Todd Shipyards Asbestos Lawsuits
Asbestos Exposure at Todd Shipyards in Seattle caused workers to develop asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma and asbestosis. If you or a loved one developed mesothelioma from working at Todd Shipyards, contact Bergman Oslund Udo Little. We can determine your eligibility for filing a lawsuit or other form of compensation for injured shipyard workers and their families.
Vanessa Firnhaber Oslund, Partner, Bergman Oslund Udo Little Last Updated: August 9, 2024
Todd Shipyards was founded in 1916 and owned and operated shipyards on the East and West Coasts and the Gulf. Headquartered in Seattle, the company was a vital part of the Emergency Shipbuilding Program in World War II. The company is currently owned by Vigor Shipyards, which purchased Todd in 2011.
Like many other shipyards, Todd Shipyards contained and used a lot of asbestos. Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that resists high temperatures and corrosion, making it ideal for shipyard buildings and ship components. The material was widely used in many products, such as insulation, boilers, hot water pipes, incinerators, and steam pipes.
Unfortunately, asbestos is a cancer-causing material. Asbestos at Todd Shipyards may have caused workers to develop asbestos-related illnesses, such as mesothelioma and asbestosis.
Asbestos Found at Todd Shipyards in WA
Due to its fireproofing and heat-resistant qualities, asbestos was widely used at Todd Shipyards. Asbestos could be found in the following:
- Marine equipment, such as turbines, pumps, valves, and electrical components.
- Asbestos corrugated sheeting in shipyard buildings
- Boilers, incinerators, and steam and hot water pipes for ships
- Fireproof blankets
Depending on their roles, length of employment, and other factors, Todd Shipyards workers may have been exposed to a range of concentrations of the toxic substance, from minimal to high.
Todd Shipyards repaired and built vessels for the U.S. Navy. Coast Guard cutters, tankers, submarines, commercial vessels, and cargo ships were also built and repaired at Todd Shipyards. These ships included the USCGC Polar Sea, USS Ford, USS Fay, USS Vinson, USS Stennis, and USS Lincoln. Coast Guard service members, captains, and crew members may have also been exposed to asbestos on military ships built by Todd Shipyards workers.
Risks of Mesothelioma for Shipyard Workers
Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer that begins in the mesothelium, the membrane surrounding most of your internal organs.
People develop mesothelioma when they inhale or ingest asbestos fibers. Because the fibers are so tough, they remain in the mesothelium, causing inflammation and scarring. Cancer may eventually develop in the scar tissue.
Mesothelioma can take several decades to develop after initial asbestos exposure, with the average mesothelioma latency period being 15 to 20 years. Although asbestos exposure does not necessarily lead to mesothelioma, people with a history of asbestos exposure are much more likely to develop mesothelioma.
According to a 2017 Archives of Environmental & Occupational Health study, shipyard workers exposed to a moderate amount of asbestos were four times more likely to die from mesothelioma. Those exposed to high amounts were over seven times more likely to get mesothelioma.
Doctors may prescribe various treatments for mesothelioma, including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, gene therapy, immunotherapy, and TTFields. Treatment plans depend on the patient’s overall health, age, stage and location of the disease, and personal preferences.
In addition to mesothelioma, asbestos exposure also causes several other forms of lung cancer and asbestosis, which is lung tissue scarring and stiffening that results in breathing difficulties.
Legal Options for Shipyard Workers Exposed to Asbestos
Mesothelioma is a devastating disease that disproportionately affects workers who worked aboard ships at Todd Shipyards. Since the 1970s, employers and manufacturers should have known about the dangers of exposing workers to asbestos.
If you or a loved one has mesothelioma from working at Todd Shipyards, contact Bergman Oslund Udo Little. Our asbestos lawyers will thoroughly analyze your case and find the best legal options while taking care to minimize the impact and time commitment on families already dealing with difficult medical diagnosis. Depending on your needs, this could be filing a:
- Personal injury lawsuit: If you developed mesothelioma or another disease from asbestos found in shipyards, you may be eligible to file a personal injury lawsuit against your employer and asbestos manufacturers. If your lawsuit is successful, you can recover economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages cover objectively verifiable losses, such as medical fees and lost wages, while non-economic damages cover subjective losses, such as pain and suffering and loss of quality of life.
- Wrongful death lawsuit: If a loved one died from mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease caused by exposure at Todd Shipyards, you may be eligible to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the deceased’s employer and asbestos manufacturers. If the lawsuit is successful, you and your family can recover economic and non-economic damages, such as medical fees, funeral and burial costs, pain and suffering, and loss of consortium.
- Asbestos trust fund claim: If you or a loved one contracted mesothelioma after exposure to a bankrupt manufacturer’s asbestos product at Todd Shipyards, you may have the chance to file an asbestos trust fund claim. These trust funds compensate Todd Shipyards asbestos victims and their families and resolve faster than lawsuits.
- Veterans Affairs disability claim: Finally, if you were exposed to asbestos at Todd Shipyards while serving in the military, you may be eligible to file a VA disability claim. Veterans with mesothelioma are entitled to a 100 percent disability rating. Single veterans with a 100 percent rating could receive up to $3,621 monthly, while married veterans with two parents could receive $4,148.03 monthly depending on the type of VA benefits available.
Our Asbestos Attorneys have over two decades of experience fighting for mesothelioma victims in the Pacific Northwest. We have obtained millions in settlements and trial verdicts for our clients. For example, we secured a landmark $3.1 million settlement for a man exposed to asbestos in Todd and Lockheed Shipyards in Seattle and diagnosed with mesothelioma at 40.
Contact a Bergman Oslund Udo Little asbestos lawyer for a free mesothelioma case review. We have offices in Seattle and Portland, Oregon.
520 Pike St. #1125
Seattle, WA 98101
206-957-9510
1355 NW Everett St.
Suite 100
Portland, OR 97204
503-447-6230
