Mesothelioma Navy: Without Comment

Asbestos-Induced Mesothelioma in Veterans

Veterans who served in the army, navy, air force and marines before 1970 are a high-risk group for mesothelioma, a type of cancer caused primarily by exposure to asbestos. It is estimated that at least 30 percent of those suffering with asbestos-induced mesothelioma are American veterans. In the 1970s the government began regulating the use of asbestos, but previous to that, asbestos was widely used in military buildings, equipment, submarines and ships. World War II veterans are at an especially high risk for developing asbestos-induced mesothelioma.

What is Asbestos-Induced Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is a cancer affecting the mesothelium, a fine protective lining that covers the majority of the body’s organs. It is believed that 90 percent of mesothelioma cases are caused by asbestos exposure. The tiny fibers of asbestos bury themselves deep inside the lining, usually around the lungs and chest cavity. If asbestos gets into the mouth and is swallowed, mesothelioma can also develop in the abdomen.

Asebestos was often used in insulation, building materials, and ships, and people who worked in construction, building demolition, shipyards or the military prior to government asbestos regulations are at risk for asbestos-induced mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma takes an exceptionally long time to develop, often not showing up for 30 to 60 years after exposure. Because of this, many people are just finding out today that they are suffering with asbestos-induced mesothelioma, even though the government now regulates the use of asbestos. That is why it is essential that veterans who served prior to 1970 be screened regularly for mesothelioma.

Asbestos-Induced Mesothelioma in Navy Veterans

Navy veterans are at a greater risk than those who were involved in other branches of the military because of the wide-spread use of asbestos in military ships. All areas of navy ships built before the government began regulating the use of asbestos increased exposure including boiler rooms, mess halls, sleeping quarters, navigation rooms, and engine rooms. The families of those who served in the navy were also at increased risk of asbestos-induced mesothelioma because of asbestos fibers carried home on the clothes of navy veterans.

If a veteran believes he or she may be at risk for asbestos-induced mesothelioma, he or she needs to be checked regularly. Also, veterans rights organizations are advocating that the government take steps to help veterans who are suffering from mesothelioma or may be at risk.

Mesothelioma - Navy Veterans

Navy Personnel are at Risk for Developing Mesothelioma

Veterans from all branches of the armed forces including the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines are at risk for developing mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure sustained while on active duty serving their country. Mesothelioma Navy cases, however, are typically those recognized as the most common. Over time, these military veterans and particularly, Navy veterans and shipyard workers, have demonstrated a higher rate of developing mesothelioma than individuals with no military or navy history. These brave men and women, who so honorably served our country from World War II through the Vietnam War, were unknowingly exposed to high levels of airborne asbestos dust throughout their tours of duty. Until the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, products containing asbestos were made and used extensively in military establishments and on Navy warships and submarines. Warships were constructed using many types of asbestos containing products including pipe-fittings, gaskets, cables, cement, joint compound and boiler insulation just to name a few. Military vehicles were equipped with asbestos containing gaskets, clutches and brakes. When constructing buildings on our nation’s army bases floor covering materials, cement mixtures and plumbing systems frequently contained asbestos based products. Exposed insulation and airborne dust from grinding and sanding or ongoing maintenance procedures all created dangerous opportunities for Navy veterans to be exposed to asbestos.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that possesses exceptional heat and fire resistant properties and is relatively inexpensive to produce. Once the dangers of asbestos exposure became incontestable in the early 80’s, however, the Navy and military in general curtailed the use of asbestos containing products. Because Navy warships and military establishments remain ”in service” for many years, however, they continue to harbor asbestos containing parts and materials that present exposure risks even today in any type of asbestos removal project or maintenance and repair effort. As a result, present day military personnel may still be at risk for asbestos exposure although many safety precautions have been put in place to minimize their risk.

Navy Ships and Shipyard Workers

Many Navy veterans who were responsible for building and maintaining warships are reported to be at particularly high risk for developing mesothelioma or other asbestos cancer diseases. This is because many different types of products containing asbestos were used on the ships and the ventilation systems were very poor. Consequently these Navy personnel were frequently exposed to highly concentrated levels of asbestos dust in fire and engine rooms, boiler rooms, navigation rooms, mess halls and sleeping quarters. In fact, because signs of malignant mesothelioma may not show up for 30 to 40 years after being exposed to asbestos, it is only recently that a rise in the number of mesothelioma cases among Navy veterans and shipyard workers is being reported.

