Asbestos Attorneys
representing plaintiffs in Shipyard asbestos exposure, Mesothelioma & Lung Cancer Claims
For the last 75 years, shipyard workers have been among those in the U.S. workforce with an elevated risk of shipyard asbestos exposure. Particularly before 1980, it is likely that workers in the ship building industry were in contact with dangerous levels of asbestos, increasing their chances of developing diseases like lung cancer and mesothelioma.
A 2008 study, published by the Ulster Medical Society, indicated shipyard workers have an asbestosis mortality rate 16-times greater than other studied occupations. Authorities have estimated that thousands of shipyard workers—many in Ohio—have died as a result of excess shipyard asbestos exposure.
Former Shipyard Workers have been diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer, and other asbestos-related illnesses.
Joe Lyon is a highly-rated Cincinnati, Ohio asbestos lawyer representing plaintiffs nationwide in a wide variety of toxic tort and mesothelioma claims.
Before the toxicity of asbestos became well known, ships were often teeming with the dangerous products. Because asbestos is effective at resisting corrosion and high temperatures, it was seen as an ideal material for the industry. It was used to insulate boilers, incinerators, and various internal pipes.
Over time, asbestos dust built up in the many holds of ships which led to widespread human exposure. When asbestos fibers are disturbed, they become more dangerous. Workers unknowingly inhaled the fibers, and became embedded in the tissue surrounding the lungs.
Up until the 1970s, the U.S. Navy authorized the use of over 300 asbestos-containing products for ship building. As the use of these hazardous products increased, health professionals monitoring workers were able to recognize the potential toxicity of the materials.
This is a concern for all shipyard workers, whether they built and maintained ships designed for military or civilian use. For many years, asbestos has been in the process of being removed from ships, but the material remains on many vessels, and the problem persists.
Please complete the form below for a FREE consultation.
ABOUT THE LYON FIRM
Joseph Lyon has 17 years of experience representing individuals in complex litigation matters. He has represented individuals in every state against many of the largest companies in the world.
The Firm focuses on single-event civil cases and class actions involving corporate neglect & fraud, toxic exposure, product defects & recalls, medical malpractice, and invasion of privacy.
NO COST UNLESS WE WIN
The Firm offers contingency fees, advancing all costs of the litigation, and accepting the full financial risk, allowing our clients full access to the legal system while reducing the financial stress while they focus on their healthcare and financial needs.
In theory, almost anybody in the shipbuilding industry in the 20th century could be at risk. The vast tons of material insulated with asbestos in enclosed spaces on ships served as a particularly insidious hazard to workers and servicemen.
Asbestos was used almost everywhere, including heavily in boiler rooms, engine rooms and sleeping quarters. It was used as insulation, pipe covering, and used in the paint that covered ships. It is estimated that in some years about 1 in 500 shipyard workers were handling and installing asbestos insulation on a daily basis.
Exposure to asbestos at shipyards is not limited to spending great amounts of time on ships. Even those workers loading and unloading materials at ports and dry docks could have been heavily exposed. The boxes, crates, pallets and packing materials used to carry the products sometimes contained asbestos fibers.
At the height of World War II, the estimated number of naval shipyard workers could have been as high as 1.7 million. Because asbestos was a critical element in the shipbuilding industry at the time, military veterans, particularly Navy Veterans, have been especially hard-hit by exposure-related diseases.
Many veterans are eligible for disability compensation, handled by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). However, veterans must prove that their condition is asbestos-related exposure and was caused during active military service. This can be difficult. Fortunately, veterans can follow another course of action.
In addition to applying for government benefits, military veterans and former shipyard workers in Ohio can file lawsuits against negligent companies, including the manufacturers of asbestos-containing products. An estimated 30 percent of all mesothelioma lawsuits are filed by military veterans.
The potential dangers of asbestos inhalation have been known for several decades now, though the full extent of the damage to the lives and families of former workers has yet to be seen. Many former Ohio workers are treated for mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, and other respiratory diseases as a result of poor working conditions in the past.
