veterans Archives | Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman LLP

Hawai‘i’s Asbestos Legacy: A Growing Mesothelioma Threat

Posted on July 1, 2025June 4, 2025 by Candice Paddock

Mesothelioma deaths in the U.S. surged by 20% between 1990 and 2019, according to BMC Public Health. This increase is tied directly to decades of asbestos exposure, especially among workers in construction, shipbuilding, military service, and manufacturing.

The rise in cases is particularly alarming in Hawai‘i, where thousands of veterans have been exposed to asbestos while working on Navy ships, submarines and maintenance facilities at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard since World War II. The state health department reported over 700 asbestos-related deaths between 1999 and 2017, including 139 from mesothelioma.

On Memorial Day, Honoring Those Exposed to Toxic Chemicals in the Line of Duty

Posted on May 29, 2023November 21, 2024 by Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman

Memorial Day is a time to reflect upon the courageous sacrifices made by the men and women who lost their lives protecting the freedoms we hold dear. This year, we should not forget the thousands of veterans who face a different kind of battle — against exposure to toxic chemicals that have created lasting and sometimes fatal health consequences.

Throughout history, service members have been exposed to a myriad of hazardous substances while serving their country, including jet fuel, solvents and asbestos, Agent Orange during the Vietnam War, and burn pits in the more recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

These exposures, often occurring in war zones, in military installations and on ships, have had detrimental effects on veterans’ health, leading to severe illnesses, disabilities and premature death.