Key Takeaways
- Asbestos was used throughout Navy ships, including boiler rooms, engine rooms, pipes, and living quarters, so many sailors were exposed without knowing it.
- Asbestos-related diseases can appear 20 to 50 years after exposure, long after specific duties and ships are forgotten.
- Service records, ship deck logs, and shipmates’ recollections can help establish exposure even when a veteran has no clear memory of it.
- The VA rates many Navy jobs as having “highly probable” or “probable” asbestos exposure, but veterans in other ratings can still prove exposure with other evidence.
- Veterans generally cannot sue the Navy, but they may pursue VA benefits, claims against asbestos product manufacturers, and asbestos trust fund claims.
Many Navy veterans who develop mesothelioma or asbestos-related lung cancer decades after military service may not remember ever encountering asbestos. This is understandable. Asbestos was once widely used throughout the U.S. Navy, including in ships, submarines, engine rooms, boiler rooms, and sleeping quarters. Veterans could have been exposed without knowing it.
During much of the 20th century, asbestos was valued for its ability to resist heat, fire, and corrosion. It was incorporated into numerous materials used to construct and maintain naval vessels. At the time, many sailors were not adequately informed about the dangers of breathing in asbestos fibers.
Today, veterans may be diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease 20 to 50 years or more after their exposure. By then, remembering specific duties, ships, materials, or maintenance activities from decades earlier can be difficult.
Understanding how exposure occurred can help veterans and their families investigate their service history and identify possible sources of asbestos exposure.
Experienced. Dedicated. Proven. We fight for Mesothelioma Victims.
Find Out If You Qualify for Compensation
With over 35 years of experience, the Halpern Law Firm is ready to fight for you. Get a free, no-obligation case review today and take the first step toward the compensation you deserve.
Asbestos Was Common Throughout Navy Ships
One reason Navy veterans may not remember asbestos exposure is that asbestos-containing materials were present in so many areas of naval vessels. Unlike an isolated workplace hazard, asbestos could be found throughout a ship, including in places sailors visited every day.
Common sources of asbestos on Navy ships included:
- Boiler rooms: Asbestos insulation was used around boilers, pipes, and other equipment that generated significant heat.
- Engine rooms: Insulation, gaskets, packing materials, and other components could contain asbestos.
- Pipes and valves: Asbestos-containing insulation helped protect sailors and equipment from high temperatures.
- Sleeping quarters and living areas: Some building materials, insulation, and other products used aboard ships contained asbestos.
- Electrical systems: Certain electrical components and insulating materials contained asbestos because of its heat resistance.
- Ship maintenance areas: Repairs involving insulation, pumps, valves, boilers, and machinery could disturb asbestos-containing materials.
A sailor did not necessarily need to handle asbestos directly to be exposed. When asbestos-containing materials were cut, sanded, removed, damaged, or disturbed during maintenance, microscopic fibers could become airborne and be inhaled.
These fibers could also travel through enclosed spaces, potentially exposing sailors who were working nearby or performing unrelated duties.
Veterans Often Did Not Know They Were Handling Asbestos
Another reason Navy veterans may struggle to recall exposure is that asbestos was not always visibly identifiable. It could be mixed into insulation, cement, gaskets, adhesives, and other materials that looked ordinary.
A sailor might remember repairing a pipe, cleaning an engine room, assisting with equipment maintenance, or working near a boiler without realizing that asbestos fibers were being released.
Military personnel also generally focused on completing their assigned duties rather than identifying the chemical composition of every material aboard a ship. Many veterans served before the dangers of asbestos exposure were widely recognized and communicated to workers.
Even veterans who remember working around dusty insulation may not know whether that material contained asbestos.
As a result, the absence of a clear memory of asbestos exposure does not necessarily mean exposure never occurred.
Why Asbestos-Related Diseases Can Take Decades to Develop
The long latency period associated with asbestos-related diseases can make it especially difficult for Navy veterans to connect a diagnosis to their military service.
Mesothelioma, a cancer affecting the lining of the lungs or other organs, is strongly associated with asbestos exposure. Asbestos exposure can also cause lung cancer and other serious respiratory conditions.
