Arkansas Navy Veterans Mesothelioma Lawyer

Navy Veterans Mesothelioma Attorney in Arkansas

The ubiquity of asbestos in naval ships often remains unknown to veterans until after a health diagnosis provokes questions about past exposure. An Arkansas Navy veteran’s mesothelioma lawyer is able to help determine whether work aboard ships may have involved these materials.

At Wallace & Graham, P.A., Arkansas mesothelioma lawyers work with veterans and families who are investigating whether and where asbestos products may have been used during their military service.

Hire a Navy Veteran’s Mesothelioma Lawyer

Our firm has been practicing asbestos litigation across the country and has nearly 40 years of combined experience with mesothelioma claims in the workplace and military settings.

Asbestos exposure investigations regarding military service typically involve a review of ship records and equipment manuals that are often several decades old. Asbestos insulation was commonly used in naval engineering areas, piping, and boiler rooms for heat and fire protection. Frequently, part of the process of reviewing a potential history of asbestos exposure involves understanding where a sailor’s work took place.

Naval Engineering Spaces and Ship Systems

Arkansas has a long history of military service, and many in the state have served in the United States Navy over multiple generations. Those sailors often trained at Naval Station Great Lakes before being assigned to ships that operated on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.

Aboard these vessels, they were responsible for maintaining boilers, turbines, and steam piping systems. Sailors assigned to mechanical spaces on ships often conducted maintenance on work in and around insulation and fire-resistant materials installed near high-temperature equipment.

How Mesothelioma Develops After Exposure

Mesothelioma is a cancer that occurs in the thin tissue lining that covers certain organs. Epidemiological studies have shown that about 80% of mesothelioma is pleural. Based on data from the CDC’s U.S. Cancer Statistics, 2,669 cases of malignant mesothelioma were diagnosed in the United States in 2022.

Since asbestos fibers can remain in the body for many years and may not cause symptoms until many decades later, older adults diagnosed with mesothelioma sometimes review their occupational or military history to evaluate whether they were exposed to asbestos.

Statute of Limitations

Arkansas statutes establish the time period for filing a claim for asbestos-related injuries under Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-105, which allows three years to file a legal claim. Given the long latency period for mesothelioma, Arkansas courts often use a discovery rule. The statute of limitations usually begins to run when the illness is diagnosed or when the causal link to asbestos exposure is reasonably ascertained.

Contact an Arkansas Navy Veteran’s Mesothelioma Lawyer

Navy veterans who receive a mesothelioma diagnosis often take a closer look at the ships and mechanical areas where they served. The engineering rooms, piping, and boilers on naval ships used insulation to withstand extreme temperatures. Wallace & Graham, P.A., advocates for veterans and families seeking answers about whether those service areas used asbestos-containing materials.

Understanding ship assignments and service can help identify where a veteran may have been exposed. Contact us today to hire a Navy veteran’s mesothelioma lawyer.