Maritime Industry Cancer Exposure Risks

Dangers of Lung Cancer in Maritime Workers

For decades, the maritime industry was one of the largest consumers of asbestos-containing materials. Maritime work involved building and chartering vessels for use in commercial shipping and trading. At the time, it was believed that asbestos was a safe and cost-effective way to build and maintain vessels.

However, anyone who came in contact with asbestos products while serving the maritime industry could be at risk of serious health problems today. This is because asbestos can cause lung cancer, mesothelioma, and other diseases.

Asbestos-related illnesses don’t develop until 10 to 50 years after first exposure. This means many former maritime workers are just getting sick today.

Quick Facts on Lung Cancer in the Maritime Industry

• Maritime shipyard workers, boiler tenders, electricians, carpenters, plumbers and pipefitters ran a very high risk of asbestos exposure and related cancers.
• Asbestos was used in thousands of ships prior to the early 1980s. Sailors didn’t know the risks because manufacturers of asbestos-containing products hid the truth.
• In some maritime shipyards, more than 50% of workers had evidence of asbestos-related damage to their lungs as seen on X-rays.

Facing asbestos-related diseases like lung cancer can be overwhelming, but we’re here to support you and your family during this time.

Get a free case review to find out how we can help you pursue compensation to cover expenses after a lung cancer diagnosis.

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How Were Maritime Workers Exposed to Asbestos?

Those working in the maritime industry could have been exposed to asbestos through many different products aboard ships. Shipbuilding and repair activities required materials that could handle high heat. As a result, asbestos was often found throughout vessels.

Maritime industry cancer exposure may have involved:

• Boilers
• Gaskets and flanges
• Engine materials
• Insulation
• Panels
• Pipes
• Tiles
• Turbines

The danger came when those parts were cut, fixed, or replaced, because asbestos-contaminated dust would fill the air. Workers breathed in asbestos fibers without knowing the harm. Once inside the lungs, the fibers caused long-term irritation that could lead to lung cancer.

Maritime workers also risked exposure to other carcinogens (cancer-causing substances) like benzene, or may have smoked, which could increase the odds of getting sick.

Lung Cancer Risk in Maritime Occupations

Many maritime workers either served aboard ships in various capacities or worked in shipyards. However, the maritime industry included many more roles. You may have a high risk of maritime asbestos exposure depending on which job you had.

Many maritime workers who now have asbestos lung cancer served as:

• Boilermakers: Maintained boilers covered in asbestos fireproofing and insulation
• Electricians: Kept electrical components, which often contained asbestos insulation, working properly
• Engine room crew members: Worked on engine components insulated with asbestos in tight, poorly-ventilated areas
• Longshoremen and dock workers: Risked exposure when unloading ships with asbestos-containing products
• Mechanics: Responsible for maintaining ship equipment that may have relied on asbestos products
• Merchant marine seafarers: Spent long periods on ships that may have contained asbestos
• Shipyard workers: Installed and repaired asbestos materials during shipbuilding

“In the course of a voyage, it is not unusual for crewmen to repair pipe, pipe flanges, or valve leaks and this generally means a tear-down situation. We must assume then that machinery and piping asbestos insulation affect not only the shipyard worker, but the crew as well under a variety of conditions.”

— U.S. Maritime Administration

There is no safe level of asbestos exposure. With that said, maritime workers who served in the roles above often risked daily exposure to asbestos materials, increasing their chances of developing lung cancer later in life.

Call (877) 446-5767 now for help if you or someone you love served in the maritime industry and is now facing lung cancer. We can assist with exploring treatment options and pursuing compensation to cover medical expenses.

Secondary Asbestos Exposure Risks Among Maritime Families

Families of maritime workers could have also been put at risk through what is known as secondary asbestos exposure. This occurred when workers came home after a long day’s work covered with asbestos dust.

The dust could spread throughout their house, exposing family members. This can cause loved ones of maritime workers to go on to develop lung cancer and other serious asbestos illnesses later in life.

