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Asbestos On Navy Ships - Levy Konigsberg
Last updated on June 2026

HAVE YOU BEEN EXPOSED TO ASBESTOS AND DEVELOPED MESOTHELIOMA OR RELATED HEALTH PROBLEMS?

You May Be Entitled To Substantial CompensationAsbestos On Navy Ships - Levy Konigsberg

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Mesothelioma And Asbestos Exposure

ASBESTOS EXPOSURES FROM NAVY SHIPS

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For decades, the attorneys at Levy Konigsberg have proudly represented Navy veterans and their families. Between the 1940s and 1990s, hundreds of thousands of sailors toiled in the cramped workspaces of naval vessels, operating machinery and equipment that kept their ships seaworthy.

Unbeknownst to our veterans, much of the equipment they operated and regularly repaired contained numerous asbestos components that poisoned their lungs. Years of investigation and litigation has revealed that the companies who enriched themselves through government contracts to supply safe equipment to the Navy were aware of the link between asbestos exposure from their products and lung disease.

Much of the asbestos exposure suffered aboard these vessels occurred in the boiler rooms and engineering spaces.

Sailors of various ratings, including boilertenders, machinist mates, electricians, firemen, and equipment operators, regularly worked in poorly ventilated, cramped workspaces, operating and maintaining various pieces of equipment that kept the vessels moving.

Equipment, including boilers, pumps, valves, tanks, condensers, and turbines, required around-the-clock oversight, and regular maintenance.

Asbestos exposure aboard these vessels was extensive. For example, in the engineering spaces, sailors were required to understand, operate and repair numerous pumps. Generally, each engine room contained one primary pump and one backup pump, if not more, in case of a pump malfunction.

A variety of pumps, including overboard brine pumps, condensate pumps, fuel pumps, water pumps, condenser pumps, fire pumps and bilge pumps, carried out different operations, but all contained numerous pieces of asbestos insulation. Working in close proximity to each other, sailors regularly opened these pumps, which first required removing thick asbestos insulation from the pump’s body.

Then, using a knife or other tool, sailors would meticulously remove the worn asbestos gaskets and packing from the pump, which released thousands of asbestos fibers into the air. Once clean, sailors would install new asbestos components, often times fabricating gaskets and packing by hand from sheets of asbestos.

Other equipment in the engine rooms required just as much maintenance. Reduction gears, deaerating feed tanks, turbo generators, turbines, valves of all sizes, and air compressors were installed through the engineering spaces, and required constant oversight and maintenance.

Like the pumps installed in these engine rooms, much of this equipment was heavily insulated with asbestos fiber due to the heat produced by the machinery. Working in close proximity, sailors removed this insulation, and regularly inspected the machinery for defects and maintenance needs.

Various asbestos components, including gaskets, packing material, block, rope and insulation was regularly installed and replaced during cruises, to ensure proper performance while at sea.

Similarly, asbestos exposure was rampant in naval boiler rooms. Equipment regularly installed in these workspaces included boilers, forced air draft blowers, feed pumps, booster pumps, fuel oil service pumps, feed water tanks, fresh water tanks, valves and air compressors.

Sailors in the boiler rooms were required to understand how to operate, maintain and repair all of this equipment. During cruises, sailors climbed into the boilers to scrape the machine clean, often removing worn gaskets, packing material and rope.

Because this machinery was in constant use, around-the-clock maintenance of the machinery was required, which required regular changing of worn asbestos gaskets and packing.

In 2008, Levy Konigsberg represented Douglas Pokorney, in a lawsuit against several corporations whose products were installed in the boiler room of the USS Roan. Mr. Pokorney alleged that he was regularly exposed to vast amounts of asbestos dust from Foster Wheeler boilers installed on the USS Roan, while carrying out his boiler room duties.

A Syracuse jury agreed, awarding $5 million dollars, and found Foster Wheeler liable for a significant portion of the damages due to Mr. Pokorney’s regular exposure to gaskets, insulation and other asbestos components installed on the ship’s boilers.

