Lawyers for Navy Veterans with Mesothelioma

Compensation Options for Navy Veterans with Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma Navy veterans deserve compensation for their suffering, expenses, and the impact the illness has on their families’ lives. Thankfully, there are clear legal routes to winning the financial support you deserve. 

These compensation options can be combined without impacting one another:

Asbestos Trust Fund Claims

Asbestos trust funds were set up in the 1980s to ensure funds were secured for mesothelioma victims when manufacturers went bankrupt. Today, there is over $30 billion available in these trusts. 

Navy veterans can file claims against multiple trusts if their exposure was caused by products from multiple companies. This process does not require a courtroom. 

Mesothelioma navy settlements from trust funds are typically less than via a personal injury lawsuit, but can still be significant. That’s because each trust assigns a base value to the diagnosis, paying only a percentage of the number (to ensure that the trust retains funds for other future claimants). 

Personal Injury Lawsuits

Any mesothelioma Navy veteran has the right to file a lawsuit against the manufacturers of the asbestos products they worked around. 

These lawsuits are not made against the U.S. Navy or the government. 

This route offers the largest settlement opportunity, often ranging from $1 million to $2 million (though the result is unique to each case). Your asbestos attorney will work to find proof that the time you served was when asbestos was present, linking it to your current diagnosis. 

Wrongful Death Claims

Surviving family members of Navy veterans who passed away following a mesothelioma diagnosis can file a wrongful death lawsuit to recover related expenses. These claims are made against the private asbestos manufacturers, not the Navy or government. 

Surviving families may also be able to pursue VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC). We specialize in mesothelioma claims for family members and welcome you to contact us today with any questions. 

VA Disability Compensation

Mesothelioma Navy veterans may also be eligible for VA disability compensation. This is a monthly, tax-free payment for any asbestos-related disease that is service-connected. 

As of 2026, mesothelioma has a 100% disability rating, which can result in over $3,930 per month for qualifying Navy veterans. 

Filing a VA disability claim requires you to have an asbestos-related diagnosis, information on when and where you served, and a doctor’s statement that links your condition to exposure during service. 

VA Health Care Benefits

Qualifying Navy Veterans with mesothelioma can also receive free or low-cost treatment at VA medical centers with mesothelioma specialization. This can help you to receive the medical treatment you deserve, and in some cases, you may also be reimbursed by the VFA for related treatment. 

How to File a VA Claim for Navy Asbestos Exposure

To file a VA disability claim for asbestos exposure while in the Navy, you need to show:

• A Medical Diagnosis

You must have a medical record proving diagnosis, either via VA medical records or private medical records. You can also include records and supporting statements (from people close to you, like family, friends, and co-workers) that show that your disability has gotten worse. 

• Evidence That Links Your Service to Your Illness

You will also need to link the diagnosis to your time in the Navy. First, this can be done via Navy service records, such as a DD2-14, personnel file, or ship assignment documentation. 

You will then need the crucial ‘nexus’ letter. This is an opinion from a doctor that states the mesothelioma was likely caused by asbestos exposure in the Navy. 

• File VA Form 21-526EZ

You can then begin the VA claims process via VA Form 21-526EZ online, by mail, or in person at a VA regional office. Processing will usually take around 4-6 months.

• Turn to Shrader & Associates for Further Help 

If you need any help with claim preparation and evidence gathering to support your claim, our team at Shrader & Associates can assist you. For example, we’ve helped many veterans to uncover crucial paperwork that showed the ships they worked on had the presence of asbestos. 

Why Lawsuits Target Manufacturers, Not the Navy

Understandably, many mesothelioma Navy veterans don’t want to take legal action against the Navy or the government. 

We don’t do that. Instead, our asbestos-related lawsuits are made against the manufacturer – not the military. 

Many of these companies knew the health risks of using asbestos in their products and continued to supply them to the Navy anyway. From engine‑room insulation to boiler lagging and pipe gaskets, the negligence over these products entitles victims to compensation.

Specific Navy Ships and Asbestos 

Manufacturers sold and supplied products that contained asbestos to the Navy in large quantities. Thousands of vessels contained it, with arguably every ship built before the mid-1980s a potential mesothelioma risk. 

Aircraft carriers, battleships, cruisers, destroyers, frigates, submarines, amphibious vessels, minesweepers, and auxiliary ships are all included in lists of identified vessels. You can view a list of some of the notable asbestos-exposing Navy ships here.

In recent years, thousands of boatswain’s mates, boiler technicians, pipefitters, and welders have made claims after the delayed mesothelioma symptoms have begun to appear.

Any veterans who worked around the following products were particularly at risk of exposure:

• Adhesives
• Boilers
• Cables
• Caulk
• Deck coverings
• Engines
• Grinders
• Heat shields
• Insulation
• Paint
• Pipe coverings
• Pumps
• Rope
• Tiles
• Tubes
• Turbines
• Valves