwright
- $2.4 million granted to a U.S. Navy Boiler Tender who suffered with pleural mesothelioma
- $1.5 million in mesothelioma settlements awarded in Florida to a U.S. Navy Veteran who served aboard the USS Rehoboth and USS Curtiss
- $3.2 million in mesothelioma settlements to a 62-year-old U.S. Navy Veteran and Plummer from Wisconsin
- $3.4 million in settlements to an Illinois Navy Veteran who served on the USS General Hershey and passed away from mesothelioma
- $1.88 million granted in 2011 to an 88-year-old U.S. Navy Veteran and Laborer from Texas diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma
- $1 million in mesothelioma settlements awarded to the heirs of a U.S. Navy Veteran and Electrician from Texas
- $1.1 million granted to the family of a New Jersey Navy Veteran who was affected by mesothelioma
- Nearly $2.5 million in mesothelioma settlements to a 60-year-old Navy Veteran from New York
- $1.8 million in settlements for a pleural mesothelioma patient who served as a U.S. Navy Veteran and Welder
- $1.75 million secured for a New Jersey Navy Veteran and Splicer diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma
- $1.28 million secured to a North Carolina Navy Veteran and Electrician who endured pleural mesothelioma
- $2.4 million awarded in to a U.S. Navy Veteran/Electrician from Florida who was affected by pleural mesothelioma
- $1.4 million in mesothelioma settlements awarded to a U.S. Navy Veteran from California
- $1.8 million in mesothelioma settlements granted to a U.S. Navy Veteran and Farm Machinery Worker from Washington
- More than $1 million in mesothelioma settlements for a New Jersey Navy Veteran
- $1.7 million to an 82-year-old pleural mesothelioma sufferer who was a Navy Veteran and Chemical Manufacturer in New York
- $2.35 million secured for a U.S. Navy Veteran and Truck Driver from Texas who was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in 2007
- $1 million in mesothelioma settlements to a U.S. Navy Veteran from New Jersey
- $1.29 million secured for a Florida man who worked as a Mechanic in the Navy and suffered with mesothelioma
- More than $1 million in mesothelioma settlements to a Pennsylvania Navy Veteran and Mechanic
Meet a few of our clients who served in the U.S. Navy.
Frank
Frank spent many years working as a member of the U.S. Navy. Due to asbestos exposure during his time served, Frank developed mesothelioma. Before Frank passed away, he worked with the lawyers at Simmons Hanly Conroy to file a mesothelioma
lawsuit.
Jim
From 1973 to 1993, Jim worked as a Navy boiler technician on the U.S.S. Independence, U.S.S. Truckee and U.S.S. Vulcan. Spending time near the ships’ boilers, valves, pumps, and gaskets exposed Jim to asbestos. Years after his service,
Jim was diagnosed with mesothelioma. As medical bills started to pile up, creating a financial burden, Jim and his wife decided to file a mesothelioma lawsuit. Simmons Hanly Conroy attorney Randy Cohn and his legal team created
a tailored plan to guide Jim and his family through the mesothelioma lawsuit process.
Written by:Simmons Hanly ConroyThe Simmons Hanly Conroy Editorial Team consists of journalists, writers and editors who strive to deliver accurate and useful information to families needing legal help. Our team works alongside the firm's attorneys and shareholders, as well as with medical professionals and other specialists, to keep all information relevant and helpful.