Charleston Naval Shipyard, located in Charleston, South Carolina, operated from 1901 until its closure in 1996, performing overhaul, repair, and conversion of Navy surface ships throughout the Atlantic Fleet. At its peak, the shipyard employed more than 7,000 workers. The yard’s overhaul operations — boiler work, pipe fitting, insulation installation, and machinery repair — used asbestos-containing materials as standard trade supplies throughout the asbestos era. Publicly filed asbestos litigation records document Charleston Naval Shipyard with ship records, settlement trust documentation, and personal exposure testimony — establishing it as a recognized East Coast Navy shipyard asbestos venue in the national litigation record.

Who Was Exposed at Charleston Naval Shipyard

Workers and Navy personnel at Charleston Naval Shipyard in the following capacities may have asbestos exposure claims:

  • Insulation workers (Pipecoverers, Laggers) who installed and removed asbestos pipe and boiler insulation during ship overhaul
  • Pipefitters and Boilermakers who worked in asbestos-insulated ship engineering spaces
  • Machinist’s Mates and Electricians who performed overhaul work in asbestos-containing spaces
  • Navy Supship and inspection personnel present during active overhaul operations at the yard

VA Claims and Legal Options — Charleston Naval Shipyard SC Workers

Veterans assigned to Charleston Naval Shipyard and civilian workers who performed overhaul trades there, who subsequently developed mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease may qualify for:

  • VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) for Navy personnel assigned to Charleston Naval Shipyard
  • Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) for civilian Charleston shipyard workers
  • Asbestos settlement trust claims for former Charleston workers — trust fund documentation appears in the corpus

Key documents for a Charleston Naval Shipyard claim:

  • Employment records — Charleston Naval Shipyard employment records documenting trade, department, and dates
  • DD-214 or orders — documenting Navy Supship or inspection assignment at Charleston
  • Diagnosis — mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease

Free, confidential case evaluation: Speak with O’Brien Law Firm — (314) 936-2956

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Exposure documentation derived from publicly filed asbestos litigation records including ship records requests, asbestos settlement trust claim documentation, and the national asbestos MDL docket identifying Charleston Naval Shipyard as an East Coast asbestos exposure venue. This does not constitute legal or medical advice.