Navy veterans who worked below deck on naval warships or submarines are those most likely to develop mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure. They worked (and sometimes lived) in extremely tight quarters with dangerously high levels of asbestos dust lingering in the air. Poor ventilation systems prevented adequate air exchange and resulted in highly concentrated levels of asbestos to remain in the air for Navy personnel to breathe in. Unfortunately, because Navy veterans and shipyard workers carried the asbestos dust and fibers home on their clothes it is not uncommon for loved ones, particularly those responsible for handling the laundry, to also find that they have been diagnosed with mesothelioma.

Where Was Asbestos Found Aboard Navy Ships?

Asbestos could be found in nearly any area of a naval ship, as it served myriad uses within these vessels. However, most often, asbestos was used in an insulation capacity. Some of the areas asbestos was found include boiler/steam valves, piping, and related fixtures. Those who worked closest to asbestos within vessels were often those who conducted repairs of this type of fixtures. Oftentimes, the repairs of these materials necessitated disturbing older products by chipping and grinding- which would release asbestos fibers into the surrounding air. Because of this, it is not unusual for those who have worked extensively aboard naval ships or in naval shipyards to develop asbestos-related health complications like pleural mesothelioma, asbestosis, and other respiratory conditions as a result of exposure to asbestos.

Those who have knowingly worked with asbestos product, and particularly those who worked with products in the capacity discussed above, should be aware of the warning signs of mesothelioma disease and other asbestos related health complications. Mesothelioma symptoms closely mimic those associated with other respiratory conditions (including the common cold or chronic cough) but those who have worked with asbestos should share their asbestos exposure history and mesothelioma risk factors with their doctor or oncologist to ensure that they identify possible asbestos-related health complications.

Mesothelioma Navy Legal Rights

If you are a Navy veteran or if you served in another branch of the armed forces or at a Naval shipyard and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer you may be eligible to receive compensation for your injuries.

Veterans and Mesothelioma

Veterans and Mesothelioma

Among the mesothelioma affected persons, a large number of veterans are reported in America with an increased disease rate. It is because of the excessive use of asbestos by the military services of United States. The common disease seen among the veterans who are exposed to asbestos are subjects of Mesothelioma navy. The extensive uses of asbestos by the military services are the victims of this hazardous illness.

The inhalation under asbestos exposure is the lone cause of the disease mesothelioma. A large number of veterans worked in shipyards and ships from 1930s to 1970s got affected by pleural mesothelioma due to the heavy asbestos exposure. The question, How mesothelioma affects veteran is now more obvious to both army and navy personnel. But the fact is that in most cases the disease had discovered in the later stages. The danger of asbestos exposure in Iraq is a harmful threat for the troops of U.S.

Many challenges have been faced by the retired veteran employees of America. Healing resources for veterans affected by mesothelioma cases are now available in plenty. Biofeedback is one among them which includes measuring the muscle tension, temperature and brain working to verify the stress and other discomfort level of the veterans. Equine therapy is another level of medication to resolve the problems of mesothelioma patients. Addiction treatment is also available for veterans to free from the sufferings of intoxicants following an employment. Treatments like massage, yoga, acupuncture and meditation are the therapies alternative to retain normalcy and calm in the retired life.

Virtual therapy is completely an intensive treatment based on computer and interactions to free veterans from severe miseries and anxiety troubles. This treatment is offered at numerous veteran treatment centers. Warrior mind training is an effective treatment brought out by military associates for the comfortable life of veterans. Veteran treatment centers run by department of America offer a wide range of veteran medical support for mesothelioma patients among veterans.

Veteran legal support and Veteran resources grant surplus services including compensations for the patients enduring mesothelioma and other chronic diseases. Veterans Blog are now available to offer detailed information on veterans and mesothelioma. Hepatitis C, like mesothelioma is a serious health problem faced by veterans of many countries and hence it is an ostensible fact that veterans and hepatitis are closely related.

Mesothelioma Navy Veterans

Almost 30% of all mesothelioma diagnoses involve Navy personnel because asbestos was so widely used on military vessels. We have listed an index below for specific military ships that contained asbestos. Please note that we do not sue the government or the military. We are only interested in the companies and corporations that produced the asbestos materials. If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, or are undergoing Mesothelioma Treatment, please contact our Firm’s Veteran’s Department by calling toll free 1-866-777-2557 or use our online contact form.

Aircraft Carriers of the United States Navy with Asbestos

Navy Can Be Blamed for Mesothelioma Death

A California Appeals Court says the U.S. Navy can legally be blamed for failing to protect one of its shipyard workers from the asbestos that eventually took his life.

