A site dedicated to helping mesothelioma victims access the compensation they deserve.

Mesothelioma Funds Administration seal

Mesothelioma
Funds Administration

Call (800) 763-9692
Mesothelioma Funds Administration seal

Mesothelioma
Funds Administration

Veteran Mesothelioma Case Examples

Many veterans who served in the Navy and the Air Force were around asbestos during their time in the military. This page describes eight examples of how mesothelioma claims involving veterans were resolved, including the settlement amount reported for each case. They are shared to show how these cases can work. They are not a prediction of any outcome for any other claim. There is no cost to speak with us about your service history.

Case examples at a glance

Branch Case Age Settlement amount
Navy Later shipyard work at Avondale Shipyard 88 $1.9 million
Navy Later construction work 80 $1 million
Navy Navy and civilian pipefitter 55 $1.4 million
Navy Marine mechanic (family case) 77 (age at death) $1.9 million
Navy Long HVAC career 84 $4.2 million
Air Force Aircraft mechanic, two decades 68 $1.8 million
Air Force Aircraft mechanic and welder 93 $5.8 million
Navy + civilian shipyard Puget Sound dry dock, smelter, and civilian shipyard work 76 $2.1 million

About these examples

Amounts shown are gross recoveries before deduction of attorneys’ fees, case expenses, and liens; the amount a family actually receives is less.

These cases involve US Navy and US Air Force veterans, plus one case combining Navy service with later civilian shipyard work. Ages ranged from 55 to 93. Most involved more than one exposure source: military service, a civilian trade, or, in a couple of cases, personal or household exposure to talcum powder products.

Each claim below was resolved through a negotiated settlement rather than a trial. The amounts shown are the settlement figures as reported for each case. For examples of publicly disclosed jury verdicts instead, see Navy Veteran Mesothelioma Verdicts and Settlements.

Navy case examples

Navy veteran with later shipyard work

This case resolved for approximately $1.9 million. The veteran in this example was diagnosed with mesothelioma at the age of 88. His asbestos exposure was described as coming, in part, from his time in the United States Navy, and in part from his later civilian work at Avondale Shipyard. The record does not specify further details of his service or shipyard work.

Shipyard work of this kind commonly involved asbestos-containing gaskets, insulation, and fireproofing material, and Navy vessels of that era used similar insulation extensively around engines and boilers. His case illustrates how exposure often accumulates across more than one chapter of a working life.

The claim was resolved through a negotiated settlement of approximately $1.9 million with the companies found responsible; like most asbestos claims, it did not go to trial. Veterans whose history combines Navy service with civilian shipyard work, like this one, may have claims against more than one asbestos trust fund, in addition to any VA disability claim tied to their military service.

Navy veteran with later construction work

This case resolved for approximately $1 million. This veteran was diagnosed with mesothelioma at the age of 80. His asbestos exposure was tied to two periods of his life: his service in the United States Navy, and years of construction work he did afterward. The record does not specify further dates or job details.

Construction work of that era regularly involved asbestos-containing insulation, joint compound, flooring, and cement products. Combined with Navy service, where asbestos was used throughout shipboard systems, his exposure history reflects a pattern common among veterans who moved from military service into a building trade.

The claim was resolved through a negotiated settlement of approximately $1 million with the companies found responsible. The case did not go to trial. A veteran with this kind of dual exposure history — active-duty Navy service followed by a civilian construction career — may be able to pursue a VA disability claim tied to the Navy portion of his service, while separately filing against one or more asbestos trust funds connected to the manufacturers whose products were used on the construction jobs that followed.

Navy veteran and civilian pipefitter

This case resolved for approximately $1.4 million. This veteran was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma at the age of 55 — notably younger than most of the veterans in these examples. He was exposed to asbestos while working as a pipefitter during his time in the United States Navy, and again later as a civilian employee. The record does not specify his civilian employer or trade.

Pipefitting was one of the occupations most consistently associated with asbestos exposure, aboard Navy vessels and in industrial settings alike — pipe insulation, packing, and gaskets used in this work commonly contained asbestos.

The claim was resolved through a negotiated settlement of approximately $1.4 million with the companies found responsible. Peritoneal mesothelioma, the form of the disease diagnosed in this case, affects the lining of the abdomen rather than the lining of the lungs, though it develops from the same kind of asbestos exposure. Because his exposure spans both Navy service and later civilian employment, a case like this can often support both a VA disability claim tied to the military portion of his history and one or more trust fund claims tied to the civilian portion.

Navy veteran, marine mechanic (case brought by family)

This case resolved for approximately $1.9 million. This case was brought by the family of a veteran who died from mesothelioma at the age of 77. During his service in the United States Navy, he worked as a marine mechanic. Later in life, he was also exposed to asbestos through automotive repair work and home renovation projects, and through his own use of talcum powder products as well as products used by other members of his family.

This case illustrates how exposure can come from more than military service alone. Automotive repair and home renovation work of this era commonly involved asbestos-containing brake linings, insulation, and flooring, and talcum powder products have separately been linked to asbestos exposure in a number of resolved claims where the talc itself was found to be contaminated.

The claim was resolved through a negotiated settlement of approximately $1.9 million with the companies found responsible. Because the veteran had already died by the time the claim was resolved, the case was pursued on his behalf by his family. This is one of the ways an asbestos claim can proceed after a veteran’s death — a surviving spouse or other family member can often still pursue a trust fund claim, a wrongful death claim, and VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation.

Navy veteran with a long HVAC career

This case resolved for approximately $4.2 million. This veteran was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma at the age of 84. He was exposed to asbestos during his service in the United States Navy, over the course of a long civilian career doing HVAC work, and through his personal use of talcum powder products.

