Ohio Navy Veterans Mesothelioma Lawyer

Navy Veterans Mesothelioma Attorney in Ohio

Service on board naval ships typically placed sailors in mechanical areas where asbestos insulation was heavily used. An Ohio Navy veteran’s mesothelioma lawyer reviews whether a connection between Navy service and the type of asbestos exposure that might lead to a later diagnosis is possible.

Asbestos-containing materials in engine rooms, boiler areas, and pipe systems of ships were intended to help prevent fires and to keep heat under control. Sailors with maintenance duty may have come into contact with these materials in the course of their work. An Ohio mesothelioma lawyer from our firm focuses on asbestos and toxic exposure cases throughout the country.

Hire a Navy Veteran’s Mesothelioma Lawyer

Determining the source of asbestos exposure related to military service can require knowledge of shipbuilding and repair history. A lawyer from Wallace & Graham, P.A., can review service records, ship and station assignments, and equipment history. We have nearly 40 years of collective experience with mesothelioma cases related to both occupational and military exposure.

Mesothelioma and Long Latency Periods

Mesothelioma is well-known for long latency periods. After the lungs or other organs inhale asbestos fibers, victims may not experience symptoms for many years or even decades. The latest epidemiological studies have shown that about 80% of mesothelioma cases are pleural.

According to the CDC’s U.S. Cancer Statistics, 2,669 malignant mesothelioma cases occurred in the United States in 2022. Ships often have insulation that contains asbestos, which is used to keep mechanical systems from overheating. So, service veterans are diagnosed decades later and occasionally reevaluate whether they were exposed to asbestos during military service.

Statute of Limitations

An Ohio Navy veteran who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma must abide by the filing deadline specified in Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.10. This statute states that, generally, two years are available to file a personal injury legal claim after the date the injury is discovered.

Given that asbestos-related illnesses often take a long time to manifest, courts tend to use the diagnosis date to figure out the filing deadline, not the exposure date. The veteran or their estate may wish to keep this in mind in considering possible claims.

Naval Vessel Maintenance and Asbestos Materials

To guard against extreme heat, vessels constructed during much of the twentieth century were fitted with a considerable amount of insulation around engines, boilers, turbines, and piping. Many Ohio veterans of the Navy served on ships that frequented the Naval Station Great Lakes in Illinois, which was the Navy’s main training facility for sailors from Ohio and other Midwestern states.

Maintenance or overhaul work on ships required the removal of or work around insulation surrounding mechanical systems. Health officials worldwide have estimated that there are more than 200,000 deaths caused by occupational exposure to asbestos.

Contact an Ohio Navy Veteran’s Mesothelioma Lawyer

In some cases, questions regarding asbestos exposure don’t come up until years after a veteran has left service. Ships have traditionally had a lot of insulation, as well as mechanical systems that required heat-resistant materials. It may be helpful to go back and look at a sailor’s specific duties and assignments while onboard a ship in order to identify where asbestos use was likely.

Families that find themselves dealing with mesothelioma often go back and look more closely at these service situations. Set up an appointment today to hire a Navy veteran’s mesothelioma lawyer.