Ulysses Collins died of mesothelioma, a cancer caused by asbestos, in 2005 at the age of 65. Collins had spent 30 years working as a welder and pipefitter in various California Naval shipyards. Collins and his family brought suit against 17 companies, including Plant Insulation, one of the major manufacturers of the asbestos insulation heavily used by the Navy. A jury found in the Collins’ favor and awarded them $10 million, but the jury questioned why the Navy was not named as one of the entities at fault.

At the time, the Navy was found to be protected from liability in such cases under ‘sovereign immunity’, the concept that ‘the king (or the government) can do no wrong’. But Plant Insulation appealed the trial court’s decision arguing that sovereign immunity means only immunity from liability, not immunity from fault when failure of duty was at stake. The Appeals court agreed and said that the Navy did have a duty to protect Collins and, because they did not do so, they could share in the blame for his mesothelioma.

The decision is significant because Navy veterans are among the most common victims of mesothelioma, a cancer that occurs in the lining around organs, especially the lungs. Asbestos was used in a wide range of materials that went into Navy ships until the 1980’s and hundreds of thousands of veterans and shipyard workers were continually exposed to the toxic mineral. According to evidence presented by Plant Insulation’s attorneys, the Navy did not warn Collins of the dangers of asbestos, train him in the proper techniques for working with it, or provide him with the necessary protective gear.

In their opinion, the appellate court said the jury should have the right to find fault with every party who contributed to the plaintiff’s injury, regardless of whether or not that party has immunity from being sued. The higher the number of defendants found to be at fault, the less any single one of them has to pay out. In the original trial, Plant Insulation was found to be 20% at fault and so was ordered to pay 20 percent of the $10 million damages awarded. The Collins case will now be remanded to the lower court for a new finding on the issue of fault.

Mesothelioma is an incurable and aggressive cancer that can take up to 50 years to develop. About 2,000 Americans receive a diagnosis of mesothelioma every year. Many of them, like Collins, worked in various construction trades.

Sources:

Collins vs. Plant Insulation Company, Court of Appeals opinion. June 15, 2010. Horvitz & Levy, LLP website. Accessed June 20, 2010.
O’Brien, John. “Calif. Appeals court: Blaming Navy for asbestos is OK”, June 4, 2010. Legal News Online. Accessed June 20, 2010.
Adams, Barbara. “Court of Appeal Issues New Tort Decision on Fault Allocation”, June 8, 2010. Cal Biz Lit.

Mesothelioma Navy Ships

Mesothelioma Navy

While mesothelioma is rare among the general population, it is not rare among those who served on ships in the Navy and the U.S. Merchant Marine. The most significant exposure to asbestos occurred in the engine and fire rooms of ships. When ships were in drydock or at port, exposure to asbestos was especially substantial. While docked, even yardbirds (civilian shipyard workers) were exposed to massive doses of asbestos. Because asbestos exposure causes diseases of latency—it takes anywhere from 15–60 years for mesothelioma (and lung cancer) to develop—many servicemen are just now being diagnosed with mesothelioma.

Asbestos was used extensively both on the inside and outside of machinery on the ships. It covered the pipes, the pumps, the valves, the boilers, the turbines, the evaporators and a large percentage of the auxiliary machinery. The pumps, valves, soot blowers, boilers, motors, condensers and compressors had internal parts containing asbestos, including packing, gaskets, cement and block.

Many ratings worked directly with asbestos, including steamfitters, pipefitters, insulators, boilermakers, laborers, machinists, seaman, firemen and electricians. Virtually every other seaman was exposed to asbestos while working in the vicinity of other trades. Because asbestos is invisible and nearly indestructible, the hazards from the installation, maintenance and repair of Navy equipment subjected our servicemen to chronic and acute levels of exposure.

The manufacturers of the equipment that was installed on Navy ships knew or should have known about the dangers of asbestos long before this equipment was ever installed. Yet they failed to warn Navy workers of the hazards. The result of this tragic chapter in American corporate history is that thousands of Navy men have needlessly developed mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. For these heroic Americans, mesothelioma is an especially cruel and horrible diagnosis. To survive the war—only to be felled by asbestos many years later—is a tragedy that has befallen too many of our veterans.

Fortunately, there are some remedies for individuals who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma. Although some of the corporations that manufactured and sold the asbestos-containing equipment are now bankrupt, many remain solvent. The attorneys at Belluck & Fox can help mesothelioma and lung cancer victims file lawsuits against the solvent companies and file administrative claims against many of the bankrupt entities. Regrettably, bringing these claims will not change your diagnosis of mesothelioma. It will, however, bring to you and your family some sense of justice against the corporations that recklessly caused this to happen, and also provide you and your family with compensation for medical bills. We can also provide information on mesothelioma treatment centers.

