Asbestos In Shipyards

U.S. Naval Shipyard - California

There is probably no other hazardous occupation that is as hard hit by mesothelioma as those involved in shipbuilding. Men and women who worked in shipyards were exposed to asbestos day in and day out in many different capacities. Asbestos was used in insulation for boilers, steam pipes and hot water pipes. Those who worked in and around the boiler rooms of ships, and those who helped build, repair and demolish them, were exposed to asbestos nearly every day for years on end. Those who worked in US Naval shipyards may be among the most deeply affected of any other group in the country.

According to industry statistics, over 25% of the claims for mesothelioma are from workers who were exposed in the military and shipyard construction. In addition, claims from those who were exposed in naval shipyards and other shipyards account for 16% of other lung cancer cases related to asbestos and for 13% of disabling lung diseases like asbestosis and COPD. In short, asbestos exposure in shipyards, especially in Naval Shipyards, accounts for over one quarter of the claims brought forth against companies by those who have developed mesothelioma.

While there were naval shipyards throughout the country, California boasted the largest number of official U.S. Naval Shipyards of any other state. Among the U.S. Naval Shipyards in California were the U.S. Naval Shipyard at Mare Island, U.S. Naval Shipyard at San Francisco, U.S. Naval Shipyard at San Francisco Bay. The San Francisco Naval Shipyard was also known as Hunters Point Naval Shipyard and Treasure Island Naval Station Hunters Point Annex. The U.S. Naval shipyards in California employed tens of thousands of men and women between 1900 and 1995. Thousands of those workers have developed asbestos related diseases like mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis.

In addition to those workers who were exposed to asbestos in the course of building, repairing and renovating ships in the U.S. Naval Shipyard at California, there could be thousands more exposed through second hand contact. In addition, at least one of those shipyard sites, the Hunters Point U.S. Naval Shipyard, has been tagged as a toxic waste cleanup site by the Environmental Protection Agency. Among the hazardous wastes named in the cleanup documents is asbestos in the soil.

If you or a loved one worked at a U.S. Naval shipyard during the past fifty years, or if you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma and lived in the vicinity of any U.S. Naval shipyard, you may be entitled to compensation for your illness, pain and suffering. While the courts have ruled that the Navy cannot be sued or held responsible for the asbestos exposure or its results, many private companies and corporations that supplied asbestos to the Navy have been successfully sued. If you have believe that you were exposed to asbestos in the workplace, be certain that your doctor is aware of your history. Because the early symptoms of mesothelioma are so similar to many other illnesses and conditions, most doctors won't consider mesothelioma unless they know about the asbestos exposure.

If you've already been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos related disease, contact an experienced mesothelioma lawyer to discuss your options for compensation and settlement.

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