Like many other defendants, Foster Wheeler attempted to place responsibility on the Navy, despite knowing for decades that a link existed between exposure to asbestos and lung disease. This argument was rejected by the jury. For more information on this case, please click here.

WERE YOU EXPOSED TO ASBESTOS AND DEVELOPED MESOTHELIOMA OR OTHER HEALTH ISSUES?

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Some of the Navy ships where we have confirmed that many workers suffered significant asbestos exposures include the following:

• SS Atlantic
• SS Borinquen
• SS Carrier Pigeon
• SS Cape Nome
• SS Colgate Victory
• SS Export Champion
• SS Export Courier
• SS Exminster
• SS Flying Arrow
• SS Flying Hawk
• SS Flying Trader
• SS Frederick E. Williamson (1944)
• SS Hawaiian Planter
• SS Hong Kong Transport
• SS Manhattan (1962)
• SS Marine Adder
• SS Marine Jumper
• SS Marine Tiger
• SS Matsonia (aka Etolin)
• SS Mormaclark
• SS Mormacmail (1946)
• SS Mormacmar
• SS Mormacsun
• SS Mormacsurf
• SS Muhlenberg Victory
• SS Sea Pegasus
• SS Sea Tiger
• SS Wabash Victory
• SS Yale Victory
• USCGC Acacia (WAGL-406)
• USS Admiral E.W. Eberle (AP-123)
• USS Alamosa (AK-156)
• USS Albany (CA-123)
• USS Albert T. Harris (DE-447)
• USS Alcor (AK-259)
• USS Alexander Hamilton (SSBN-617)
• USS Alhena (AKA-9)
• USS Allagash (AO-97)
• USS America (CV-66)
• USS Archer-Fish (SS-311)
• USS Ashland (LSD-1)
• USS Baltimore (CA-68)
• USS Benham (DD-796)
• USS Benjamin Franklin (SSBN-640)
• USS Benner (DD-807)
• USS Bennington (CV-20)
• USS Betelgeuse (AK-28, AKA-11)
• USS Betelgeuse (AK-260)
• USS Billfish (SSN-676)
• USS Black (DD-666)
• USS Block Island (CVE-106)
• USS Blue (DD-744)
• USNS Blue Jacket (T-AF-51)
• USS Bon Homme Richard (CV-31)
• USS Boston (CA-69)
• USS Boxer (CV-21)
• USS Bridget (DE-1024)
• USS Brinkley Bass (DD-887)
• USS Bristol (DD-857)
• USS Brownson (DD-868)
• USS Bunker Hill (CV-17)
• USS Burdo (APD-133)
• USS Cadmus (AR-14)
• USS Canberra (CA-70)
• USS Canisteo (AO-99)
• USS Carter Hall (LSD-3)
• USS Casa Grande (LSD-13)
• USS Casablanca (CVE-55)
• USS Cassin (DD-372)
• USS Cassin Young (DD-793)
• USS Catoctin (AGC-5)
• USS Chandeleur (AV-10)
• USS Charles H. Roan (DD-853)
• USS Charles J. Badger (DD-657)
• USS Charles R. Ware (DD-865)
• USS Charles S. Sperry (DD-697)
• USS Chicago (CA-136)
• USS Chipola (AO-63)
• USS Cimarron (AO-22)
• USS Clamagore (SS-343)
• USS Cleveland (CL-55)
• USS Collett (DD-730)
• USS Comfort (AH-6)
• USS Compton (DD-705)
• USS Cone (DD-866)
• USS Constellation (CV-64)
• USS Coontz (DDG-40)
