Asbestos Exposure on Navy Ships

Exposure to asbestos on U.S. Navy ships has been a significant concern for veterans and active-duty personnel alike. While asbestos was once hailed as a miracle material, it has since been linked to countless health risks, such as mesothelioma. The confined spaces and extensive use of asbestos in naval vessels until the late 20th century have put countless naval personnel at risk. If you have been exposed to asbestos while in the U.S. Navy, you may be eligible to pursue monetary compensation for the losses you have suffered. 

At The Williams Law Firm, P.C., our mesothelioma attorneys are dedicated to helping U.S. Navy veterans collect the compensation they deserve. We understand how daunting a mesothelioma diagnosis can be and aim to guide you through every step of the complex legal process. Our founding partner, Joe Williams, has never lost a case and is passionate about helping his clients achieve favorable outcomes. When you partner with our firm, you can trust us to fight aggressively for your rights and interests throughout the legal process. 

Damages Your Mesothelioma Attorney May Be Able to Help You Collect Through an Asbestos Exposure Claim

Treatment for mesothelioma and other asbestos-related conditions can be expensive, and many victims and their families may find themselves overwhelmed with physical, emotional, and financial burdens. If you were exposed to asbestos while working in the Navy, you deserve to be compensated for the losses you and your loved ones have endured. A few types of damages we may be able to help you secure include the following:

• Current and expected medical expenses
• Lost wages and earning potential
• New medications 
• Home health care
• Loss of enjoyment in life
• Emotional trauma
• Pain and suffering

We understand that a mesothelioma diagnosis impacts every patient differently. We will work with you to understand how your life has been affected due to your asbestos exposure and fight aggressively for compensation for the full extent of your losses. 

Occupations at Risk for Asbestos Exposure on Navy Ships

Those in some Navy occupations are more at risk for asbestos exposure than others due to handling materials that may have contained the harmful mineral. When asbestos fibers become disturbed, they may release microscopic fibers into the air, where they can be easily inhaled or ingested. A few Navy occupations at higher risk for asbestos exposure include the following:

• Boatswain’s mate
• Damage control man
• Electrician’s mate
• Fire control technician
• Gunner’s mate
• Hull maintenance technician
• Machinery repairman
• Machinist’s mate
• Metalsmith
• Pipefitter
• Water tender
• Welder

This is not an exhaustive list, and there may be other Navy professionals at risk of asbestos exposure and a later mesothelioma diagnosis. A skilled Navy Ship asbestos exposure attorney can investigate every detail of your case to determine how your exposure occurred and who may be held accountable for your injuries and other losses. 

How to Recover Compensation After Being Exposed to Asbestos on a Navy Ship

While you typically cannot file a claim against the Navy for exposing you to asbestos, you may be able to pursue compensation from the company that manufactured the asbestos-containing materials. Depending on the facts of your case, you may have several options for seeking compensation, including the following:

• Bankruptcy trust fund claims: If the company responsible for your asbestos exposure declared bankruptcy, you may be able to pursue compensation for your losses through a trust fund claim. 
• Personal injury claims: When no trust fund is available, you may have grounds to file a personal injury claim to hold the negligent party liable for the full extent of your injuries and other losses. 
• Wrongful death claims: If you lost someone you love to asbestos exposure, you may be able to file a wrongful death claim to compensate you for the costs associated with their untimely passing.
• Veterans benefits: If you were diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related health condition after serving in the Navy, you may be able to receive disability benefits through the Department of Veteran Affairs.

Our skilled attorneys will review every detail of your case to identify which avenue is best for pursuing justice on your behalf. 

United States Navy Ships Affected By Asbestos

Asbestos was present on nearly every U.S. Navy ship from the early 1930s onward. As a result, any Navy veterans who worked on ships during this time are at a high risk of developing mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Asbestos-containing products were used in various parts of Navy ships, including pipes, boilers, and engine rooms.

Despite the high health risks of these products, companies continued to use them in order to keep them fireproof and seaworthy. 

The United States Navy ships where asbestos is present and may have led to your exposure and subsequent diagnoses include the following:

• Auxiliary Ships
  • USS Alacrity (MSO-520) – Minesweeper
  • USS Altair (AKS-32) – General stores issue ship
  • USS Beltrami (AK-162) – Cargo ship
  • USS Chickadee (AM-59) – Minesweeper
  • USS Dixie (AD-14) – Hull ship
  • USS Missouri (BB-63) – Battleship
  • USS Sperry (AS-12) – Destroyer tender
  • USS Trippe (FF-1075) – Frigate ship
  • USS Tortuga (LSD-46) – Amphibious ship

• Battleships
  • USS Arizona (BB-39)
  • USS Indiana (BB-58)
  • USS Iowa (BB-61)
  • USS Maryland (BB-46)
  • USS Massachusetts (BB-59)
  • USS Michigan (SSBN-727)
  • USS Missouri (BB-63)
  • USS North Carolina (BB-55)
  • USS Washington (BB-56)
  • USS Wisconsin (BB-64)

• Cruisers
  • USS Bainbridge (CGN-25)
  • USS Bunker Hill (CG-52)
  • USS Fox (CG-33)
  • USS Houston (CL-81)
  • USS Long Beach (CGN-9)
  • USS Macon (CA-132)
  • USS Pittsburgh (CA-72)
  • USS South Carolina (CGN-37)
  • USS Valley Forge (CG-50)
  • USS Washington (CA-11)

• Destroyers
  • USS Badger (DD-126)
  • USS Benner (DD-807)
  • USS Doyen (DD-280)
  • USS Fox (DD-234)
  • USS Healy (DD-672)
  • USS McFarland (DD-237)
  • USS Pringle (DD-477)
  • USS Swanson (DD-443)
  • USS Talbot (DD-114)
  • USS Uhlmann (DD-687)

