Thousands of veterans encountered asbestos during shipboard operations and shipyard overhauls. Navy vessels relied on asbestos in many materials including insulation, gaskets, packing, cement, valves, pumps, boilers, turbines, brakes, clutches and electrical components. Any action that disturbed these products led to microscopic fibers that became airborne. Inhalation of these small particles was and still is very dangerous as it can lead to an increased risk of mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis.
One of the most frustrating things about exposure is the fact that it can take decades before one realizes they inhaled these dangerous particles. For those who are concerned or recently diagnosed with an asbestos related disease, the following will provide guidance on next steps.
Why Navy mechanics and pipefitters faced elevated risk
Navy mechanics and pipefitters worked in tight spaces with poor ventilation, frequent heat and continuous vibration. Maintenance cycles required active work like cutting, grinding, scraping and wire brushing which could generate heavy visible dust and sustained periods of inhalation. Examples of common high-risk tasks often included:
- Removing old pipe insulation during repairs, lagging, re-lagging
- Replacing flange gaskets, valve packing, pump packing on steam systems
- Overhauling boilers, turbines, heat exchangers, condensers
- Sanding, chipping, cleaning fireproofing, refractory, insulation cement
These tasks were often completed multiple times throughout one’s military career.
Civil claims against manufacturers, not the military
Most compensation litigation targets manufacturers and suppliers of asbestos-containing products, not the Navy or the shipyard as a federal employer. The steps for veterans to pursue a civil claim against the manufacturers and suppliers typically include the following:
- Confirm diagnosis: collect pathology, imaging, treating physician records
- Build exposure history: ratings, billets, ships, shipyards, dates, tasks
- Identify products: gaskets, packing, insulation brands, equipment makers
- File claims: trust submissions, civil complaint, discovery, depositions
- Resolution: settlements, trust payments, trial verdicts in limited cases
Prompt filing is important. Statutes of limitation usually run from diagnosis, not exposure. In Illinois, the deadline is generally two years after diagnosis.