Were All Ingalls Workers at High Cancer Risk?
It was not easy to work in the shipbuilding industry and not face a risk of serious injury or illness. Toxic materials were everywhere and workers really had no idea where and when they might be facing exposure.
Asbestos was used in boiler rooms, engine rooms and was used to insulate large areas of ships. Navy Veterans have been diagnosed with an inordinate number of toxic exposure related occupational lung diseases. Navy vets are eligible for disability compensation, handled by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and can also file personal injury claims to benefit from the many asbestos trust funds that have been established to compensate victims.
Not only veterans, but any former shipyard worker can file a lawsuit against negligent companies, including the manufacturers of asbestos-containing products.
A 2017 report published in Archives of Environmental & Occupational Health concluded that shipyard workers exposed to a moderate amount of asbestos are almost four times more likely to die of mesothelioma cancer. Many workers at Ingalls would fall into this moderate to heavy exposure category.
How Are Shipbuilding Workers Exposure to Asbestos?
Some Ingalls Shipyard workers, some of whom worked under Northrop Grumman Corporation or Litton Industries, 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 positions put shipyard workers in direct contact with asbestos:
- Shipfitters
- Machinists
- Pipefitters & Plumbers
- Electricians
- Boilermakers
- Painters
If you have been diagnosed with cancer or a disabling lung disease after your Naval service or as a civilian worker in a shipyard, contact our legal to team to discuss your legal options. Settlements are likely for any individual able to prove their work history and cancer diagnoses.
Asbestos was found in almost every shipyard across the US at one point. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has said there were numerous positions and tasks that could expose veterans and shipyard workers to asbestos.