• Frigates
  • USS Aylwin (FF-1081)
  • USS Bagley (FF-1069)
  • USS Blakely (FF-1072)
  • USS Connole (FF-1056)
  • USS Gallery (FFG-26)
  • USS Knox (FF-1052)
  • USS Oliver Hazard Perry (FFG-7)
  • USS Reasoner (FF-1063)
  • USS Stark (FFG-31)
  • USS Thach (FFG-43)

• Minesweepers
  • USS Avenge (AM-423)
  • USS Defense (AM-317)
  • USS Energy (AM-43)
  • USS Indicative (AM-250)
  • USS Kingfisher (AM-25)
  • USS Peregrine (AM-373)
  • USS Surfbird (AM-383)
  • USS Triumph (AM-323)
  • USS Velocity (AM-128)
  • USS Waxwing (AM-389)

• Submarines
  • USS Hammerhead (SSN-663)
  • USS James Madison (SSBN-627)
  • USS Kamehameha (SSN-642)
  • USS New York City (SSN-696)
  • USS Rasher (SS-269)
  • USS Salmon (SS-573)
  • USS Snook (SSN-592)
  • USS Spearfish (SS-190)
  • USS Tecumseh (SSBN-628)
  • USS Will Rogers (SSBN-659)

• Other U.S. Navy Ships Affected By Asbestos
  • Ammunition freighters
  • Amphibious assault craft
  • Coast Guard cutters
  • Corvettes
  • Destroyer escorts
  • Escort carriers
  • Explosives freighters
  • Hospital vessels
  • Landing craft
  • Liberty ships
  • Merchant marine ships
  • Oilers and tankers
  • Patrol boats
  • Troop carriers

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma after working on a United States Navy ship that contained asbestos, you have the right to pursue justice by filing a personal injury claim. When you file a personal injury claim for mesothelioma, a trusted lawyer can help you build a strong case by examining the factors of what led to your diagnoses.

Aircraft Carriers Containing Asbestos

As with naval ships, aircraft carriers of the United States navy were found to contain asbestos if they were built between the years of 1940, to the late 1970s. On these carriers, asbestos was used in various ways,  including sprayed-on insulation for hulls and cloth wrapped around pipes and pumps. Asbestos packing was also used in pumps and the harmful mineral was used for fireproofing, in adhesives, sealants, brakes, gaskets, paint, turbines, and valves. While asbestos only becomes dangerous when it is damaged or disturbed, those who worked on naval aircraft carriers may have been repeatedly exposed if the fibers became airborne and they breathed it in. 

A list of naval aircraft carriers that were found to contain asbestos include the following:

• USS Forrestal (CV-59) – Commissioned in 1955, first supercarrier.
• USS Saratoga (CV-60) – Commissioned in 1956.
• USS Ranger (CV-61) – Commissioned in 1957.
• USS Independence (CV-62) – Commissioned in 1959.
• USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) – Commissioned in 1961.
• USS Constellation (CV-64) – Commissioned in 1961.
• USS America (CV-66) – Commissioned in 1965.
• USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) – Commissioned in 1968.
• USS Nimitz (CVN-68) – Commissioned in 1975, first nuclear-powered supercarrier.
• Fleet Carriers
• USS Enterprise (CV-6) – Commissioned in 1938, prominent in WWII.
• USS Yorktown (CV-10) – Commissioned in 1943.
• USS Hornet (CV-12) – Commissioned in 1943.
• USS Franklin (CV-13) – Commissioned in 1944.
• USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) – Commissioned in 1944.
• USS Randolph (CV-15) – Commissioned in 1944.
• USS Lexington (CV-16) – Commissioned in 1943.
• USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) – Commissioned in 1943.
• USS Wasp (CV-18) – Commissioned in 1943.
• USS Hancock (CV-19) – Commissioned in 1944.
• USS Bennington (CV-20) – Commissioned in 1944.
• USS Boxer (CV-21) – Commissioned in 1945.
• USS Antietam (CV-36) – Commissioned in 1945.
• USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CV-42) – Commissioned in 1945.
• Light Carriers
• USS Independence (CVL-22) – Commissioned in 1943.
• USS Princeton (CVL-23) – Commissioned in 1943.
• USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24) – Commissioned in 1943.
• USS Cowpens (CVL-25) – Commissioned in 1943.
• USS Monterey (CVL-26) – Commissioned in 1943.
• USS Langley (CVL-27) – Commissioned in 1943.
• USS Cabot (CVL-28) – Commissioned in 1943.
• USS Bataan (CVL-29) – Commissioned in 1943.
• USS San Jacinto (CVL-30) – Commissioned in 1943.

If you or a loved one worked on one of these aircraft carriers and has now been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another type of asbestos-related disease, you have the right to fight for justice by filing a claim. Our founding attorney will provide you with the skilled legal representation to pursue fair compensation for your losses by helping you build a strong case after you were exposed to asbestos on a naval aircraft carrier.

Speak With a Talented Navy Ship Asbestos Lawyer at The Williams Law Firm, P.C.

At The Williams Law Firm, P.C., we understand the unique challenges Navy veterans exposed to asbestos face. Our team, led by the experienced and undefeated mesothelioma lawyer Joe Williams, specializes in representing those who served our country and now suffer from asbestos-related conditions. We recognize the severity of your situation and are dedicated to providing tailored legal support, ensuring that your case is handled with the respect and urgency it deserves.

To schedule a free consultation with our legal team, call us at (855) 575-6376 or complete our contact form today.