Asbestos-Related Illnesses Affecting Maritime Workers

Maritime workers who served in the industry decades ago are just now getting sick with different types of cancers and other asbestos-related diseases.

Examples of maritime industry cancer exposure illnesses include:

• Asbestosis: This isn’t cancer, but rather a very serious lung disease. Asbestos fibers cause the lungs to become scarred and stiffen, sometimes leading to death.
• Lung cancer: Occupational exposure to asbestos can cause lung cancer if the fibers get trapped in the lungs and cause long-term damage. Maritime workers are at an increased risk of lung cancer if they also smoked and were exposed to asbestos.
• Mesothelioma: Mesothelioma is a very rare cancer that affects the linings of the lungs, heart, abdomen, or testicles. It is only caused by asbestos exposure.

Many maritime workers only develop these illnesses decades after their exposure, as there’s a long latency period, or time between exposure and symptoms. In addition, the symptoms are often not very noticeable at first and could be mistaken for less serious issues like the flu.

For these reasons, if you potentially worked with or around asbestos in the maritime industry long ago, it’s important to ask your doctor about your risk of getting sick. Specialists can recommend tests like lung cancer screenings to potentially catch illnesses before they become harder to treat.

Compensation Options for Lung Cancer in Maritime Workers

You or a former maritime worker you love may qualify for compensation after developing asbestos-related illnesses like lung cancer. These financial payouts can help you afford treatments and any other bills that you face.

Compensation options for maritime industry cancer exposure include:

• Personal injury lawsuits: You can file a mesothelioma or lung cancer lawsuit to pursue payouts from manufacturers of asbestos-containing materials. The average payout from a mesothelioma lawsuit is $1 million or more.
• Maritime asbestos trusts: Trust fund claims can allow you to get financial compensation without a lawsuit. There are dozens of trusts that contain more than $30 billion total today.
• VA benefits: Many maritime workers served in the U.S. Navy. You may qualify for benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) if you’ve been diagnosed with an asbestos-related cancer. Key benefits include monthly disability compensation and free or inexpensive health care.
• Wrongful death lawsuits: You might be eligible for a wrongful death legal claim if a family member passed away due to an asbestos-related disease. The average payout for a mesothelioma wrongful death claim is over $1 million.

Lung Cancer Group has partnered with top law firms that can help file different types of claims on your behalf. This means you can pursue the compensation you deserve with less hassle.

Settlements & Verdicts for Maritime Workers With Asbestos Illnesses

The asbestos lawyers in our network have secured millions of dollars for other maritime workers with lung cancer and mesothelioma. The vast majority of claims award money through out-of-court settlements, but a small handful may need to go to trial.

Key asbestos cancer settlements and verdicts include:

• $10.23 million for a California veteran and boiler tender with mesothelioma
• $1.57 million for a Nevada veteran and boiler tender with lung cancer
• $2.2 million for a Texas ship superintendent with mesothelioma
• $4 million for a Massachusetts veteran and shipyard worker with mesothelioma

While each case is unique and there are no guarantees, it’s possible that you could receive significant financial compensation by filing a lawsuit too.

Get a free case review now to find out how much compensation could be available to you or a loved one facing lung cancer or mesothelioma.

Get Help for Asbestos Lung Cancer

• Access Financial Aid and Justice
• Learn About Your Options
• Contact Us for Free

Free Case Review

Help for Lung Cancer in Maritime Workers

Maritime workers across the country have gone on to develop serious illnesses like lung cancer as a result of asbestos exposure that occurred on the job decades ago.

If you or someone you love is struggling as a result of a diagnosis, Lung Cancer Group is ready to assist you.

Work with our team to:

• Learn how your job may have put you at risk of asbestos exposure
• Explore treatments that could help after a diagnosis
• Pursue compensation to cover medical bills and other expenses
• Receive the support that your family deserves

Call (877) 446-5767 or get a free case review to learn more about how we can help you or a loved one facing asbestos-related cancers related to the maritime industry.