Mesothelioma and U.S. Navy Veterans

Asbestos Exposure in the U.S. Navy

Veterans who served in the U.S. Navy were often exposed to asbestos at higher rates than those who served in other military branches.

The Navy relied on asbestos to build ships because the material was fireproof and resistant to salt corrosion. Many asbestos product manufacturers hid the dangers related to their products.

As a result, Navy veterans are at a greater risk of mesothelioma, a type of cancer caused by asbestos exposure.

Mesothelioma Hope is committed to helping veterans with mesothelioma file for benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to get monthly payments and free or low-cost health care.

We can also help mesothelioma Navy veterans pursue financial compensation through private legal claims.

Download our Free Veterans Compensation Guide now to see all the ways that we can help former service members facing a mesothelioma diagnosis.

U.S. Navy Ships and Asbestos Exposure Risk

Every U.S. Navy ship built between the 1930s and the early 1980s was constructed with asbestos-containing products because of their durability. As a result, asbestos could be found throughout U.S. Navy ships.

Naval vessels were cramped and had poor ventilation. When asbestos-based products were repaired or disturbed, the fibers could linger in the air and be inhaled or swallowed by sailors or deckhands.

The ingestion of asbestos fibers can cause mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, and other asbestos-related diseases. Symptoms of these diseases may take 10-50 years to develop.

The image below shows the areas where asbestos often lurked on naval vessels.

More specifically, asbestos was often found in:

• Boiler rooms
• Bulkheads
• Deck flooring
• Engine rooms
• Fireproofing materials
• Gaskets
• Insulation
• Pipe lagging
• Pumps
• Seals
• Valves

See if a ship that you served on contained asbestos using our free search tool.

Asbestos Exposure in Navy Shipyards

Navy shipyard workers were especially at risk of developing mesothelioma since they handled and worked around asbestos materials regularly. According to a report by The New York Times, asbestos dust was so thick in World War II shipyards that workers “often could not see across a room.”

The map below shows where naval shipyards were located throughout the country.

 

Other Sources of Navy Asbestos Exposure

Ships and shipyards weren’t the only sources of Navy asbestos exposure.

The Navy also used asbestos in:

• Barracks
• Military bases
• Office buildings
• Vehicles
• Other assets

Get our Free Veterans Compensation Guide to see what benefits are available to military families affected by asbestos-related illnesses.

Navy Jobs With High Risk of Asbestos Exposure

Since the U.S. Navy was one of the largest consumers of asbestos-containing products, many service members could not avoid asbestos exposure while serving our country.

Every Navy service member exposed to asbestos while on duty was put at risk of developing asbestos-related diseases later in life. However, some Navy occupations were more likely to come into contact with asbestos than others.

High-risk U.S. Navy jobs include:

• Boiler technicians
• Electricians
• Engine operators
• Firefighters
• Gunners
• Hull maintenance workers
• Insulators
• Machinist mates
• Mechanics
• Pipefitters
• Plumbers
• Seabees
• Shipbuilders
• Steelworkers
• Weapons specialists
• Welders

Many of these jobs required Navy veterans to work with asbestos-containing products daily. As workers handled or manipulated these products, tiny asbestos fibers could be released into the air.

Navy personnel were at risk of inhaling or swallowing these microscopic fibers and developing diseases like mesothelioma decades later.

Support for Navy Veterans Exposed to Asbestos: Jim’s Path to Recovery

Jim Gahan served in the Navy as a boiler technician for 20 years on ships like the USS Independence, USS Truckee, and USS Vulcan. Working near the vessels’ boilers, valves, and other asbestos-containing parts exposed Jim to asbestos fibers and caused him to develop mesothelioma.

Thankfully, Jim was able to secure compensation that helped him afford treatment and extend his life expectancy, allowing him to spend more time with his family.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, we can connect you with a specialist for treatment. Use our Free Doctor Match to find medical help near you.

Secondary Asbestos Exposure

The health risks associated with asbestos exposure were not limited to members of the military. Navy veterans often came home with asbestos fibers stuck to their clothes or hair.

Family members who washed the contaminated clothing or otherwise came in contact with the asbestos fibers were at risk of developing mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases decades later. This is known as secondhand asbestos exposure.

Family members who lived on base may have also been exposed to asbestos in Navy housing, office buildings, construction sites, and other areas.

