Florida Navy Veterans Mesothelioma Lawyer

Navy Veterans Mesothelioma Attorney in Florida, FL

For decades, Navy veterans served on ships and submarines that contained asbestos. From engine rooms to sleeping quarters to galley facilities, Navy ships and submarines were full of asbestos materials. Decades later, the same veterans were diagnosed with mesothelioma. A Florida Navy veteran’s mesothelioma lawyer helps you piece together your military service and ship assignment with established points of asbestos exposure at sea or Florida shipyards.

Veterans and their families can then pursue the benefits and VA compensation they have earned through their service with the Navy.

Hire a Navy Veteran’s Mesothelioma Lawyer

Attorneys Mona Lisa Wallace and Bill Graham founded Wallace & Graham, P.A., over 30 years ago and have since represented thousands of Navy veterans who became exposed to asbestos while in service. Our attorneys understand that shipbuilding and naval vessel maintenance expose countless sailors, mechanics, and engineers to toxic materials daily.

Our attorneys and staff have over three decades of litigation and research experience. We help veterans all over Florida link their mesothelioma to their military service and obtain VA and legal compensation.

How Navy Veterans Were Exposed to Asbestos

Asbestos was used in Navy ships from the 1930s to the early 1980s. Asbestos was utilized for fire protection and to insulate pipes, boilers, and machinery. Sailors worked day after day in close quarters surrounded by asbestos insulation, gaskets, boilers, pumps, and other materials. Veterans who worked in engineering, maintenance, and repair were not the only ones exposed. Fibers from these materials were released into the air and inhaled by nearly everyone.

Navy veterans also risked asbestos exposure when their ship was in dry dock for maintenance and repair. Ship repair and maintenance at ports such as Jacksonville Naval Shipyard and Pensacola Naval Air Station also put veterans at high risk for asbestos exposure. For many veterans, it took decades to learn that they had developed a fatal disease because of their military service.

Common Naval Occupations Linked to Mesothelioma

Not all jobs in the Navy have the same risk of asbestos exposure. Veterans who worked on machinery, near insulation or heat sources had the greatest risk, but other workers could be exposed indirectly in shared living or working spaces, or through contact with contaminated tools and machinery. Veterans who are at risk of asbestos exposure due to frequent, direct exposure to asbestos parts and dust in the course of their work include:

• Machinist’s mates responsible for the ship’s engine and turbine maintenance
• Boilermen or pipefitters who installed and maintained insulation
• Electrician’s mates who worked on control panels and electrical wiring
• Shipfitters and welders who worked in repair docks

Seeking VA Benefits for Mesothelioma

Veterans with a mesothelioma diagnosis may be able to access VA disability benefits, health care, and special monthly compensation. The VA lists asbestos exposure as a known service-connected cause of the illness. A veteran might encounter difficulties in the claims process because ship assignments and records often become lost or incomplete after such a long time.

A Florida Navy veteran’s mesothelioma lawyer can help a veteran and their family find military service records, ship assignment records, and medical records to prove the claim. For many, a VA claim for asbestos exposure also brings financial stability and public recognition of the sacrifices made by that veteran while serving the country.

Legal Claims Beyond VA Benefits

VA disability benefits can offer significant help to mesothelioma patients, but they do not address all the financial and emotional losses. Many veterans also file legal claims against the asbestos manufacturers who supplied the Navy, rather than the military. Civil claims can compensate for the medical costs of diagnosis and treatment, lost wages, and other damages.

Veterans who served on ships or at shipyards in Florida may also file a claim if the manufacturer supplied asbestos products to those locations. Veterans can pursue both VA benefits and private claims, often receiving the most complete recovery from both sources.

FAQs About Navy Veterans Mesothelioma

Why Were Navy Veterans So Commonly Exposed to Asbestos?

For many years, the military used asbestos in nearly all of its insulation and fireproofing products. Asbestos was used on ships, submarines, and shipyards for pipes, engines, and bulkheads. Sailors often worked in enclosed areas where fibers were in the air with every repair or overhaul.

Asbestos was used in the construction of nearly every ship until 1980. This means that millions of veterans were unknowingly exposed to asbestos on a daily basis during their time in the Navy.

Which Florida Naval Bases Had the Highest Asbestos Risk?

In Florida, the Jacksonville Naval Shipyard, Pensacola Naval Air Station, Mayport Naval Station, and Key West Naval Base all had areas with known asbestos exposure. Repair, maintenance, and shipbuilding work at all of these sites put service members and civilian contractors at risk.

Administrative workers may have also been exposed through contact with uniforms or from fibers being carried through the ventilation system. This means that workers at any part of a naval facility could have been exposed.

How Common Is Mesothelioma Among U.S. Veterans?

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reports that about 33% of all mesothelioma cases are in military veterans. Navy veterans make up the largest group. This is because asbestos was used so frequently on ships and in shipyards from the 1930s to the 1970s. Florida has a large veteran population, and many may still be at risk from past exposures that occurred decades earlier during their time in the Navy.

What Should I Bring to My First Consultation With a Mesothelioma Lawyer?

Bring any records that will help document your exposure history to your first consultation with a mesothelioma lawyer. This may include your DD-214 discharge papers, ship assignments, medical records, and information about your symptoms.

Include any naval bases or shipyards in Florida where you worked. These records will help your attorney determine sources of exposure and may be used to help build a claim for VA and legal compensation.

Contact a Florida Navy Veteran Mesothelioma Lawyer

Navy veterans across Florida have made many sacrifices, without knowing their service could expose them to asbestos on ships, submarines, and military bases. Mesothelioma can take decades to develop, but veterans and their families can still seek justice and compensation.

The attorneys at Wallace & Graham, P.A., have combined decades of litigation experience with a compassion for the situations facing veterans and their family members. We work for our clients to access VA benefits, and when possible, to file legal claims against the asbestos manufacturers.

Hire a Navy veteran’s mesothelioma lawyer today to schedule a consultation and begin your path forward toward recovery.