HVAC work of that era commonly involved handling asbestos-containing insulation wrapped around ductwork, pipes, and boiler systems. Combined with Navy service, where similar insulation was standard, and his personal use of talcum powder products, his exposure came from three separate sources over the course of his life.

The claim was resolved through a negotiated settlement of approximately $4.2 million with the companies found responsible. A veteran with Navy and HVAC-trade exposure like this may have separate claims available through both a VA disability rating tied to his military service and one or more asbestos trust funds tied to the manufacturers whose products were used throughout his HVAC career.

Air Force case examples

Air Force veteran, aircraft mechanic for two decades

This case resolved for approximately $1.8 million. This veteran was diagnosed with mesothelioma at the age of 68. He served for two decades in the United States Air Force, working as a mechanic throughout that service. The record does not name a base, aircraft type, or specific years — only the length and nature of his work.

Aircraft maintenance work of this kind commonly involved asbestos-containing brake components, gaskets, and thermal insulation. Two decades in a mechanic’s role means repeated, sustained exposure over a long stretch of a military career, which is consistent with how many Air Force veterans’ asbestos cases develop.

The claim was resolved through a negotiated settlement of approximately $1.8 million with the companies found responsible for the asbestos-containing products involved in his work. Maintenance career fields like his are among those the VA already recognizes as carrying a higher likelihood of service-connected asbestos exposure, which can support a VA disability claim even where — as in this case — no additional civilian exposure is part of the record.

Air Force veteran, aircraft mechanic and industrial welder

This case resolved for approximately $5.8 million — the largest settlement among the veteran cases in this batch. This veteran was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma at the age of 93. He served in the United States Air Force as an aircraft mechanic, and later worked as a welder at a power station and other facilities the record does not name individually.

Aircraft mechanic work of this kind commonly involved asbestos-containing brake linings, gaskets, and insulation. Welding work at power stations carried its own significant exposure, from insulation around pipes and equipment and from welding blankets and gloves that were themselves often asbestos-containing. A career spanning military aircraft maintenance and later industrial welding reflects two distinct, well-documented categories of exposure.

The claim was resolved through a negotiated settlement of approximately $5.8 million with the companies found responsible. His combined military and industrial exposure — an Air Force maintenance career followed by industrial welding work — is the kind of history that can support both a VA disability claim tied to his service and a trust fund claim tied to his civilian employer or employers.

Navy and civilian shipyard case example

Navy veteran, dry dock work at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard

This case resolved for approximately $2.1 million. This veteran was diagnosed with mesothelioma at the age of 76. His asbestos exposure took several forms across both his military and civilian working life. During his time in the United States Navy, he spent time in dry dock at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. After his Navy service, he worked as a smelter at an Asarco plant, and separately spent additional years as a civilian employee at Puget Sound — meaning his connection to that naval shipyard continued beyond his active-duty service. The record does not specify the exact years of any of these positions.

Dry dock work during ship overhauls commonly involved heavy use of asbestos insulation and gaskets. Smelter work carries its own well-documented history of asbestos use in furnace linings and protective equipment. Combined with a second period of civilian employment at the same naval shipyard, his case reflects three separate potential sources of exposure spanning Navy service, industrial employment, and a return to shipyard work as a civilian.

The claim was resolved through a negotiated settlement of approximately $2.1 million with the companies found responsible. A case with this much exposure history — spanning Navy service, a naval shipyard, and an industrial smelter — can often involve claims against several different asbestos trust funds, in addition to a VA disability claim tied to the veteran’s military service.

What these cases have in common

A few patterns show up across these examples. Ages ranged from 55 to 93. Most of these veterans had more than one source of exposure over their lives — military service plus a civilian trade, and in a couple of cases, personal or household exposure to talcum powder products as well. Every claim above was resolved by settlement, not a jury verdict, which is the norm since most asbestos claims settle before trial. Settlement amounts ranged from $1 million to $5.8 million across this group of eight.

This is not a prediction of any other case’s outcome. Every case is different. The result of any claim depends on the diagnosis, the service and work history, and which companies are found responsible.

Trust funds, lawsuits, and VA benefits together

Many of the companies whose products caused this kind of exposure later filed for bankruptcy and set up trust funds to pay claims. A veteran with military and civilian exposure, like several of the cases above, may have claims against more than one trust fund, separate from any lawsuit or settlement. For the trusts most often relevant to Navy and shipyard exposure, see the asbestos trust funds directory.

A settlement or a trust fund claim does not replace VA benefits. They are separate paths. A veteran with mesothelioma may qualify for VA disability compensation, and a surviving spouse may qualify for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation. See VA benefits for mesothelioma and filing a VA claim and a trust claim together.

Get help with your claim

We help veterans and their families understand their compensation options. There is no cost to speak with us about your case.

Call: (800) 763-9692

Or fill out the form below.

Frequently asked questions

What do these case examples show?

They describe how mesothelioma claims involving Navy and Air Force veterans were resolved, including the settlement amount for each case, mostly through negotiated settlements with the companies that made or supplied the asbestos products involved.

How much did these veteran cases settle for?

The settlements described above range from $1 million to $5.8 million, as reported for each case. Every case is different, and these amounts are not a prediction of what any other claim would result in.

Can a veteran pursue a lawsuit or settlement, a trust fund claim, and a VA claim at the same time?

In many cases, yes. A lawsuit or settlement and trust fund claims are against private companies. VA benefits come from the government. Because they are separate, a veteran can often pursue more than one at the same time. A case review can confirm which options apply to a specific situation.

What happens if the veteran has already passed away?

A surviving spouse or dependent can often still file. This can include a trust fund claim, a wrongful death claim, and VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation.

How long after service can mesothelioma appear?

Mesothelioma commonly develops 10 to 50 years after a person is first around asbestos. A diagnosis decades after military service, as in every example above, is common.

Sources

Related pages