• USS Coral Sea (CV-43)
• USS Croaker (SS-246)
• USNS Curtiss (T-AVB-4)
• USS Custer (APA-40)
• USS Dahlgren (DLG-12)
• USS Darter (SS-576)
• USS Davis (DD-937)
• USS Delong (DE-684)
• USS Des Moines (CA-134)
• USS Dewey (DDG-45)
• USS Dixie (AD-14)
• USS Donner (LSD-20)
• USS Douglas H. Fox (DD-779)
• USS Du Pont (DD-941)
• USS DuPage (APA-41)
• USS English (DD-696)
• USS Entemedor (SS-340)
• USS Enterprise (CV-6)
• USS Enterprise (CVN-65)
• USS Essex (CV-9)
• USS Evans (DE-1023)
• USS Everglades (AD-24)
• USS Fargo (CL-106)
• USS Farragut (DLG-6)
• USS Fayette (APA-43)
• USS Finback (SSBN-670)
• USS Fiske (DD-842)
• USS Flasher (SS-249)
• USS Fletcher (DD-445)
• USS Flying Fish (SS-229)
• USS Flying Fish (SSN-673)
• USS Foote (DD-511)
• USS Forrestal (CV-59)
• USS Fort Mandan (LSD-21)
• USNS Pvt. Francis X. McGraw (T-AK-241)
• USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CV-42)
• USS Fred T. Berry (DD-858)
• USS Fulton (AS-11)
• USS Gatling (DD-671)
• USNS Geiger (T-AP-197)
• USS George Bancroft (SSBN-643)
• USS Gillette (DE-681)
• USS Glenard P. Lipscomb (SSN-685)
• USS Glennon (DD-840)
• USS Greenling (SSN-614)
• USS Grundy (APA-111)
• USS Gunston Hall (LSD-44)
• USS Gunston Hall (LSD-5)
• USS Gurke (DD-783)
• USS Hailey (DD-556)
• USS Hambleton (DD-455)
• USS Hammerberg (DE-1015)
• USS Hanson (DD-832)
• USS Harder (SS-568)
• USS Haynsworth (DD-700)
• USS Hazelwood (DD-536)
• USS Heermann (DD-532)
• USS Helena (CA-75)
• USS Henrico (APA-45)
• USS Hilary P. Jones (DD-427)
• USS Holder (DD-819)
• USS Hopewell (DD-681)
• USS Hornet (CV-12)
• USS Howard D. Crow (DE-252)
• USS Hugh Purvis (DD-709)
• USS Hull (DD-945)
• USS Hunley (AS-31)
• USS Independence (CV-62)
• USS Intrepid (CV-11)
• USS Iowa (BB-61)
• USS Iwo Jima (LPH-2)
• USS James E. Kyes (DD-787)
• USS John King (DDG-3)
• USS John Paul Jones (DD-932)
• USS John R. Pierce (DD-753)
• USS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. (DD-850)
• USS Kearsarge (CV-33)
• USS Kennebec (AO-36)
• USS Keppler (DD-765)
• USS Kidd (DD-661)
• USS King (DDG-41 )
• USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63)
• USS Krishna (ARL-38)
• USCGC Kukui (WAK-186)
• USS Kyne (DE-744)
• USS L.Y. Spear (AS-36)
• USS Lafayette (SSBN-616)
• USS Laffey (DD-724)
• USS Lake Champlain (CV-39)
• USS Lexington (CV-16)
• USS Leyte (CV-32)
• USS Liberty (AGTR-5)
• USS Little Rock (CL-92)
• USS LST-274
• USS LST-316
• USS Ludlow (DD-438)
• USS Lynde McCormick (DDG-8)
• USS L.Y. Spears (AS-36)
• USS Macon (CA-132)
• USS Major (DE-796)
• USS Marias (AO-57)
