Asbestos In Shipyards

U.S. Naval Operating Base, Terminal Island

For many shipyard workers in World War II, exposure to asbestos was a daily fact of life. Of course, at the time, most people didn't understand the risks of working with and around asbestos. However, today we know that people who worked with asbestos are prone to mesothelioma - a type of cancer that is caused by asbestos fibers. The U.S. Naval Operating Base, Terminal Island is just one of the many shipyards that were active during the Second World War where workers were subjected to asbestos daily.

Mesothelioma is almost always fatal - and there is a direct connection to asbestos inhalation and exposure and this disease. No other causes for mesothelioma have been found to date. For U.S. Naval Operating Base, Terminal Island workers, this spells bad news, because the shipyard was so active, asbestos exposure was high.

Asbestos fibers are very fine but very strong - they are easily inhaled when exposed. Once inhaled, these fine fibers can get lodged in the pleura (the lung lining), around the lining of the heart or abdomen and are not easily expelled. The fibers cause inflammation which gets infected, and eventually can turn cancerous.

For workers of the U.S. Naval Operating Base, Terminal Island, the symptoms of mesothelioma cancer don't appear until many years later. For most people, the symptoms take between 15 and 40 years, before the cancer invades their body. Because of the nature and cause of the cancer, standard cancer treatments are not effective, thusly causing most people who have mesothelioma cancer to succumb to the disease.

Asbestos was frequently used during World War II, especially in shipyards across the country. One of the prevalent shipyards was the U.S. Naval Operating Base, Terminal Island. Efforts of the US were stepped up during the war having naval shipyards producing massive amounts of ships. Asbestos was heavily used in the construction of U.S. Navy ships at this time.

The fact is, there is no safe level of asbestos exposure. The families of workers at the U.S. Naval Operating Base, Terminal Island are also at risk for contracting asbestos-related diseases and mesothelioma. The fine fibers of asbestos easily cling to hair, skin and clothing and were likely regularly brought home unknowingly. This means that families of shipyard workers throughout the country are among those that have contracted, and will contract, mesothelioma cancer.

Mesothelioma is a 'rare' cancer, accounting for only approximately one percent of cancer-related deaths. While experts use the word rare for this type of cancer, there are some 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma reported each year. Unfortunately, once someone has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, they often do not have long to live. Many families who have a member fallen victim to this horrible, untreatable cancer, have turned to attorneys to help with lawsuits. While the lawsuits do not help reclaim a life, the funds that are won can help with high medical bills, lost wages, emotional damage and funeral expenses.

If you, or a family member has been diagnosed with mesothelioma and you, or a close family member used to work at the U.S. Naval Operating Base, Terminal Island, it's important to contact a qualified mesothelioma attorney to help you with your case.

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