Benefits for Navy Veterans With Mesothelioma

Today, U.S. Navy veterans who developed mesothelioma cancer after military asbestos exposure may be entitled to health care benefits and disability compensation through the VA.

To qualify for VA benefits, Navy veterans must have been:

1. Exposed to asbestos while they served
2. Honorably discharged from the Navy
3. Diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease

Mesothelioma Navy VA Benefits

U.S. Navy veterans and their families can access different types of VA benefits depending on their needs.

Mesothelioma Navy VA benefits include:

• Disability compensation: Veterans can receive disability benefits for asbestos-related illnesses. As of 2023, the VA awards $3,823.89 monthly to married veterans with mesothelioma who are 100% disabled.
• VA Aid & Attendance (A&A): This is a form of additional compensation for veterans who need help with daily tasks like dressing and bathing.
• VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (VA DIC): Spouses and dependents can receive monthly VA DIC payments if a veteran passes away from mesothelioma.
• VA health care: Navy veterans with mesothelioma may qualify for VA health care benefits. The VA is affiliated with several top mesothelioma specialists who help Navy veterans access life-extending treatments.
• Other VA benefits: Veterans and their spouses can apply for other VA benefits like pensions, reimbursement for funeral and burial expenses, and more.

Legal Claims and Settlement Amounts

Outside of mesothelioma Navy benefits through the VA, there are other ways that veterans can pursue compensation to help pay for medical treatments and take care of their families.

Filing a Mesothelioma Lawsuit

A mesothelioma attorney can file a mesothelioma lawsuit and pursue a Navy asbestos settlement on a veteran’s behalf.

Filing a lawsuit does not affect a veteran’s ability to access VA benefits. Further, mesothelioma lawsuits are filed against asbestos companies — not the military or the U.S. government.

Mesothelioma settlements award between $1 million to 1.4 million on average, while verdicts award between $5 million to $11.4 million on average.

Notable lawsuit payouts for U.S. Navy veterans include:

• $40.1 million to a boiler tender living in Washington
• $3.4 million for a USS St. Louis, USS Dash, and USS Assurance crew member
• $3 million for a telephone technician in California
• $2.4 million for a millwright in Pennsylvania

Walter Twidwell received a payout of $40 million after taking legal action against the asbestos companies that caused him to develop mesothelioma. He served in the Navy for nearly 20 years and was later diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma.

“I didn’t want to sue my government and I damn sure didn’t want to sue the Navy because they’re still feeding me. I wasn’t suing the government, I wasn’t suing the U.S. Navy, I was suing the manufacturer.”
– Walter Twidwell, U.S. Navy Boiler Tender

A mesothelioma lawyer can help veterans file private mesothelioma claims and pursue compensation. Mesothelioma Navy compensation can help pay for life-extending treatments and secure your family’s future.

Filing Asbestos Trust Fund Claims

Bankrupt asbestos companies were court-ordered to set aside money as compensation for current and future victims of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.

Today, there’s more than $30 billion set aside in asbestos trust funds to compensate patients and their families. In many cases, mesothelioma Navy veterans may be able to file claims with multiple trusts, increasing their potential payout.

Although the asbestos claim payout time line varies in each case, many mesothelioma veterans start to get trust fund money in as little as 90 days. Additionally, filing a trust fund claim can be done from the comfort of your own home.

Get your Free Veterans Compensation Guide to see the types of financial aid available to Navy veterans with mesothelioma.

VA Mesothelioma Treatment Options

Mesothelioma Navy veterans may be able to extend their life expectancy with chemotherapy, surgery, and other treatment methods. Veterans can access the many of the latest mesothelioma treatments from top doctors who work within the VA health care system.

Two well-known VA mesothelioma doctors include:

Some VA cancer centers that treat mesothelioma include:

• Albany Stratton VA
• Fayetteville VA Medical Center
• Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center
• VA Boston Healthcare System
• VA Puget Sound Healthcare System (VAPSHCS)
• West Los Angeles VA Medical Center

File for Navy Mesothelioma VA Benefits & Compensation

If you or a loved one is a veteran with mesothelioma, a lawyer accredited by the VA can help you file for benefits and gather the information needed to submit your claim.

Mesothelioma Hope has a dedicated team of VA-accredited claims agents who are standing by to answer your questions and seek the compensation you deserve.

Call us now at (866) 608-8933 to get started or download your Free Veterans Compensation Guide to learn more.