Mesothelioma in the Coast Guard

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Mesothelioma and Coast Guard Veterans

Men and women who served in the U.S. Coast Guard at any time between World War II and the early 1980s may be at risk of developing mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, or another asbestos-related disease.

It takes 10-50 years for mesothelioma to develop after initial asbestos exposure, meaning its first symptoms usually appear well after the veteran served in the military.

If you served in the Coast Guard and were diagnosed with mesothelioma, you can pursue financial and medical benefits through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). You may also qualify for legal compensation to help pay for treatment and provide support for your family.

Get a Free Veterans Packet to learn more about accessing VA benefits.

Resources for Mesothelioma and Coast Guard Veterans

VA Financial Benefits

The VA offers benefits designed to relieve the financial burden of living with mesothelioma for victims and their loved ones. VA officers and accredited lawyers can help you file your VA claim.

Some eligibility requirements for VA benefits include:

• Being an honorably discharged veteran
• Providing a detailed report of your asbestos exposure
• Showing that over 50% of the exposure occurred during military service

Mesothelioma has a 100% disability rating according to the VA. This means that former Coast Guard service members are usually eligible for the maximum payout for disability compensation.

Other VA benefits may be available based on income, number of dependents, or caregiver needs.

VA Health Care Benefits

The VA health care system has some of the best mesothelioma surgeons in the world. Many mesothelioma Coast Guard veterans can get free treatment for this cancer, from these specialists.

Private Compensation

Manufacturers made and sold asbestos-containing products to the U.S. Coast Guard, even though they knew of the deadly risks. These companies could be held financially responsible if you developed an asbestos-related disease after being exposed to their products.

You may be eligible to receive compensation from an asbestos trust fund or a mesothelioma lawsuit. Both legal options may allow you and your family to access the financial help and justice you deserve.

Asbestos lawsuits are not filed against the U.S. Coast Guard. Instead, they are filed against the manufacturers responsible for your cancer.

Many manufacturers of asbestos-based products filed for bankruptcy to avoid being sued. However, they were forced to set up asbestos trust funds to help pay victims for the harm they caused. These funds have over $30 billion, and you may qualify to receive a portion of this money.

Learn more about accessing legal compensation now by speaking with a mesothelioma attorney.

U.S. Coast Guard Ships and Asbestos

Because asbestos is so effective at fireproofing, it was widely used to protect U.S. Coast Guard ships from fires while at sea. However, any time Coast Guardsmen installed, repaired, or removed ship components, they faced potential asbestos exposure.

Because military ships typically had poor ventilation, asbestos fibers that were disturbed and became airborne could circulate for hours in small, enclosed areas, such as boiler rooms and engine rooms. Anyone who entered these spaces may have come into contact with asbestos.

As time went on, the asbestos-containing products in Coast Guard ships deteriorated, releasing asbestos fibers into the air. This was common when ships from World War II were reused in later missions.

List of Coast Guard Cutters With Asbestos

U.S. Coast Guard cutters (ships) constructed before 1991 are known to have had asbestos materials aboard. In turn, service members assigned to Coast Guard cutters made before this time may be at risk of developing mesothelioma.

Coast Guard cutters that used asbestos included: 

• USCGC Absecon (WHEC-374)
• USCGC Boutwell (WHEC-719)
• USCGC Campbell (WMEC-909)
• USCGC Dallas (WHEC-716)
• USCGC Escape (WMEC-6)
• USCGC Gallatin (WHEC-721)

Coast guard cutters weren't the only military vessels to use asbestos. Many other Navy ships used asbestos as an insulator and fireproofing agent.

History of Asbestos Use in the Coast Guard

Because asbestos is so versatile, it was used in almost all Coast Guard ships, weapons systems, and infrastructure. In fact, each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces used asbestos extensively.

On Coast Guard bases and ships, asbestos was commonly found in:

• Boiler rooms
• Cables
• Ceiling and floor tiles
• Electrical wiring
• Engine rooms
• Gaskets
• Insulation
• Mess halls
• Piping
• Valves

For much of the 20th century, the military had no reason to suspect that asbestos was dangerous. Only the manufacturers of asbestos-containing products knew of these dangers, but they hid the truth until the late 1970s.

The Coast Guard has since removed almost all of the asbestos from its ships and other assets — but not before thousands of service members were already exposed.

Coast Guard Jobs With High Asbestos Exposure Risk

Coast Guardsmen who worked directly with asbestos on a consistent basis have the highest rates of asbestos exposure and, in turn, mesothelioma.

Below, learn more about dangerous jobs in the Coast Guard.

Shipyard Workers

Coast Guard veterans with the highest risk of asbestos exposure typically worked in shipyards. These workers were constantly exposed to asbestos as they built, overhauled, and tore down ships.

Because asbestos was used in so many different areas of the ships, it was nearly impossible for any shipyard worker to avoid exposure. Mechanics who installed and repaired ship components were also at risk.

Construction and Demolition Workers

Coast Guardsmen used dozens of asbestos-containing products during the construction, renovation, or demolition of buildings. Common asbestos products found in Coast Guard buildings were piping, floor or ceiling tiles, and insulation.

“Exceptional exposures [to asbestos] may have occurred during certain maintenance procedures (e.g. tearing up entire floor surfaces of asbestos-containing floor tiles and torching or sanding surfaces painted with lead-containing paint) without the use of personal protective equipment.”

– United States Coast Guard official website

When asbestos-containing products are disturbed, toxic particles are released into the air and can cling to hair and clothing. Workers and those nearby can inhale or ingest the asbestos fibers unknowingly, putting them at risk of deadly illnesses down the road.

Secondhand Asbestos Exposure Risks in the Coast Guard

Because U.S. Coast Guard bases and ships relied heavily on asbestos-containing materials, families who lived with service members may have been put at risk through secondhand exposure.

For example, when asbestos fibers clung to service members’ uniforms or hair, they could be inhaled by family members through physical contact or as the uniforms were washed.

Get a Free Veterans Packet to learn more about secondhand exposure.

Get Help Filing Your Mesothelioma VA Claim

Filing for Coast Guard mesothelioma VA benefits or legal compensation without help can be difficult because you may not remember how, when, or where you were exposed to asbestos.

Thankfully, our VA-accredited claims agents are available to help make the process easier. We have decades of experience in helping veterans get their VA benefits as quickly as possible. Our team can also help you and your family get private benefits too.

File a Coast Guard VA benefits claim now.