50 Years Representing Newport News Mesothelioma Victims

In PWHD’s hometown of Newport News, nearly one thousand people have been diagnosed with mesothelioma in the last thirty-five years. The firm has represented most of these victims and hundreds of victims who were diagnosed in other Tidewater Virginia hospitals including Hampton, Williamsburg, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Suffolk.

If you have been diagnosed with an asbestos related disease like Mesothelioma, Lung Cancer, or Asbestosis, call us for a free consultation, or fill out our contact form. We will come to you.

Have You Been Diagnosed With an Asbestos-Related Disease in Newport News?

It is devastating to get a diagnosis of a serious medical disease like mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis, especially once you learn it could have been prevented. Asbestos-related diseases can take decades to develop, making them difficult to diagnose and treat. Some diseases caused by asbestos, like mesothelioma, are not curable, which means undergoing ongoing and costly treatments to slow its spread.

At PWHD, we have extensive experience representing individuals and families affected by asbestos-related diseases in Newport News and throughout Virginia. If you were exposed to asbestos due to a prior employer’s negligence, you may be eligible to seek compensation for your medical costs and other losses.

Do you have an asbestos-related disease and need legal help? We genuinely care about your well-being and your family’s future. We take asbestos-disease cases on contingency, which means you pay nothing unless we win your case.

What Is Asbestos and Why Was It Used in Newport News? 

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral consisting of microscopic fibers that resist heat, fire, and chemicals. This made it attractive for industrial use throughout the 20th century (1900s).

Newport News has significant asbestos exposure history due to its shipbuilding industry. Newport News Shipbuilding used asbestos extensively in naval and commercial vessels through the 1980s. Workers today may still risk being exposed when doing maintenance or repairs on older vessels.

Common asbestos applications in Newport News:

• Boilers and engine room components
• Fireproofing materials
• Deck and bulkhead insulation
• Electrical wiring
• Hull Lining
• Paneling
• Pipe insulation and gaskets
• Pumps
• Thermal blankets
• Tubes
• Valve packing and pumps

Many people are being diagnosed today with diseases from exposures that occurred decades ago. The companies that manufactured and supplied asbestos products knew about the health dangers even then but failed to adequately warn workers or the public about the risks.

Why Is Asbestos Exposure Dangerous to My Health?

Asbestos poses serious health risks because of how the mineral breaks down. When asbestos-containing materials are cut, sanded, drilled, or damaged, they release tiny fibers into the air. These fibers are so small that you cannot see them with the naked eye.

When you inhale or swallow asbestos fibers, they become trapped in your body. The fibers lodge in the lining of your lungs, abdomen, or heart. Your body cannot break down or remove these fibers.

Over time, the trapped asbestos fibers cause inflammation and scarring in your tissues. The damage accumulates slowly over many years. Eventually, the cellular damage can lead to serious diseases, including cancer.

The diseases caused by asbestos have long latency periods. This means symptoms typically do not appear until 10 to 50 years after your initial exposure. Many workers who handled asbestos in Newport News shipyards decades ago are only now developing symptoms and receiving diagnoses.

What Diseases and Cancers Are Caused by Asbestos Exposure?

Asbestos exposure causes several serious and often fatal diseases. If you worked in a shipyard or other industrial settings where asbestos was present, you have a much higher risk of developing one of these conditions.

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is an invasive cancer that develops in the thin tissue lining surrounding your lungs, abdomen, or heart. Asbestos exposure is the only known cause of this disease.

Common Symptoms: Early symptoms include chest pain, chronic cough, and shortness of breath. Late-stage symptoms include labored breathing, extreme fatigue, weight loss, and fluid buildup in the chest or abdomen.

Diagnosis and Treatment: Doctors diagnose mesothelioma through imaging tests, biopsies, and blood tests. Treatment options include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy. Despite treatment advances, mesothelioma remains difficult to treat and often has a poor prognosis.

Lung Cancer

Asbestos exposure significantly increases your risk of developing lung cancer. Workers who were exposed to asbestos and also smoked face an even higher risk.

Common Symptoms: Early symptoms include persistent cough, coughing up blood, chest pain, and hoarseness. Late-stage symptoms include severe breathing difficulty, weight loss, bone pain, and fatigue.

Diagnosis and Treatment: Doctors use chest X-rays, CT scans, sputum tests, and biopsies to diagnose lung cancer. Treatment depends on the stage and type of cancer and may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, targeted drug therapy, and immunotherapy.

Asbestosis

Asbestosis is a chronic lung disease caused by inhaling asbestos fibers. The fibers cause scarring in lung tissue, making it difficult to breathe.

Common Symptoms: Early symptoms include shortness of breath during physical activity and persistent dry cough. Late-stage symptoms include severe breathing difficulty, chest tightness, clubbed fingers or toes, and respiratory failure.

Diagnosis and Treatment: Doctors diagnose asbestosis through chest X-rays, CT scans, pulmonary function tests, and sometimes lung biopsies. There is no cure for asbestosis. Treatment focuses on relieving symptoms through oxygen therapy, pulmonary rehabilitation, and medications to manage breathing difficulties.

Pleural Plaques and Thickening

Pleural plaques are areas of thickened tissue on the lining of the lungs. Pleural thickening occurs when the entire lung lining becomes scarred and thickened.

Common Symptoms: Many people with pleural plaques have no symptoms. When symptoms occur, they include mild chest pain and slight breathing difficulty.

