The United States Naval Academy (USNA) at Annapolis, Maryland is the undergraduate education and commissioning institution for Navy and Marine Corps officers. Established in 1845, the Academy’s Yard encompasses historic academic buildings, dormitories (Bancroft Hall), athletic facilities, engineering laboratories, steam plant infrastructure, and a working waterfront — all constructed and maintained across multiple eras of building standards. The Academy’s facilities include structures built during the peak asbestos construction period of the 1920s through the 1970s, and the publicly filed asbestos litigation record documents asbestos at USNA with formal inspection records, Navy research documentation, and direct testimony of asbestos work on Academy grounds.

Who Was Exposed at USNA

Personnel who worked or studied at the Naval Academy in the following capacities may have asbestos exposure claims:

  • Civilian maintenance and custodial workers who cut, disturbed, or worked near asbestos-containing building materials in Bancroft Hall and academic buildings
  • Boiler plant operators and steam plant maintenance workers in USNA’s central heating infrastructure
  • Laboratory and research personnel working with asbestos-containing equipment in engineering and scientific facilities
  • Construction and renovation contractors who performed work in USNA buildings during the asbestos era

Note: Midshipmen who spent four years in Bancroft Hall and academic buildings during the asbestos era had ambient exposure from the building’s asbestos-containing materials; the primary occupational exposure documented in the litigation record relates to workers who disturbed or maintained asbestos-containing materials.

Veterans who served as civilian DoD employees or military personnel assigned to the Naval Academy during the asbestos era and subsequently developed mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease may qualify for VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) or for civil claims against manufacturers of asbestos-containing materials installed at USNA facilities.

Key documents for a USNA claim:

  • Service or employment records documenting assignment to or employment at USNA in Annapolis
  • Job duties documentation — maintenance, laboratory, or construction roles involving asbestos-containing materials
  • Diagnosis — mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease

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

All consultations are free. No fee unless a financial recovery is made on your behalf.

Exposure documentation derived from publicly filed asbestos litigation records including formal Naval Academy asbestos inspection documentation, Navy research records citing Annapolis facilities, and testimony describing asbestos work at the Academy. This does not constitute legal or medical advice.