• USS Markab (AD-21)
• USS Marlboro (APB-38)
• USS Mars (AFS-1)
• USS Meade (DD-602)
• USS Midway (CV-41)
• USS Missouri (BB-63)
• USS Mitscher (DL-2)
• USS Monongahela (AO-42)
• USS Monrovia (APA-31)
• USS Mount McKinley (AGC-7)
• USS Murphy (DD-603)
• USS Nantahala (AO-60)
• USS Narwhal (SS-167)
• USS Narwhal (SSN-671)
• USS Nautilus (SSN-571)
• USS Neches (AO-47)
• USS Nevada (BB-36)
• USS New Jersey (BB-62)
• USS Newport News (CA-148)
• USS Nitro (AE-2)
• USS Noa (DD-841)
• USS North Carolina (BB-55)
• USS Northampton (CLC-1)
• USS O’Hare (DD-889)
• USS Oak Hill (LSD-7)
• USS Ohio (SSGN-726)
• USS Okinawa (LPH-3)
• USS Oklahoma City (CL-91)
• USS Oregon City (CA-122)
• USS Orion (AS-18)
• USS Oriskany (CV-34)
• USS Osberg (DE-538)
• USS Patoka (AO-9)
• USS Philip (DD-498)
• USS Picuda (SS-382)
• USS Pinkney (APH-2)
• USS Piper (SS-409)
• USS Pocono (AGC-16)
• USS Prairie (AD-15)
• USS Prevail (AM-107)
• USS Princeton (CV-37)
• USS Providence (CL-82)
• USS Raleigh (LPD-1)
• USS Randolph (CV-15)
• USS Renshaw (DD-499)
• USS Renville (APA-227)
• USS Richard B. Russell (SSN-687)
• USS Richard E. Byrd (DDG-23)
• USS Richard S. Edwards (DD-950)
• USS Ringgold (DD-500)
• USS Robert A. Owens (DD-827)
• USS Robert D. Conrad (T-AGOR-3)
• USS Robert H. McCard (DD-822)
• USS Rodman (DD-456)
• USS Salem (CA-139)
• USS San Pablo (AVP-30)
• USS Saratoga (CV-3)
• USS Saratoga (CV-60)
• USS Sarsfield (DD-837)
• USS Saufley (DD-465)
• USS Schroeder (DD-501)
• USS Sea Robin (SS-407)
• USNS Sgt. Archer T. Gammon (T-AK-243)
• USS Shenandoah (AD-26)
• USS Shreveport (LPD-12)
• USS Sierra (AD-18)
• USS Sigsbee (DD-502)
• USS Sims (DE-154)
• USS Skagit (AKA-105)
• USS Soley (DD-707)
• USS Somers (DD-947)
• USS South Dakota (BB-57)
• USS Southerland (DD-743)
• USS Springfield (CL-66)
• USS Stormes (DD-780)
• USS Stribling (DD-867)
• USS Surfbird (AM-383)
• USS Sylvania (AFS-2)
• USS Tennessee (BB-43)
• USS Thetis Bay (CVE-90)
• USS Thomas J. Gary (DE-326)
• USS Ticonderoga (CV-14)
• USS Topeka (CL-67)
• USS Trigger (SS-564)
• USS Trout (SS-566)
• USS Turner (DD-834)
• USS Turner Joy (DD-951)
• USS Tusk (SS-426)
• USNS Upshur (T-AP-198)
• USS Valley Forge (CV-45)
• USS Vancouver (LPD-2)
• USS Waccamaw (AO-109)
• USS Waldron (DD-699)
• USS Walton (DE-361)
• USS Warrington (DD-843)
• USS Wasatch (AGC-9)
• USS Wasp (CV-18)
• USS Wilkinson (DL-5)
• USS William R. Rush (DD-714)
• USS Willis A. Lee (DD-929)
• USS Windsor (APA-55); SS Excelsior
• USS Woolsey (DD-437)
• USS Worcester (CL-144)
• USS Yellowstone (AD-27)
• USS Yorktown (CV-10)
• USS Zeal (AM-131)

