Named after New York instead of Brooklyn when it started operations at the close of the XVIIIth century, this shipyard was building ships for the American Navy as early as 1798. It would go on to build the first steam-powered naval embarkation in 1837. Their next landmark work was the Niagara, a frigate which installed the very first cable across the Atlantic.

Later on, the 1920s were very bad years for the business. Nevertheless, the next decade was very different, as battleship building imbued the industry with new energy. In fact, the NY Navy Yard became the most important battleship building facility in America. This also meant that the shipyard was employing large numbers of workers.

During the Second World WarI, the shipyard, now known as the Brooklyn Navy Yard, focused on repairing and converting not only American, but also British ships.  It thus became one of the biggest industries in the state of New York. This was the golden age of the yard, and, by the mid sixties, when the demand for warships dwindled, the place had to be shut down. The space that once housed the Brooklyn Navy Yard is now being turned into a huge industrial space for manufacturers and retailers, spread out over over 1,000,000 sq. feet.

In spite of its glorious past, the Brooklyn Navy Yard´s history also has a dark side. The shipbuilding industry was known to utilize a huge amount of asbestos in the last century, up until the minerals` lethal effects on humans were discovered in the seventies. The Brooklyn shipyard was not the exception, and it is common knowledge that the owners and managers of such facilities may have been responsible for the death of thousands of people, who have fallen victim to asbestos-related conditions, such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer.

Asbestos was used because of its low cost and high insulating powers for pipes, boilers, and the like. Since employers may have been aware of asbestos hazards, if you were affected by asbestos contamination, you may be entitled to compensation. You can contact the Weitz & Luxenberg Asbestos Lawyers for a free case evaluation. With 20 years of experience in asbestos cases, we have the knowledge and expertise to assist you in the eventual filing of a claim.