Mesothelioma and Asbestos Exposure in Texas

Texas has one of the highest documented asbestos exposure footprints of any state in the country. The Gulf Coast petrochemical corridor, the Houston Ship Channel, Beaumont and Port Arthur refinery complexes, Galveston and Orange shipyards, and a long history of Navy installations together exposed hundreds of thousands of Texas workers to asbestos during the post-war industrial boom. Many of those workers — and their family members — are only now, decades later, receiving mesothelioma diagnoses.

Where asbestos exposure happened in Texas

The heaviest historical exposure concentrations map directly onto Texas’s industrial geography:

• Gulf Coast refineries and petrochemical plants. ExxonMobil Baytown, Shell Deer Park, Dow Chemical Freeport, Marathon Texas City, and dozens of other facilities used asbestos-containing insulation on boilers, pipes, reactors, and process units through the late 1970s. Maintenance workers, pipefitters, boilermakers, insulators, and operators all faced routine exposure.
• Shipyards and naval facilities. Yards in Beaumont, Port Arthur, Galveston, Orange, and Corpus Christi built and repaired Navy and merchant ships. Shipyard insulation was so pervasive that an entire subfield of mesothelioma litigation, “shipyard asbestos cases,” grew out of the post-war construction surge.
• Military installations. Personnel stationed at Ellington Field, Fort Hood, Fort Bliss, Lackland AFB, and various Texas naval air stations encountered asbestos in barracks, vehicles, aircraft, and steam plants.
• Power generation. Texas utilities operated coal, gas, and oil power plants that used asbestos gaskets, packing, and insulation for decades.
• Construction trades. Drywall joint compound, roofing, flooring, and insulation materials containing asbestos were used in commercial and residential construction throughout Texas until the late 1970s.

Texas legal context: statute of limitations

In Texas, the personal-injury statute of limitations for asbestos-related diseases is generally two years from the date of diagnosis, not from the date of exposure. Because mesothelioma has a latency period of 20 to 50 years, this is an important distinction — the clock typically starts when a doctor confirms the diagnosis, not when the exposure happened. Wrongful-death claims have their own separate time limits. Time-limit rules are complicated and fact-specific; this page is not legal advice. Consult a licensed Texas attorney about your situation.

Mesothelioma treatment in Texas

Texas is home to several cancer centers with experience treating mesothelioma, including MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston — one of the highest-volume mesothelioma programs in the country and an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center. Other Texas options include Baylor College of Medicine and centers in Dallas and San Antonio. Many families travel to Houston for a second opinion even if they receive treatment closer to home.

Texas veterans and asbestos

Texas has the second-largest veteran population in the United States. Veterans who served in the Navy (especially on pre-1980 ships), in shipyards, or in construction/maintenance roles at Texas military installations may be eligible for VA disability compensation if they develop mesothelioma. See our Navy veterans and mesothelioma page for details on the documentation VA typically requires.

Texas-specific resources

• Texas Department of Insurance — Workers’ Compensation: if you were exposed at a Texas job site, workers’ comp may apply
• Texas DSHS — Asbestos Programs: state-level asbestos regulation and removal information
• State Bar of Texas — Lawyer Referral Service: find a licensed Texas attorney

Get answers about your next steps

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you may have questions about treatment, support, or legal options. MesoCare.org compiles information from federal health agencies and established cancer centers so families have a starting point — we are not a medical provider or a law firm. Start with these resources:

• Understanding mesothelioma — symptoms, types, diagnosis
• Treatment options — surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, clinical trials
• Support resources — financial assistance, caregiver help, mental health
• Legal information — trust funds, lawsuits, VA disability, workers’ comp

MesoCare.org is sponsored by Danziger & De Llano, LLP and is informational only. Nothing on this page is medical or legal advice. Speak with your clinical team about treatment and a licensed attorney about legal questions.