We handle mesothelioma lawsuits against major companies that exposed people to asbestos and put their health at risk.

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We work on contingency, which means there’s no cost to hire and no fee unless we win.

Why Choose Levy Konigsberg?

Since the 1980s, Levy Konigsberg has evolved into a nationwide powerhouse for mesothelioma litigation in the U.S. Our national mesothelioma lawyers have represented numerous individuals and groups of workers, successfully securing multimillion-dollar settlements and verdicts.

 

Our top-rated mesothelioma lawyers have:

  • A massive knowledge of asbestos law and science
  • Decades of experience to their legal practices
  • Tried hundreds of asbestos and mesothelioma cases before juries
  • Secured record mesothelioma and asbestos compensation verdicts
  • Achieved some of the highest peer reviews and ratings available
  • Helped hundreds of satisfied clients

Additionally, we offer:

  • A caring and understanding approach to your case
  • Personalized attention and counsel based on each unique case
  • No upfront costs for handling your mesothelioma case
  • Fast and efficient handling of your mesothelioma case
  • Frequent case updates and reliable attorney accessibility

Understanding the science of asbestos exposure is an invaluable resource. One of the many benefits of our early involvement in mesothelioma litigation is our access to pioneering researchers and experts in this complex and ever-changing medical field. We put these experts to work on behalf of our clients, in the courtroom and in treatment of their disease.

Our lawyers bring to bear on every case a level of experience that can only come from decades of working together toward a common goal—maximum compensation for mesothelioma victims and their families.

Each new generation of mesothelioma attorneys at the firm acquires the skills, techniques, and knowledge of our senior partners through mentoring relationships. Not only does this benefit every lawyer, but it also benefits our clients in the form of consistently successful representation.

 

A Long History of Success in Mesothelioma Cases

Countless lawyers who advertise themselves as mesothelioma attorneys have never actually handled an asbestos case before. In fact, they refer them out to real mesothelioma lawyers for a fee.

That is not how we operate.

We are true, experienced mesothelioma attorneys who personally work on each case from beginning to end. We are always happy to meet our clients, whether at our New York, New Jersey, California, Georgia, Washington, or Maryland offices, at a client’s home or hospital, or anywhere in the country.

Our legal team has succeeded by negotiating tirelessly with manufacturers of asbestos products and their insurance companies, no matter how influential or uncooperative they are. We are even often able to recover compensation from companies that have long been bankrupt.

Most defense lawyers are familiar with our solid reputation and credentials and know in advance that we will not settle for less than the best possible offer. They know that we build every mesothelioma and asbestos case as if it is going to trial, and we have taken hundreds of cases to juries when a fair settlement had not been offered.

The mesothelioma attorneys at Levy Konigsberg have also served as lead counsel in major state and federal mass consolidation cases designed to benefit many hundreds of people diagnosed with mesothelioma and other types of asbestos-related diseases.

We are proud of the work our lawyers do on behalf of our clients, often in groundbreaking cases against the toughest defendants. Our law firm has obtained landmark asbestos and mesothelioma jury verdicts for exposures to welding rods, cable, asbestos gaskets and packing, commercial talc, and industrial equipment, including the first-ever jury verdicts against welding rod, cable, and commercial talk manufacturers.

Our law firm is frequently referenced by the legal press for our association with the largest and landmark asbestos and mesothelioma verdicts in virtually every category, including various jurisdictions, types of asbestos products involved, and forms of asbestos exposure.

We have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation for victims of mesothelioma and asbestos cancers, and we are prepared to fight for you.

 

Providing Your Case with the Individual Attention It Deserves

Unfortunately, many law firms today use a generalized approach to handling cases of the same type, even those as complex as mesothelioma cases.

With a goal of cutting back on the time spent on each case, they use broad-brush practices and techniques to process cases as fast as they can, often risking the possibility of missing important details in a case and, thus, undermining the goal of negotiating the best possible compensation for their clients.

Contrary to such mentality, we treat every case as if it was our only one. We investigate each case with a team of lawyers, paralegals, and leading experts in the field, all while being in constant communication with the clients, to ensure that we have done everything we could to reach the full potential of each individual case.

In many courts, mesothelioma cases are treated urgently and given high priority. This is particularly true if the claimant is alive. In some jurisdictions, the entire case can be resolved within four to five months; in others, it can take longer.

Here, at Levy Konigsberg, our mesothelioma cancer attorneys do everything possible to avoid delays and move our clients’ cases as quickly as we can. We accomplish this in large part due to the coordinated work of our team members and the fact that every mesothelioma case goes through a strict control and supervision, including regular follow-ups and reviews by the lead lawyers.

Our mesothelioma attorneys update clients on a regular basis, so that they always know of every important development on their case and that it is being taken care of. Our lawyers and support staff take every phone call with a high level of priority and try to answer them on the spot.

