Shipyard Asbestos Exposure Lawsuit

Shipyard workers are suing companies for exposure to asbestos. The workers later developed severe and life-threatening medical conditions. Occupational exposure to products containing asbestos is linked to asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer.

Asbestos was once widely used in shipbuilding materials, including in insulation, pipe coverings, bulkhead panels and boilers. From the early 1940s to the late 1970s, the United States Navy even mandated its use in the construction of military vessels.

The Navy discontinued the required use of asbestos in the late 1970s because of health and safety concerns. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) globally banned most new uses of asbestos in ships in 2002. However, workers can still come into contact with shipyard asbestos when working on older vessels. This may include retrofitting, updating or demolishing older ships.

Asbestos lawsuits seek compensation for injured workers and the family members of workers who died from asbestos-related diseases.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral found in rocks and soil. Asbestos fibers are fire-retardant and insulate against high temperatures and electricity. For these reasons, the substance was once commonly used in many construction and shipbuilding materials.

Shipyard asbestos may be found in:

• Adhesives
• Asbestos insulation
• Asbestos paper
• Asbestos blankets
• Boilers and boiler coverings
• Bulkhead panels
• Cement sheets
• Gaskets
• Heat-resistant textiles
• Joiner bulkhead systems
• Machinery parts
• Millboards
• Patching compounds
• Pipe coverings
• Textured paint
• Vinyl floor tiles

Asbestos consumption in the United States increased significantly during World War II. The U.S. military mandated the use of asbestos in many military applications, including aboard Navy ships. During World War II, the U.S. used an average of 783 million pounds of asbestos annually. During the Cold War rearmament, use exceeded 1,400 million pounds per year.

The required use of asbestos in military ships continued until the late 1970s. At that time, the Navy began replacing asbestos insulation aboard ships. By 1989, most new uses of asbestos were outlawed across all U.S. industries by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Additionally, the IMO banned new uses of asbestos in ships constructed after July 1, 2002.

Although asbestos products are no longer used in new vessels, shipyard asbestos exposure can still occur. Shipyard workers may accidentally contact asbestos fibers when they work on boats built before the asbestos ban. The IMO and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have established safety guidelines to protect workers from occupational exposure to asbestos.

What diseases are related to asbestos exposure?

Shipyard workers exposed to asbestos may have an increased risk of developing asbestos-related diseases. Inhaling asbestos fibers can cause:

• Asbestosis: Asbestosis occurs when asbestos fibers become lodged in lung tissue, leading to scarring (fibrosis). Symptoms of asbestosis include chest pain or tightness, dry and crackling sounds in the lungs, shortness of breath and dry, persistent coughing.
• Asbestos-related lung cancer: The EPA, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have classified asbestos as a known human carcinogen. They found that these substances cause cancer in people. Exposure to asbestos has been linked to an increased risk of developing lung cancer. Evidence also shows that asbestos may cause cancer of the stomach, pharynx (throat) and colorectum (colon and rectum). Symptoms of lung cancer include chest pain, hoarseness, wheezing, persistent coughing, coughing up blood and shortness of breath.
• Mesothelioma: Mesothelioma is a cancer that causes tumors to grow in the thin layer of tissue that covers many of the body’s internal organs. This layer is called the mesothelium. Asbestos is the only cause of mesothelioma.
  • The most common type of mesothelioma (pleural mesothelioma) occurs in the tissue surrounding the lungs. Symptoms of the disease include chest pain, painful coughing, shortness of breath, tiredness, unintended weight loss and lumps under the skin on the chest.
  • Mesothelioma can also affect tissue around the abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma), heart (pericardial mesothelioma) and testicles (testicular mesothelioma). These forms of mesothelioma are more rare.

It’s important to know that asbestos-related diseases have a long latency period, usually between 20 and 40 years, or longer. People may not develop signs of an illness until decades after exposure. If you worked in a shipyard and notice symptoms of asbestosis, lung cancer or mesothelioma, see a doctor immediately.

Shipyard workers who worked with asbestos-containing products had the highest risk of being exposed to asbestos. Those most at-risk include:

• Boilermakers
• Carpenters
• Demolition workers
• Drywallers
• Electricians
• Floor covering workers
• Furnace workers
• Glazers
• Insulators
• Longshoremen
• Maintenance workers
• Merchant marines
• Painters
• Pipefitters
• Plasterers
• Plumbers
• Sheetmetal workers
• Tile setters
• U.S. Navy servicemembers and civilian workers
• Welders

Shipyard workers can also be exposed to asbestos through the use of machinery, including:

• Automobiles via clutches, brakes and gaskets
• Boilers
• Furnaces
• Heating and cooling systems
• Grinding machines

Additionally, sailors often live and work on vessels. Residing on a ship may place them in tight quarters with limited ventilation. These conditions can increase their asbestos exposure beyond occupational safety standards.

Who is eligible to sue for shipyard-related asbestos exposure?

