West Virginia Navy Veterans Mesothelioma Lawyer

Navy Veterans Mesothelioma Attorney in West Virginia

West Virginia veterans who served on Navy ships often start investigating their military records after a mesothelioma diagnosis. Veterans who are assessing their potential asbestos exposure related to naval service may need to consider their ship assignments and mechanical responsibilities while in the military. A West Virginia Navy veteran’s mesothelioma lawyer can inquire about work done on ships where asbestos was commonly used in the building process.

Engine rooms, turbines, and insulation were some of the areas where asbestos was most used in the majority of the twentieth century. Servicemen who worked on ship maintenance and repairs would have had some potential daily exposure to asbestos.

Hire a Navy Veteran’s Mesothelioma Lawyer

A West Virginia mesothelioma lawyer at Wallace & Graham, P.A., reviews the service histories of ships to align possible mesothelioma claims with verified exposure to asbestos-containing materials. The firm focuses on asbestos and toxic exposure claims across the country and has nearly 40 years of combined experience in mesothelioma claims related to the workplace and military service.

Veterans and Asbestos Exposure in West Virginia

Military service is a point of pride in West Virginia, and many families have a history of service in multiple branches and generations. Some sailors have served in the U.S. Navy on ships that were based on the Atlantic or were part of major fleet operations throughout the twentieth century.

Military ships have complex machinery that generates power for propulsion, heating, and electrical components, and crew members would have lived and worked in the engine rooms, boiler rooms, and maintenance facilities. Crew members are at a higher risk of asbestos exposure from the use of insulation materials for these purposes.

Pleural Mesothelioma and Long-Term Health Effects

Mesothelioma is a rare kind of cancer that occurs in the thin membranes that cover certain organs. Pleural mesothelioma is one of the most frequently encountered forms, which occurs in the lining of the lungs. Epidemiology studies have found that approximately 80% of mesothelioma cases are pleural.

The CDC’s U.S. Cancer Statistics data shows 2,669 malignant mesothelioma cases reported in the United States in 2022. Veterans who are diagnosed with the disease later in life often re-evaluate their occupational and military exposure history.

Time Limits for Filing

West Virginia’s statute of limitations for asbestos injury cases is found in W. Va. Code § 55-2-12 and generally provides two years to file a personal injury legal claim. In the context of mesothelioma claims, courts have typically allowed a discovery rule to apply because the disease may not manifest until long after exposure.

Accordingly, the statutory filing period will often not begin to run until the disease is diagnosed or can reasonably be tied to asbestos exposure rather than at the time of the exposure itself.

Contact a West Virginia Navy Veteran’s Mesothelioma Lawyer

Mesothelioma can lead veterans to look back at their time in the Navy and consider the places they worked on ships, like engineering rooms, boiler rooms, or other systems that may have been insulated with asbestos materials in years past.

Wallace & Graham, P.A., has experience representing veterans and families who want to determine if they were exposed during their time in the Navy to an asbestos product that led to their illness. Looking back at the ships they were stationed on, their duties, their service records, and past records on equipment can help determine where a veteran was exposed. Contact us to hire a Navy veteran’s mesothelioma lawyer today.