Virginia Shipyard Workers Asbestos Exposure Lawyer

Shipyard Workers Asbestos Exposure Attorney in Virginia

Virginia shipyard workers asbestos exposure lawyer represents workers exposed to asbestos during the building, overhauling, and maintenance of ships in some of the busiest ports in the country. Asbestos was used in many ship components, including insulation, piping, boilers, and engine systems. This put workers at large-scale shipyards at risk, where ships were built and retrofitted for many decades.

At Wallace & Graham, P.A., our seasoned legal team fights for Virginia shipyard workers and families affected by asbestos exposure. We hold companies responsible that made or supplied asbestos-containing products used in shipyards, without providing proper safety equipment or warnings.

Hire a Shipyard Workers Asbestos Exposure Lawyer

With nearly 40 years of combined experience, Wallace & Graham, P.A. handles cases for shipyard workers and their families who have been exposed to asbestos in these challenging maritime and industrial settings. Our team has handled many claims involving years of work in shipbuilding, overhaul and repair, and shipyard maintenance, where numerous asbestos products were in use.

We take great care in reconstructing our clients’ full exposure histories, working with qualified medical professionals, and developing a legal strategy that is designed to overcome the common hurdles found in shipyard asbestos cases.

Asbestos Exposure During Ship Overhaul and Refueling Cycles

Virginia shipyard exposure to asbestos often occurred during lengthy ship overhauls, refueling, and retrofit periods rather than during the original construction of the vessel. During these overhauls, workers were required to repeatedly enter confined areas such as engine rooms, boiler rooms, and other mechanical compartments where asbestos insulation and gaskets were originally in place.

Under Virginia law, asbestos claims based on historic exposure are subject to Virginia Code § 8.01-249(4), which states that the date of accrual for an action based on asbestos-related injury is the date that the diagnosis is communicated to the plaintiff, not the date of exposure. The statute specifically takes into account the latent period of asbestos disease and allows Virginia shipyard workers to file a claim many years after the overhaul work was completed.

Civilian Contractors and Subcontractors in Virginia Shipyards

Virginia shipyards were dependent upon civilian contractors and subcontractors working in specialized trades such as welding, pipefitting, insulation removal, and mechanical repair. Such employees were known to transition between ships and projects, leading to cumulative exposures. Peer-reviewed epidemiological studies published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine estimate that around 80% of all mesothelioma cases are pleural, or cancer in the lining of the lungs.

Pleural mesothelioma is most often caused by inhalation of asbestos fibers, a common source being contractor-based exposure through repeated disturbance of insulation and piping materials over the course of many work environments.

Long-Running Shipyard Operations in Coastal Virginia

Shipyard facilities in Virginia include some of the longest-operating in the country, with large yards in Norfolk and Newport News having been in use for decades. Naval and commercial vessels were supported in facilities that often never closed, with ships and facilities remaining in use through multiple phases of maintenance, modernization, and equipment/system upgrades.

As such, there was repeated disturbance of asbestos-containing materials over the lifetime of multiple ship generations. Workers employed at these facilities for many years may have had exposure during multiple phases of their work without understanding or appreciating the long-term implications. This operational history makes Virginia shipyard asbestos cases particularly reliant on historical reconstruction of work conditions and materials.

FAQs

Who Can Be Named as a Defendant in a Virginia Shipyard Asbestos Case?

In many Virginia shipyard asbestos claims, the defendants include manufacturers, suppliers, or distributors of products containing asbestos, rather than the shipyard itself. A company may be found liable if it made, sold, or provided a product that was used aboard the ship or during repair or maintenance work.

Asbestos shipyard claims are based on product liability and a failure to warn, rather than on employment status, so they can be successful even when the shipyard was not the plaintiff’s employer.

How Common Is Mesothelioma in the United States Today?

New mesothelioma cases occur continuously because of its extended latency period, despite its rarity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 2,669 new mesothelioma cases in the United States in 2022. Many mesothelioma cases were caused by exposure to asbestos years, and often decades, in the past, including maritime and shipyard exposure common among Virginia workers.

Can a Virginia Claim Be Filed if Exposure Occurred on Multiple Ships?

Virginia law permits asbestos claims to be based on cumulative exposure. Shipyard workers were often exposed aboard a succession of ships over their working careers, and different materials from different suppliers were often used on different ships. A claim can involve more than one source of exposure if the evidence shows that the exposures from each of several sources contributed to the illness. Multiple defendants are common in such cases.

What Happens if a Virginia Shipyard Worker Has Passed Away?

Death by an asbestos-related disease can open up the possibility for surviving family members to file a wrongful death claim under Virginia law. This is a separate cause of action from a personal injury action and allows for the recovery of damages for surviving relatives. Statutes of limitation and eligibility apply and should be reviewed as early as possible with legal counsel.

Contact a Virginia Shipyard Workers Asbestos Exposure Lawyer

Virginia shipyard asbestos cases demand a thorough investigation, meticulous legal analysis, and an understanding of maritime work practices from decades past. Identifying responsible manufacturers, preserving historical evidence, and meeting filing deadlines are all essential to protecting your legal rights. Wallace & Graham, P.A. represents Virginia shipyard workers and families affected by asbestos exposure with experience, focus, and precision.

If you or a loved one worked in a shipyard and later developed an asbestos-related illness, hire a shipyard workers asbestos exposure lawyer who can help you evaluate potential claims and explain available legal options under Virginia law with clarity, compassion, and an attention to the unique circumstances of maritime exposure. Schedule a consultation today.