After a 13-day trial, a Minnesota jury has ordered consumer giant Johnson & Johnson to pay $65.5 million to a young victim diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma. At just 37 years old, Anna Jean Houghton Carley is an unusually young victim of the rare asbestos-related disease. She blames years of using the company’s baby powder for
Buffalo Pumps, Inc. was an American manufacturer of industrial pumps and related equipment. For decades, the company has supplied critical components for maritime operations, power generation, and chemical processing. Like many pump manufacturers of its era, the company incorporated asbestos into its components throughout much of the 20th century, putting thousands of workers who installed, maintained, or
The USS Ozbourn (DD-846) was a distinguished Gearing-class destroyer that served the United States Navy from 1946 to 1975. Like nearly all naval vessels constructed during the mid-20th century, the ship was built with asbestos-containing materials and contained asbestos-contaminated equipment throughout. Thousands of sailors who served aboard the Ozbourn faced direct asbestos exposure, and now are at
As one of the most dominant shipbuilders on the Great Lakes, American Shipbuilding Company played a significant role in U.S. naval construction between 1899 and 1995. The company built hundreds of commercial and military vessels at its locations in Ohio, Illinois, and Florida. Despite its respected place in shipbuilding history, the shipyard’s personnel were put
The USS Simon Lake (AS-33) was a submarine tender and the lead ship of her class. The ship provided logistical and repair support to the United States Navy’s submarine fleet for over three decades, representing the Navy’s commitment to its undersea warfare capabilities. Like countless other naval vessels of her era, the USS Simon Lake
Naval Submarine Base (NSB) Kings Bay is located in the southeastern corner of Georgia. The 16,000-acre facility is home to the East Coast Trident submarine fleet. Its conversion from an Army terminal to a strategic submarine base represents the largest peacetime construction initiative the U.S. Navy has ever undertaken. Unfortunately, the historic use of asbestos
The USS Casimir Pulaski (SSBN-633) was a submarine that played a vital role in U.S. undersea nuclear deterrent capabilities through three decades of the Cold War. From 1964 through 1994, she was part of the Navy’s ballistic missile submarine fleet, completing 88 strategic deterrent patrols while carrying multiple generations of nuclear missiles. Unfortunately, like all submarines of
Treasure Island Naval Station was a vital military installation located in San Francisco Bay in California. From 1941 to 1997, the facility saw extensive construction, maintenance, and repair of both ships and buildings, and for most of its operational years, these actions made extensive use of asbestos. The widespread use of the toxic mineral resulted in
Mesothelioma is the deadliest asbestos-related disease, but it is just one of many serious illnesses caused by exposure to the toxic mineral. Asbestosis, a debilitating, progressive disease, can also lead to death, and that was the case for Timothy Murphy, who died of the disease after serving in the U.S. Navy and performing home repair
The USS Warrington (DD-843) was a Gearing-class destroyer that served the United States Navy from 1945 to 1972. Like others in its class, the ship boasted advanced technology, but the extensive use of asbestos throughout her construction created serious health risks for the approximately 3,400 sailors who served aboard during her career. These veterans are now at risk of developing mesothelioma, asbestos-related