ASBESTOS IN THE NAVY
Former nuclear submarine officer battles for his life after mesothelioma diagnosis

The Kalamazoo County commissioner, a former submarine officer, takes job leave to fight asbestos-related mesothelioma.

Weitz & Luxenberg has protected the legal rights of workers for 25 years – longer than most law firms in the nation. And in that time the firm's mesothelioma lawyers have won several billion dollars in verdicts and settlements for clients.

Asbestos rampant aboard Naval submarines

July 28, 2009 – A former U.S. Navy officer and current commissioner for Kalamazoo County in Michigan announced last week that he is taking a leave absence to battle the asbestos-related cancer, mesothelioma.

The commissioner, 69, joined the Navy when he was 19 years old and for 20 years worked predominantly aboard nuclear submarines. Unaware to him and numerous veterans at the time, many pipes, boilers and valves aboard Navy vessels contained asbestos.

He recently received an examination by a physician and was diagnosed with mesothelioma in June 2009. Doctors warned the asbestos-injured veteran about his lung condition and that he may only have six months to a year to live.

Asbestos in the military

Asbestos is known to lead to the development of serious illnesses, like mesothelioma, if the toxic fibers are inhaled or ingested. Due to the tight closed quarters below deck, the mesothelioma risk aboard submarines was great.

Many patients do not demonstrate symptoms of mesothelioma for 20 to 50 years after their initial exposure. Veterans who served many decades ago are currently being diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases as a result of exposure during service many years ago.

More than 300 products containing asbestos were used by the Navy and other military sectors from the 1930s through the 1970s, exposing thousands of military personnel to the toxic mineral during their service.

The commissioner will undergo surgery next week in Boston to remove his right lung and will receive chemotherapy treatments to further combat the cancer.

Time to seek justice

Government health authorities estimate that in the next decade more than 35,000 people nationwide will be diagnosed with the deadliest form of asbestos-related cancer, mesothelioma. This disease is most often the result of occupational exposure to asbestos – and usually contracted through employers’ negligence in caring for the health and safety of workers.

That’s why people diagnosed with mesothelioma and their surviving family members have strong cases in court.

If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, and seek FREE legal guidance and answers to your concerns, please notify us through the communication form below. We will pursue your claim with vigilance to help you pay for medical bills, future and past lost wages, and damages. There is no cost to you until we win a settlement or a verdict.