If unavailable at that very moment, we call clients back as promptly as possible. It is not uncommon that our mesothelioma attorneys provide clients with their personal cell phone numbers to address any urgent questions that the clients may have in the future.

 

Reach Out to Our Award-Winning Mesothelioma Attorneys Today for a Free Consultation

Our mesothelioma attorneys fight for justice on behalf of innocent people, including the victims of deadly asbestos exposure. Companies that knew the threat asbestos poses must be held accountable for the illnesses and harm that resulted from their negligence. If you were exposed to asbestos, the mesothelioma lawyers at Levy Konigsberg are ready to help.

Our partners have been honored with an AV® Preeminent™ rating, the highest given, from the nationwide Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™. Year after year, our partners are designated by their peers as Super Lawyers® and as the Best Lawyers® in America.

While we are proud of our awards and accolades, our clients remain the central and most important part of our practice. Their satisfaction is our top priority. We understand that every client’s case is their whole life. Our attorneys treat each client with the care they deserve, addressing their unique needs and doing our utmost to help them put their life back together as much as possible.

We offer a free initial consultation, and cover the expenses of building your case, so there is no cost to you unless we recover compensation for you.

We have offices located in New York, New Jersey, California, Georgia, Washington, and Maryland. Many of our mesothelioma lawyers are licensed to practice law in a number of U.S. states and have the capability and extensive experience of representing mesothelioma clients throughout the United States. You are encouraged to contact us with any questions.

Cases of Asbestos Exposure

Mesothelioma News

ATTENTION: Mesothelioma has no known cure and often causes severe pain, suffering, and other types of damage, such as loss of consortium, and loss of income. Additionally, due to the exceedingly high cost of mesothelioma treatments, many families exhaust savings and accumulate financial debt in order to pay for the medical expenses of their family member.

Under the law of most states, pain and suffering from mesothelioma may be compensated through the award of money damages, usually obtained with the help of experienced mesothelioma attorneys. In some states other types of damages may also be recovered.

Asbestos litigation affords mesothelioma victims the opportunity to receive financial compensation and hold accountable the companies that caused their asbestos exposure.

IMPORTANT: If you or your family member has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you should get in touch with a mesothelioma lawyer as early as possible to determine if you have a mesothelioma case and to:

  • Preserve your rights to bring a legal action against the responsible parties within the limited time frame allowed by law, known as statute of limitations;
  • Obtain maximum compensation in your case by being able to:
    • Preserve evidence and establish facts of the asbestos exposure while the claimant is still alive and able to provide information;
    • File and resolve a lawsuit against the responsible parties before they file for bankruptcy or, if they already have, to obtain compensation before their bankruptcy trust funds run out of money;
  • Expedite your case, as courts tend to give higher priority to mesothelioma lawsuits where the claimant is still alive.

NOTE: We have offices located in New York, New Jersey, California, Georgia, Washington, and Maryland. Many of our mesothelioma lawyers are licensed to practice law in a number of U.S. states and have the capability and extensive experience of representing mesothelioma clients throughout the United States. You are encouraged to contact us with any questions.

Since the 1970s, our founding partners were pioneers in championing the rights of asbestos and mesothelioma victims. In fact, Stan Levy was the first personal injury lawyer in the Northeast to pursue an asbestos case and one of the first mesothelioma attorneys in America.

Later, in 1985, he formed Levy Konigsberg with a mission to apply his extensive experience and legal knowledge to seek justice and financial compensation on behalf of asbestos and mesothelioma victims across the United States.

Find out whether you have a case by speaking to one of our experienced mesothelioma lawyers.

Trust Levy Konigsberg's Legal Team for Proven Results in Mesothelioma Cases

Levy Konigsberg LLP, a nationally recognized law firm, has built a legacy over three decades, securing billions in compensation for its clients. Led by award-winning attorneys, we specialize in representing individuals and families across the country who have suffered from asbestos exposure and devastating illnesses such as mesothelioma. Our top-rated trial practice holds corporations accountable for exposing workers and communities to asbestos, with numerous testimonials and successful case results.

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