Diagnosis and Treatment: Doctors detect pleural plaques and thickening through chest X-rays or CT scans. These conditions typically require monitoring rather than active treatment. However, they indicate asbestos exposure and may increase the risk of developing more serious conditions.

Where Were Newport News Workers Most Likely Exposed to Asbestos?

Newport News workers could have been exposed to asbestos at numerous locations throughout the city. Figuring out where your exposure likely occurred is critical for building a strong legal case.

Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company

This facility represents the primary source of asbestos exposure in Newport News. From the 1930s through the 1980s, workers built and repaired hundreds of naval and commercial vessels using asbestos-containing materials. Boilermakers, pipefitters, electricians, welders, insulators, machinists, and countless other tradespeople faced daily exposure.

Norfolk Naval Shipyard

Located in nearby Portsmouth, Virginia, this facility is the oldest naval shipyard in the United States. Military personnel and civilian workers who built, repaired, and maintained Navy vessels at this yard faced significant asbestos exposure. During World War II alone, the yard employed nearly 43,000 workers and repaired thousands of ships containing asbestos materials.

Railroad Operations

Railroad workers for CSX, Norfolk Southern, and their predecessor companies faced asbestos exposure in locomotives, rail cars, maintenance shops, and rail yards. Workers who repaired brakes, clutches, gaskets, and insulation in steam and diesel locomotives were at particularly high risk. Even workers who did not directly handle asbestos materials could be exposed to airborne fibers in rail yards and shops.

Construction Sites

Construction workers throughout Newport News used asbestos in building materials, including insulation, roofing, flooring, cement, and drywall compounds.

Power Plants

Workers at local power generation facilities were exposed to asbestos in boilers, turbines, pipes, and insulation.

Industrial Facilities

Various manufacturing and industrial operations in the Newport News area used asbestos in machinery, equipment, and building materials.

Secondary Exposure Locations

Family members of shipyard workers, railroad workers, and others who worked with asbestos sometimes developed diseases through secondary exposure. Workers carried asbestos fibers home on their clothing, hair, and skin, exposing their loved ones to dangerous fibers.

How Do I Know If My Illness Is Related to Asbestos Exposure?

To find out if you were exposed to asbestos, we need to know more about your work history and review your medical diagnosis.

An Accurate History of Working Where Asbestos Was Present

Did you work in Newport News shipyards, naval facilities, construction sites, or other industrial? Did you serve in the Navy or work around ships? These occupational exposures create a strong connection to asbestos-related diseases.

Documented evidence of your work history is essential for proving your case. What you need includes:

• Employment records
• Job descriptions
• Witness statements from coworkers
• Ship logs
• Military service records.

Our experienced legal team can help you gather this evidence.

Relevant Medical Records Documenting Your Diagnosis

A medical diagnosis provides critical evidence of mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, or another asbestos-related condition from your doctor forms the basis of your legal claim. Your doctor may note asbestos exposure as a likely cause in your medical records.

Other evidence that supports a medical diagnosis and is also included in your medical records includes:

• Pathology reports
• Imaging studies
• Biopsy results
• Medical opinions from your treating physicians

Your attorney may even consult with medical specialists who can provide testimony about the link between your exposure and your disease.

At PWHD, we conduct thorough investigations to establish the connection between your illness and asbestos exposure. We work with medical professionals, industrial hygienists, and other specialists to build compelling evidence for your claim.

What Compensation Can Asbestos Victims Recover in Virginia?

If you have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, you may be able to seek several types of compensation under Virginia law.

Compensation you may be eligible to recover following the diagnosis of an asbestos-related disease includes:

• Medical Expenses: All past and future treatment costs, including hospitalizations, surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation, medications, and ongoing care.
• Lost Wages and Earning Capacity: Compensation for income lost due to your inability to work, both past and future.
• Pain and Suffering: Compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, reduced quality of life, and impact on daily activities and relationships.
• Loss of Consortium: Your spouse may recover compensation for loss of companionship and support.
• Funeral and Burial Expenses: Recovery of costs if your loved one passed away from an asbestos-related disease.
• Punitive Damages: Up to $350,000 in cases involving willful misconduct or reckless disregard for worker safety.

The amount of compensation you may seek varies. It is based on the unique circumstances, various factors – such as the severity of your disease – and assessed value of your case.

Virginia’s Statute of Limitations for Asbestos Claims

Virginia law strictly limits the time you have to file an asbestos-related lawsuit. Understanding these deadlines is critical to protecting your legal rights.

For personal injury claims, you have two years from the date a physician first communicates your diagnosis of an asbestos-related disease to you. The clock does not start when you were exposed to asbestos, but rather when you receive your diagnosis.

For wrongful death claims, family members have two years from the date of death to file a lawsuit.

If you miss these deadlines, Virginia courts will dismiss your case, and you will lose your right to recover compensation. This is true even if you have strong evidence of asbestos exposure and disease.

It takes time to build a strong case, which is why we strongly recommend seeking legal help as soon after receiving your diagnosis as possible.

Why Choose PWHD as Your Newport News Asbestos Attorney

PWHD understands the unique circumstances of asbestos exposure in this community, particularly among shipyard workers, railroad employees, and Navy veterans.

When you work with our trusted law firm, you receive personalized attention and compassionate representation throughout the legal process. Our knowledgeable legal team manages all aspects of your case, giving you more time to focus on your health and spending time with your family.

Our firm works on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing – including no upfront costs or out-of-pocket-fees – unless we recover compensation for you.