Sources of Asbestos Exposure / Asbestos in the U.S. Navy / List of Ship Classes / Asbestos on Auxiliary Ships

Most navies in the world, including the U.S. Navy, have almost as many support ships as combat ships. The service members who serve on these craft face the same dangers as the ones who serve on aircraft carriers and other combat vessels, including the risk of an asbestos-related illness.

Asbestos Exposure Aboard US Naval Auxiliary Ships

If you served on an auxiliary ship during the Cold War, the inner workings in the vessel were probably laced with asbestos. 

Asbestos was used to fireproof Auxiliary Ships in areas like:

• Engine Room: Because of the high risk of fire, effective fireproofing materials, like asbestos, was a must-have in engine rooms. The Navy overlooked the known health risks, because asbestos was cheap and effective.
• Galley: Pretty much everyone on board spent a lot of time in the ship’s galley. The floor tiles in common areas, like the galley, contained asbestos, again because of the fire risk. Since floor tiles absorb lots of wear and tear, stray asbestos fibers usually floated into the air in these areas.
• Electrical Systems: Fibrous asbestos doesn’t conduct electricity. So, asbestos-laced paper seemed to be the ideal covering for electrical wires. Like floor tiles, such paper absorbed a lot of wear and tear. Unlike floor tiles, paper doesn’t last very long.

US Naval Veterans of Auxiliary Ships At Risk of Asbestos Exposure and Health Problems

Machinist mates, boiler room technicians, chefs, and electrician’s mates are especially at risk for asbestos exposure diseases like asbestosis and mesothelioma. These serious illnesses, which are dormant for decades, are usually fatal.

The medical bills for such diseases are often more than $10,000 a month. Victims have several legal options in terms of obtaining compensation for these bills and other losses, such as loss of enjoyment in life.

In the VA compensation system, asbestosis, mesothelioma, and other asbestos exposure illnesses are presumptively disabling conditions. If a servicemember establishes a service-related connection, which is usually service on any auxiliary ship or other vessel built before 1975, when the Navy stopped using asbestos, monthly cash is available. Free medical care is available as well.

Asbestos Claims for US Naval Veterans who Served on Auxiliary Ships

Claims against asbestos trust funds have a similar procedure. These claims are a bit more complex, because the claimant must identify the source of the asbestos. But an experienced attorney can handle this challenge. Asbestos trust funds normally compensate victims for their medical bills and other past and future economic losses. 

Additional compensation is available in a defective product claim against an asbestos manufacturer. This additional compensation usually includes substantial punitive damages.