These products include, but are not limited to:
Because of its insulating and fire-retardant properties, asbestos was initially hailed as a life-saver by the U.S. Armed Forces, and by civilian industries across the country. Its benefits seemed to know no bounds, and for decades all signs to the contrary were ignored. Most at risk among the Coast Guard servicemen and women were those directly exposed to asbestos in shipyard work, whether it was shipbuilding, maintenance, or repairs. Since asbestos is brittle and easily releases fibers into the air if not wet or if its surface tension is broken, exposure was almost impossible to avoid when doing work on older vessels.
Even mere travel on ships rich in asbestos products could expose the crew to toxic fibers since almost all insulating products between the 1930s and the 1970s contained asbestos. Boilers were among the richest in asbestos, followed by electrical insulation and asbestos reinforcement in walls around the ship. Practically anywhere you turned in the confined space of a Coast Guard ship, asbestos was sure to be there. And, on those ships or buildings that are still in use decades later, the danger is still there.
Structural and mechanical components containing asbestos include:
The use of asbestos in the U.S. Coast Guard
U.S. Coast Guard locations associated with asbestos:
- U.S. Coast Guard Alameda, California
- U.S. Coast Guard Island Alameda, California
- U.S. Coast Guard Long Beach Base, California
- U.S. Coast Guard Yard, Baltimore, Maryland
- U.S. Coast Guard Sebago Lake, Maine
- U.S. Coast Guard Base San Juan Municipio, Store House, Puerto Rico
- U.S. Coast Guard Navigation School, Groton, Connecticut
- U.S. Coast Guard Gulfport, Mississippi
- U.S. Coast Guard Air Station, New York
- U.S. Coast Guard Station, Tybee Island, Georgia
- U.S. Coast Guard Station, Islamorada, Florida
- U.S. Coast Guard Air Station, St. Petersburg, Florida
- U.S. Coast Guard Station, Panama City, Florida
- U.S. Coast Guard Station, Yankeetown, Florida
Coast Guard occupations with a high risk of asbestos exposure:
To help U.S. Coast Guard veterans avoid misdiagnosis, we offer asbestos screenings
It’s important for patients and loved ones to note that many asbestos companies were forced to set up asbestos trust funds with adequate funds to pay out current and future claims, allowing veterans and their families to collect compensation years after the asbestos company was in operation. In addition to asbestos trust funds, members of the U.S. Military that have been diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases may be able to file a VA claim.
In order to claim compensation, the medical records that prove a diagnosis of an asbestos illness are required. Typically, it takes more than one doctor to reach a final diagnosis. As such, misdiagnosis is very common among asbestos victims.
When you seek the help of an expert, you’re much more likely to receive a prompt and accurate diagnosis that will allow you to go forward with the right treatment as soon as possible. To promote timely detection and help U.S. Coast Guard veterans avoid misdiagnosis, the medical specialists at Environmental Litigation Group, P.C. offer no-cost screenings at our facility in Birmingham, AL. If screening results show evidence of asbestos fibers in your lungs, you are eligible to file an asbestos trust fund claim and also a VA claim.
Surviving family members of deceased U.S. Coast Guard veterans are entitled to financial compensation
Surviving spouses and dependents of Coast Guard veterans who have died from an asbestos-related illness as a result of their service may be eligible for dependency and indemnity compensation. If their loved one has passed away from lung cancer, bronchial cancer, mesothelioma, asbestosis, and other asbestos-related pulmonary diseases, family members can also receive compensation from one or more of several trust funds created to provide financial compensation to victims and their families. Because the money comes from the asbestos trust funds which have been established to assist victims of asbestos exposure, the legal process involves no litigation and takes significantly less time to complete.
We handled thousands of asbestos exposure claims throughout the country and we have successfully recovered over $1.4 billion for over 25,000 asbestos-exposed clients and their families. We are highly experienced and skilled in protecting the rights of asbestos exposure victims and their family members.
Asbestos exposure jobs in the U.S. Coast Guard