If you are interested in speaking with an attorney to discuss your situation and to learn more about your options for bringing claims, please contact Belluck & Fox today. We cannot and do not sue the Navy. We do, however, secure your Navy records which can assist in determining your sailing history and asbestos exposures. The attorneys at Belluck & Fox have been representing Navy veterans for as long as seventeen years. We have prosecuted claims for seaman, firemen, laborers, machinist mates, boilermakers, pipecoverers, electricians and others. Our clients have sailed on destroyers, carriers, battleships, repair ships, subs, cruisers and escorts. We understand everything you are going through and will fight for you in every way we can.

Many states limit the time in which a legal claim can be filed. Because of this, it is important to file your claim as quickly as possible.

Navy Veterans and Mesothelioma

Statistics clearly show that former members of the military, most notably U.S. Navy veterans, are among those most affected by asbestos exposure. The rate of asbestos-related diseases among veterans is quite high. Most experts estimate that about 30 percent of all cases of mesothelioma - asbestos-related cancer - are diagnosed in veterans, especially those who served during peak asbestos use, which encompassed the 1940s to the 1970s. More than half of those 30 percent who have developed mesothelioma are Navy veterans.

During World War II, especially, it was necessary for ships to be produced quickly, efficiently, and at as low a cost as possible. Asbestos helped achieve all three of those goals. Because there was plenty of heat-producing equipment aboard the ships and because the potential for fires was high, especially during battle, asbestos was the perfect solution for those things that needed insulating. That means asbestos could be found in boiler and engine rooms, wrapped around pipes, lining brakes and gaskets, and even in the walls, floors, and ceilings of rooms were the sailors regularly gathered, like the galley and the sleeping quarters. Asbestos was literally everywhere.

Veterans and civilian employees may have encountered asbestos while doing a number of jobs aboard the ships, including welding, pipefitting, plumbing, electrical work, insulating, and much more. Furthermore, those who were involved with the repair of ships when they returned from battle were constantly exposed to damaged asbestos, which releases tiny asbestos particles that can be inhaled and later cause scarring and even cancerous tumors. Almost no one who worked at U.S. shipyards was exempt from asbestos exposure.

Mesothelioma is a disease that remains latent in the body for up to 50 years, surfacing only when it's too late to treat successfully. Though many advances in meso treatment have been made in the last several years, including new surgical techniques, better chemotherapy drugs and targeted radiation, this form of cancer still remains one of the most difficult to treat, bringing with it a prognosis that is less than favorable.

Mesothelioma in the Navy

Although there are many examples of asbestos exposure in military settings stretching from World War II until about 1970, the Navy is the most prone to contact with the material. Navy shipyards within the United States proved to be the best of the best. The impeccable architecture left shipyards and vessels nearly indestructible. This was, in large part, due to the use of asbestos. Its heat and chemical resistance along with its unbelievable strength left individuals convinced that asbestos was a miracle material. What the government and citizens of this country did not know, however, were the dangerous health effects that could come from even limited exposure.

Besides its extensive use on steamships and shipyards, asbestos was used in boiler rooms and engine rooms. The tight spaces and the lack of proper ventilation left workers and machinists in the midst of a contaminated area. Below-deck compartments were a breeding ground for loose airborne asbestos fibers. This, in turn, allowed those within the compartments to breathe in the toxic fibers which lodged in their lungs for many years to follow. There was also the risk of contamination to others on base, as well as the family members of the workers. Secondary asbestos exposure was due to loose fibers caught on the clothing and gear of workers which was then inhaled by family members. This type of exposure is just as dangerous and can cause the same negative effects. What is even more frightening is that these Naval personnel could have been warned by their employers and those who sold material containing asbestos. By 1950, many industries knew of the dangerous effects of asbestos, and chose not to inform or protect their workers. As a result, thousands of Navy veterans are at risk for developing mesothelioma. Some already have. Some are unaware that they were even at risk in the first place. The best approach is to receive a complete examination and be honest about the working conditions the patient was under during military service.

The same type of treatments and medications are used on military personnel and civilians in the American workforce. Chemotherapy and radiation can be effective in alleviating symptoms for the patient but not curing or eliminating the disease. Veterans, however, find it difficult to get the same type of benefits as workers who have been contaminated through work areas such as construction sites. Navy veterans often have trouble getting the same type of benefits regarding their mesothelioma treatment. More legal help is required to get a fair portion of compensation for medical bills and emotional stress. There are a number of attorneys and firms that specialize in mesothelioma and other lung related illness cases due to negligence of companies. Navy and other military areas consider themselves at no fault for not providing adequate information to their volunteers and workers. This, in turn, forces veterans to take legal action to receive the proper benefits that they deserve to lead a normal life.