Mesothelioma and Asbestos Exposure in Florida

If your family is here, someone you love either grew up, lived, or worked in Florida during the years asbestos was everywhere — in Naval shipyards along Pensacola and Mayport, the construction boom that built coastal Florida, and Florida’s military bases. Now you’re trying to make sense of how that history connects to a mesothelioma diagnosis decades later. The sections below cover where exposure most often happened in Florida, what treatment centers your family may want to know about, and how to navigate VA, workers’ compensation, and other claims that may be available to you.

Florida’s combination of major military installations, Tampa Bay shipyards, power plants, and a long construction history exposed generations of Floridians to asbestos. The state also has one of the largest retired-veteran populations in the country — which matters, because a significant percentage of today’s mesothelioma diagnoses in Florida trace back to Navy service. Florida residents continue to be diagnosed with mesothelioma decades after exposure that happened during their working years in other states or in military service.

Where asbestos exposure happened in Florida

• Tampa Bay shipyards. Hooker’s Point, Tampa Shipbuilding, and other Tampa Bay yards built Liberty ships and Navy vessels during and after World War II. Workers handled asbestos insulation throughout.
• Military installations. Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Naval Station Mayport, Pensacola Naval Air Station, MacDill AFB, Homestead AFB, Patrick Space Force Base, and Eglin AFB — personnel stationed at any of these may have encountered asbestos in barracks, aircraft, vehicles, or ships.
• Power plants. Florida Power & Light, Tampa Electric, and other utility companies operated plants that used asbestos insulation and gaskets through the late 1970s.
• Construction. Florida’s explosive postwar growth drove construction of millions of homes, hotels, and commercial buildings using asbestos-containing products.
• Paper mills and chemical plants. Plants in Pensacola, Panama City, Jacksonville, and Palatka used asbestos insulation and products for decades.

A note on time-sensitive considerations for Florida families

Florida has specific time limits on certain compensation claims related to mesothelioma — generally four years from diagnosis, not from exposure. The rules are complicated and depend on each family’s situation. Right now, your family’s priority should be your loved one’s care team and treatment plan. When you’re ready, a licensed Florida attorney can walk you through the time-sensitive parts of any compensation claim, and our starting-point overview of claims can help you get oriented.

Mesothelioma treatment in Florida

When your family is choosing where to seek care for your loved one, second opinions matter — especially with a rare cancer like mesothelioma. Many Florida families travel for specialist consultations, sometimes out of state when in-state options are limited. For families managing long-distance care, lodging and travel grants are available through several patient-advocacy organizations.

Florida is home to several cancer centers with mesothelioma experience, including Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa (NCI-designated comprehensive), Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center (University of Miami), and UF Health Shands Cancer Hospital in Gainesville.

Florida-specific resources

• Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation
• The Florida Bar — Consumer Resources
• VA Benefits: Florida has more than 20 VA medical centers serving its large veteran population

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, compensation claims, 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.