By Treven Pyles on January 27th, 2026 in Asbestos
Seamen are constantly exposed to harmful chemicals like asbestos, from carcinogenic insulation to toxic dust from pipes. If you've been diagnosed with cancer caused by asbestos exposure on ships, you might qualify for two compensation options: a Jones Act claim or an asbestos claim.
Asbestos regulations were meant to eliminate asbestos from ships built after 2011. Unfortunately, on more than half of today's ships, seamen are still exposed to asbestos from construction materials and spare parts. For these crew members who stay on board for weeks or months, cumulative exposure may increase the risk of developing asbestos-associated cancers, like mesothelioma, lung cancer, throat cancer, and colorectal cancer. If you were exposed to asbestos while working on a ship, you have two compensation options available: filing a claim against your employer under the Jones Act or filing a claim against asbestos manufacturers.
Many studies have explored the risk of developing asbestos-related diseases among shipyard workers, but the heightened danger for seamen on board has not yet been fully explored. Unlike yard workers who work in eight to ten-hour shifts, seamen are exposed to the ship environment for 24 hours for weeks and months at a time, which means they may have greater cumulative exposure and a higher risk of developing cancers associated with asbestos. Seamen on board have likely been exposed to chrysotile and amphibole asbestos used on ships for insulation, bulkhead construction, and many other purposes. A study by the US Public Health Service looked into mortality patterns of merchant seamen and found that seamen are more likely to die from respiratory cancers than land-based workers. In a study conducted in a New York hospital, 55% of patients who were seamen died of cancer, which was significantly higher than 27.8% for other patients.
If you have been diagnosed with cancer as a seaman who was exposed to asbestos on board, you have more than one option to recover compensation. We highly urge you to get a legal representative who can evaluate your case and determine whether you qualify for the following legal options:
The Jones Act provides a fault-based system for seamen suffering from injuries or occupational illnesses. Under this federal statute, a worker must have worked at least 30 percent of their working hours on a navigable vessel with responsibilities that are crucial to the operations of the ship. Another crucial aspect of the Jones Act is that the seaman bears the burden of proving that the employer's negligence caused their injury or illness. To navigate this legal battle, we strongly recommend consulting a legal representative who can file your Jones Act claim on your behalf.
Aside from the Jones Act, seamen may also qualify for asbestos claims that are available for victims of asbestos exposure. These claims are filed against bankruptcy trust funds established after hundreds of thousands of asbestos lawsuits were filed against manufacturers. To qualify for this claim, you must have been a veteran or industrial worker who worked in an occupation that was considered high-risk for asbestos exposure. Additionally, you must have been diagnosed with an asbestos-associated cancer within the last three years. Family members of seamen who passed away from such illnesses may also file an asbestos claim. ELG's legal team has been assisting victims of toxic exposure for over three decades, and we can help you by evaluating your documents and filing the claim on your behalf.
The complex process of pursuing compensation only adds to the burden of seamen who have been exposed to asbestos. If you believe that your occupational illness has been caused by your asbestos exposure on ships you've worked on, we can help you explore your options for filing claims. Whether you are filing a Jones Act claim or an asbestos claim, ELG Law has specialized lawyers who can evaluate your employment records and medical documents. Contact us immediately after your diagnosis, and we will check your eligibility and file the claim on your behalf.