Case Study - Shipyard Laborer
Short Summary
Age
70
Location
Houston, Texas
Diagnosis
Lung Cancer
Occupation
Shipyard laborer, welder, and electrician; tire and rubber plant laborer; military veteran
Suspected Asbestos Exposure
Years spent working at a shipyard and at two industrial tire and rubber manufacturing plants where asbestos-containing insulation and equipment were standard
Dwayne, a 70-year-old Houston, Texas resident, spent decades in the shipbuilding and industrial rubber trades — several years as a shipyard laborer, welder, and electrician, followed by nearly a decade combined at two Orange, Texas tire and rubber manufacturing plants — while also serving more than a decade in the military. Diagnosed with lung cancer in 2020, Dwayne’s case reflects the many places where asbestos exposure took root across a working life spent in shipyards, industrial plants, and military service.
Full Story
Dwayne built a varied working life across the shipbuilding and industrial manufacturing trades. In the early 1980s, he spent several years at a Texas shipyard working as a laborer, welder, and electrician — trades that placed him in direct contact with the asbestos insulation and fireproofing materials that were standard aboard ships and throughout shipyard facilities during that era.
From the mid-1980s through the mid-1990s, Dwayne worked as a laborer at two major tire and rubber manufacturing plants in Orange, Texas, first at a BF Goodrich facility and then at a nearby Firestone plant. Industrial rubber manufacturing plants of that era commonly relied on asbestos-containing insulation, gaskets, and heat-resistant equipment throughout the production process.
Dwayne’s decades in the workforce were bookended by a lengthy career in the military, with service spanning much of the 1970s through the mid-1990s. His time in uniform adds another layer to a work history spent almost entirely in industrial and shipbuilding environments where asbestos-containing materials were commonplace.
Diagnosed with lung cancer in August 2020 following a biopsy at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston, Dwayne has remained close to his daughter and extended family in the Houston area throughout his treatment.
How Danziger & De Llano Helped
Danziger & De Llano documented Dwayne’s work across three very different industrial environments — the shipyard where he worked as a laborer, welder, and electrician, and the two Orange, Texas tire and rubber plants where he spent nearly a decade combined. Our firm also obtained his military service records to account for his lengthy time in uniform and worked with the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center to secure his diagnostic records, building a complete picture of his asbestos exposure that supported the resolution of his claim.