These diseases may not become apparent until decades after the initial exposure. A veteran who served in the Navy during the 1960s or 1970s, for example, may not receive a diagnosis until much later in life.
During that time, a veteran may have changed jobs, moved to different locations, retired, or forgotten details about specific assignments. Other potential exposures may also have occurred throughout the veteran’s working life.
Because of this lengthy delay, identifying the circumstances surrounding an asbestos-related diagnosis may require more than relying on memory alone.
How Navy Veterans Can Investigate Past Asbestos Exposure
Even when a veteran cannot remember handling asbestos, several types of records and historical information may help establish where exposure could have occurred.
Useful information may include:
- Military service records: These may help establish service dates, assignments, occupational specialties, and other details about a veteran’s military career.
- Ship names and deployment dates: Identifying the vessels on which a veteran served can help researchers investigate the materials used aboard those ships.
- Military occupational duties: A veteran’s rating, responsibilities, and daily assignments may help identify potential exposure pathways.
- Work and maintenance histories: Details about repairs, equipment, and work locations may help establish whether asbestos-containing materials were present.
- Medical records: These can help document a diagnosis and provide information relevant to investigating its possible causes.
Family members and former shipmates may also remember details that a veteran has forgotten. Old photographs, letters, service documents, and employment records can provide additional context.
No single record automatically proves asbestos exposure, but multiple sources of information may help build a clearer picture of a veteran’s history.
How The Halpern Law Firm Helps Navy Veterans
Navy veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestos-related lung cancer may have questions about where their exposure occurred and whether they have legal options.
The Halpern Law Firm represents individuals affected by mesothelioma and asbestos-related diseases. Investigating a potential case may involve reviewing a veteran’s service history, occupational background, medical records, and other available evidence to identify possible sources of asbestos exposure.
The firm maintains extensive historical ship records that may help with investigations involving Navy veterans. Its experience handling asbestos-related cases can help veterans and their families navigate the process of researching past exposure, even when the veteran does not remember specific encounters with asbestos.
Every case is different, and the available evidence and applicable legal requirements will determine what options may be available.
If you or a loved one served in the Navy and has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestos-related lung cancer, you do not need to remember every detail of your military service to begin asking questions.
This Veterans Day, the Halpern Law Firm proudly honors the men and women who have served our country. We are especially grateful for the sacrifices made by Navy veterans and all military personnel. Thank you for your service, dedication, and commitment to protecting our country.
For a free consultation, contact the Halpern Law Firm at (800) 505-6000 or fill out our contact form.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I file a mesothelioma claim if I don’t remember being exposed to asbestos in the Navy?
Yes. Many Navy veterans do not remember specific asbestos exposure because asbestos was hidden in common materials throughout ships. Service records, ship histories, deck logs, and shipmates’ recollections can help establish where exposure likely occurred.
Which Navy jobs had the highest asbestos exposure?
The VA rates jobs such as Boiler Technician, Boilermaker, Fireman, Pipefitter, Hull Maintenance Technician, and Water Tender as having “highly probable” asbestos exposure. Machinist’s Mates, Electrician’s Mates, and Enginemen are rated “probable.” But sailors in nearly any job could have been exposed, especially aboard ships undergoing repairs.
How do I get my Navy service records?
Veterans and next of kin can request the Official Military Personnel File from the National Personnel Records Center online through eVetRecs or by mailing Standard Form 180. Ship deck logs that are at least 30 years old are held by the National Archives in College Park, Maryland.
Can Navy veterans sue the Navy for asbestos exposure?
Generally, no. Service members cannot sue the federal government for injuries related to military service. However, Navy veterans can pursue claims against the private companies that made asbestos products used aboard ships, file asbestos trust fund claims, and apply for VA disability benefits.
Will a lawsuit against an asbestos manufacturer affect my VA benefits?
No. VA disability compensation and claims against asbestos manufacturers or trust funds are separate. Pursuing one does not reduce or prevent the other. Call The Halpern Law Firm at 800-505-6000 or request a free case review.