You may be eligible to sue for shipyard-related asbestos exposure if you developed an asbestos-related illness after working in a shipyard. If your loved one died from a disease linked to shipyard-related asbestos exposure, you may be eligible to file a wrongful death lawsuit on their behalf.

Statutes of limitations for filing personal injury, wrongful death and product liability claims related to asbestos exposure can vary. Your time to pursue legal action depends on the laws of your state. Our shipyard asbestos lawyers can tell you more about deadlines that may apply to your case and discuss your legal options.

The military required the Navy to use asbestos products in ship construction from around 1940 to 1979., Navy shipyards and those contracted by the Navy used asbestos during this time. Their asbestos use potentially exposed workers to the toxic mineral.

Shipyards that may have exposed workers to asbestos include:

• Alabama Dry Dock & Shipyard Company (ADDSCO)
• Avondale Shipyard
• Bath Ironworks Shipyard
• Bethlehem Steel Shipyard
• Boston Naval Shipyard
• Brooklyn Naval Shipyard
• Charleston Naval Shipyard
• Consolidated Steel Shipyard
• Fore River Shipyard
• Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company Shipyard
• General Dynamics Electric Boat
• Gulf Shipbuilding Shipyard
• Hunters Point Naval Shipyard
• J.A. Jones Construction Shipyard
• Key Highway Shipyard
• Long Beach Naval Shipyard
• Mare Island Naval Shipyard
• Moore Dry Dock Company
• Naval Submarine Base New London
• Newport News Shipyard
• Norfolk Naval Shipyard
• Pacific Bridge Company Shipyard
• Pearl Harbor Shipyard
• Penn-Jersey Shipyard
• Pennsylvania Shipyard
• Pensacola Shipyard
• Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
• Pusy and Jones Shipyard
• San Diego Naval Shipyard
• Seattle-Tacoma Shipyard
• Sun Shipyard
• St. John’s River Shipyard
• Tampa Shipyard
• Todd Shipyards
• Walsh-Kaiser Company Shipyard
• Western Pipe and Steel Shipyard

Shipyards that exposed workers to asbestos have been involved in asbestos litigation. Some companies have been ordered to pay victims and their families. Notable shipyard worker and asbestos payments include:

• $25 million to a former Newport News Shipyard worker who developed mesothelioma. In March 2011, a Virginia circuit court determined that a Newport News Shipyard worker was exposed to asbestos while working on ships dating back to 1956. The jury ordered ExxonMobil to pay the worker $25 million in damages, including $12.5 million in punitive damages. Not a Motley Rice case.
• $4.25 million to the widow of a shipyard worker. In September 2019, A Washington State jury ordered Lone Star Industries, Inc. to pay $4.25 million to the wife of an electrician who died from an asbestos-related disease. The jury found the company supplied asbestos-containing products to the shipyard where the man worked. Not a Motley Rice case.

Motley Rice attorneys have represented numerous clients in asbestos lawsuits. We have handled claims on behalf of people exposed to asbestos at the Charleston Naval Shipyard. We have also represented clients in maritime asbestos exposure cases brought under the Jones Act.

A Motley Rice asbestos Navy shipyards attorney may be able to handle your claim if you suffered exposure while working at a Navy shipyard. We can discuss your legal options if you have experienced shipyard asbestos exposure and were diagnosed with an asbestos-related occupational disease.

What’s the average settlement for asbestos exposure for shipyard workers?

There is no “average” settlement for shipyard asbestos exposure claims. Asbestos lawsuit settlements vary widely based on the unique factors of each case, including exposure details and disease history. It’s possible to guarantee payment or establish an average payment amount.

In general, workers harmed by asbestos exposure can seek compensation for their physical, mental and emotional pain and suffering, medical expenses and lost wages. In some cases, the court may also order that the asbestos company pay punitive damages. Punitive damages are intended to punish defendants for wrongdoing and deter future bad behavior.

Is asbestos still used in shipyards?

Asbestos is no longer used in new applications in shipyards. The U.S. Military stopped new uses of asbestos in the construction of Navy ships in 1979. The EPA banned most new uses of asbestos across all industries in 1989. In 2002, new uses of asbestos in the construction of vessels were banned globally by the IMO.

Construction materials containing asbestos were and still are present on older ships. Shipyard workers may continue to be at risk for exposure. 

Motley Rice has decades of experience representing people harmed by asbestos exposure. We have been leaders in litigation against asbestos companies whose products have hurt workers, families and communities.

We have helped clients seek compensation through asbestos exposure lawsuits and asbestos trust fund claims. Our asbestos case history includes cases involving:

• Asbestos in Canada
• Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA)
• Household exposure to asbestos
• Merchant Marine asbestos exposure
• Secondhand asbestos exposure

If you or someone you loved developed asbestosis, mesothelioma, lung cancer or another asbestos-related illness after working in a shipyard, you may be eligible for a shipyard asbestos exposure lawsuit. Contact Motley Rice by filling out our online form or calling 1.800.768.4026.

Read more about our toxic exposure litigation experience.