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  • Home > Merchant Marine Seaman

Merchant Marine Seaman

Merchant marine seamen are at risk of developing mesothelioma, a cancer related to inhaling asbestos particles, because asbestos was widely used in the construction of ships until the late 1970s. The longer a merchant marine seaman, mariner or sailor served aboard ship, the greater the seaman’s chances of exposure to asbestos and development of asbestos-related disease. With the slow onset of mesothelioma, a seaman may not notice symptoms of asbestos-related disease until decades after exposure and duty on a ship.

If you served as a merchant marine seaman and have recently been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you may have a legal right to seek compensation from the asbestos manufacturers that caused your disease.

The knowledgeable New York mesothelioma attorneys at Belluck & Fox LLP help victims of mesothelioma, including merchant marine seamen and their families, obtain financial security so that you can focus on your health and pay the medical bills. We have documented the brands of asbestos used in many New York industrial settings, including shipyards, and can link asbestos made by specific manufacturers to asbestos exposure during service on specific ships and vessels. It’s important for you to understand your legal options if you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma and to work with a New York attorney knowledgeable about asbestos and maritime exposures.

Speak with an experienced NY asbestos claims attorney by calling (888) 803-6231 or use our online contact form.

Merchant Seamen and Mesothelioma

Asbestos exposure is an occupational hazard for a merchant marine seaman. Asbestos was widely used in maritime and naval ships, including cargo ships, tankers and freighters, until the late 1970s. Asbestos was used in insulation on boilers, as insulation wrap for steam pipes and in gaskets and packings used in pipes, valves and machinery. As asbestos wrap ages, it can become brittle and release asbestos fibers into the air. Microscopic asbestos fibers can float in the air for days, allowing them to be unknowingly inhaled by a merchant marine seaman.

A study published in the Journal of Industrial Medicine by researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York analyzed the chest x-rays of more than 3,300 long-term U.S. merchant marine seamen and found that a third of the seamen showed abnormalities in the lining of the lung—the location where mesothelioma typically develops. There was a correlation between the likelihood of abnormalities and the length of duty on a ship, as well as the job aboard ship. The prevalence of changes caused by asbestos was greater among merchant marine seamen who worked in the engine room of ships compared to other duties.

Breathing asbestos may cause asbestosis, a scarring of the lungs that causes breathing problems. Inhaling asbestos fibers also may cause lung cancer and mesothelioma, a cancer of the pleural membrane or thin lining surrounding the lung or the abdominal cavity if asbestos is swallowed. If you are a long-time mariner or seafarer, it is likely that you served at some point on a ship or ships containing chrysotile asbestos products, amosite asbestos or crocidolite asbestos. The symptoms of mesothelioma may take 20 to 40 years to develop, so sometimes mariners don’t immediately connect their health problems with exposure to asbestos decades ago in the 1960s or 1970s

If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, there is no charge to talk with a knowledgeable mesothelioma lawyer who can explain your legal options. It will allow you to make an informed decision about your family’s future.

Contact An Experienced Merchant Marine Mesothelioma Claims Attorney

At Belluck & Fox, LLP, we understand the health hazards that a merchant marine seaman faces from exposure to asbestos. We are committed to helping victims of mesothelioma by holding accountable asbestos manufacturers for the harm they caused hard-working families. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, it’s important to talk to a knowledgeable mesothelioma claims lawyer to understand your legal options.

Belluck & Fox LLP is a nationally recognized law firm that represents individuals with asbestos and mesothelioma claims. The New York asbestos litigation law firm has won more than $200 million in compensation for its clients and their families. While no amount of money will make up for the loss of good health or the death of a loved one, compensation obtained through an asbestos lawsuit can relieve worries about paying medical bills and help secure your family’s future.

There is a time limit after diagnosis of mesothelioma for filing asbestos claims, so it’s important to talk to an experienced mesothelioma lawsuit lawyer right away. We will provide you professional and personalized service, so please call for help.

For a free evaluation of your asbestos claim, contact the firm at (888) 803-6231 or through our online contact form.