Florida Mesothelioma Resources for Veterans
Florida has the third-largest veteran population in the United States — more than 1.5 million veterans, many of whom retired to Florida after careers that involved heavy asbestos exposure. The state’s Naval bases, Air Force installations, and shipyards exposed sailors, airmen, and civilian workers to asbestos through the 1980s. Florida veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis may qualify for VA benefits and compensation from asbestos trust funds totaling $30+ billion.
Where Florida Veterans Were Most Likely Exposed
Florida military installations
- Naval Air Station Jacksonville — Jacksonville. Major Navy aviation and patrol-aircraft base. Aircraft maintenance hangars, P-3 Orion patrol aircraft, and pre-1980s housing all used asbestos.
- Naval Station Mayport — Jacksonville. Atlantic Fleet base. Ship maintenance and repair facilities. Heavy asbestos exposure for hull-maintenance and engineering personnel.
- Naval Air Station Pensacola — Pensacola. Cradle of Naval Aviation. Asbestos in hangars, training aircraft, and base infrastructure dating to WWII.
- Naval Air Station Whiting Field — Milton. Naval flight training. Aircraft brake systems and hangar fireproofing.
- Naval Air Station Key West — Key West. Fighter training and forward operating base.
- Eglin Air Force Base — Valparaiso/Niceville. Largest Air Force base in the country by area. Aircraft maintenance and munitions handling facilities.
- MacDill Air Force Base — Tampa. Refueling tanker base. Aircraft maintenance, base housing.
- Patrick Space Force Base (formerly Patrick AFB) — Brevard County. Cape Canaveral support. Pre-1980s facilities used asbestos in construction.
- Tyndall Air Force Base — Panama City. Fighter training base.
- Homestead Air Reserve Base — Homestead. Active Air Force facility, formerly Homestead AFB.
Florida shipyards and industrial exposure
- Tampa Shipyards (formerly Tampa Bay Shipbuilding) — major commercial ship repair during WWII and Korean War. Closed.
- Jacksonville Shipyards Inc — major civilian ship repair through 1990s.
- Bender Shipbuilding & Repair — Panama City. Asbestos insulation in vessels built and repaired here.
- Florida Power & Light power plants — Crystal River, Port Everglades, Riviera Beach. Asbestos in boiler insulation, turbine packing.
- Phosphate mining and processing facilities — Polk County, Hillsborough County. Asbestos in industrial equipment.
For service-branch-specific exposure detail, see Navy veteran asbestos exposure and Air Force veteran asbestos exposure.
Florida Statute of Limitations
- Personal injury (asbestos disease): 4 years from the date of diagnosis, per Florida Statutes § 95.11(3). Florida’s discovery rule starts the clock when the patient knew or reasonably should have known the disease was caused by asbestos exposure.
- Wrongful death: 2 years from the date of death, per Florida Statutes § 95.11(4)(d).
- VA disability claims: no statute of limitations.
- Asbestos trust fund claims: each trust has its own deadlines, typically 3–6 years from diagnosis.
Florida’s 4-year personal injury window is more generous than Texas (2 years) or many other states. The 2-year wrongful death window is standard.
VA Benefits for Florida Veterans
Florida has the largest VA healthcare system in the country, with major medical centers in:
- Bay Pines VA Healthcare System — St. Petersburg. Serves west-central Florida.
- James A. Haley VA Hospital — Tampa. Major specialty care including oncology.
- Malcom Randall VA Medical Center — Gainesville. Affiliated with University of Florida.
- Miami VA Healthcare System — Miami. South Florida regional hub.
- Orlando VA Healthcare System — Orlando + Lake Nona. Central Florida.
- West Palm Beach VA Medical Center — West Palm Beach.
VA Regional Office: St. Petersburg VA Regional Office serves all of Florida — 9500 Bay Pines Blvd, St. Petersburg, FL 33708.
For step-by-step filing, see how to file your VA mesothelioma claim. For survivor benefits, see the surviving spouse checklist.
Asbestos Trust Fund Compensation in Florida
Florida veterans may qualify for compensation from asbestos manufacturer trust funds in addition to VA benefits. The trust system was created when companies like Johns-Manville, Owens-Corning, Combustion Engineering, and others filed bankruptcy and set aside funds for exposure victims. See asbestos trust funds for veterans for the full mechanics. For dual claim mechanics, see how dual claims work.
Florida Cities — Local Resources
- Jacksonville — Mayo Clinic Jacksonville for advanced thoracic oncology. Heavy Navy/Mayport veteran population.
- Tampa — Moffitt Cancer Center, an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center, one of the country’s leading mesothelioma programs.
- Miami — Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami.
- Orlando — Orlando Health and AdventHealth oncology programs.
- Pensacola — Closest specialty care to Pensacola NAS veterans.
Frequently Asked Questions — Florida Veterans
I served at NAS Jacksonville in the 1970s and was just diagnosed. Will the VA recognize my exposure?
Yes, when documented. NAS Jacksonville aircraft maintenance, P-3 Orion ground crews, hangar fireproofing, and pre-1980s base housing all used asbestos. With proper documentation of your service period and MOS, claims for service-connected mesothelioma typically succeed.
I retired to Florida from Navy service elsewhere. Can I file with the Florida VA Regional Office?
Yes. The St. Petersburg VARO serves all Florida residents regardless of where you served. Your service connection is determined by your service record, not your current residence.
How does Florida’s 4-year statute compare to other states?
Florida’s 4-year window for asbestos personal injury claims is more generous than many states. Texas, for example, gives only 2 years from diagnosis. This doesn’t change VA timing (no statute) but matters for any state-court litigation or wrongful death claim.
I’m a Florida widow — my husband died of mesothelioma. What benefits can I claim?
VA DIC (Dependency and Indemnity Compensation), $1,653.07/month (2025 rate) baseline plus dependency allowances. Florida wrongful death (2-year window from death). Asbestos trust fund survivor benefits per each trust’s rules. See the surviving spouse checklist.
Do I need a Florida-licensed attorney?
For VA claims, no — VA-accredited representatives can be from anywhere. For Florida state-court asbestos litigation, your case must be filed in Florida and a Florida-licensed attorney must appear of record (often through co-counsel arrangement with national asbestos firms).
Related Resources
- Veterans resource hub
- Asbestos trust funds for veterans
- How to file your VA mesothelioma claim
- Navy veteran asbestos exposure
- Blue Water Navy asbestos exposure
- California mesothelioma resources
- Texas mesothelioma resources (companion state page)
Speak with someone confidentially. Call (800) 763-9692. There is no cost to call and no obligation. You can also request a vet case review online.
Authoritative source: For more on this topic, see VA Compensation — asbestos-related claims procedure.