Because of the delayed symptoms, and long latency period of diseases caused by asbestos products, many former shipyard workers in Ohio are still being diagnosed with illnesses caused by exposure many years ago. It can take up to 50 years after exposure for symptoms of mesothelioma or asbestosis to present themselves.
In a 2007 study published by Occupational & Environmental Medicine, which studied the death of 4,700 men and women who built and maintained ships, researchers observed “excess deaths” from mesothelioma and respiratory cancer, which they attributed to asbestos fibers at shipyards.
Depending on the shipyard, workers performed tasks on any number and variety of vessels. Researchers suggest the worst exposure occurred in engine rooms, mess halls and on painted decks. Further exposure occurred in shipways and dry docks. The following jobs also put shipyard workers in direct contact with asbestos:
Below is a list of tasks that are known to expose shipyard workers to high levels of asbestos:
When coupled with asbestos exposure, welding and painting may be the most hazardous jobs of all. During welding operations, hazardous vapors are produced from the heating of base metals.
Other fumes are released from metal coatings, finishes, and welding rods. Dangerous exposures increase greatly if welding is performed in a confined space. Some of the metals welded in shipbuilding operations that may be airborne and cause acute and chronic lung diseases include:
Like welding, painting inside a ship’s hull is often performed in confined spaces and tanks, thereby concentrating toxic fumes. The following materials may have been used by shipyard painters:
There have been numerous very large settlements involving victims of asbestos exposure whilst working at shipyards. Below are a few examples:
The American Shipbuilding Company in Lorain, Ohio was a major source of asbestos exposure for thousands of former shipyard workers. In recent years, many American Shipbuilding employees have developed serious and potentially fatal diseases due to past exposure. While operating, the American Shipbuilding Company built and repaired many different vessels, including:
Asbestos was used at the American Shipbuilding yards in various areas of the ships and machinery, including:
People who worked at American Shipbuilding are still at a great risk for developing serious health complications from asbestos exposure. If former workers develop symptoms of respiratory and lung disease, they should contact medical professionals as soon as possible.
The hazardous dust of asbestos fibers can cause a number of serious diseases. Some of these diseases directly caused by asbestos exposure can include:
Many experience asbestos exposure through the workplace. Workplaces may have been filled with toxic materials, and employers may have failed to warn of the serious health risks of the job. Filing a suit helps to raise the awareness of job safety.
If you were exposed to asbestos at your workplace, and have developed cancer or a related illness, you are likely to qualify for compensation.
Asbestos was cheap, durable, fire-resistant and light, and was though to be the perfect insulating material before research showed it was extremely hazardous to the health.
The success rates of settlements regarding asbestos exposure injury are quite high. It may be necessary to prove that occupational exposure is the primary cause of lung cancer or mesothelioma, though this is the job of The Lyon Firm, and we have experience in reaching large mesothelioma settlements.
Our Firm will help you find the answers. The Firm has the experience, resources and dedication to take on difficult and emotional cases and help our clients obtain the justice for the wrong they have suffered.
Experience: Joe Lyon is an experienced Asbestos Lawyer. The Lyon Firm has 19 years of experience and success representing individuals and plaintiffs in all fifty states, and in a variety of complex civil litigation matters. Asbestos lawsuits can be complex and require industry experts to determine the root cause of an accident or injury. Mr. Lyon has worked with experts nationwide to assist individuals understand why an injury occurred and what can be done to improve their lives in the future. Some cases may go to a jury trial, though many others can be settled out of court.
Resources/Dedication: The Lyon Firm is dedicated to building the strongest cases possible for clients and their critical interests.
Results: Mr. Lyon has obtained numerous seven and six figure asbestos settlements.
The Lyon Firm aggressively, professionally, and passionately advocates for injured individuals and families against companies due to asbestos exposure.
Asbestos (Mesothelioma)
Asbestos (Mesothelioma)
CINCINNATI HYDE PARK OFFICE
2754 Erie AveCLEVELAND OFFICE
6105 Parkland BoulevardST. LOUIS OFFICE
408 N Euclid