Mesothelioma and Asbestos Exposure in Texas

If your family is here, someone you love either grew up, lived, or worked in Texas during the years asbestos was everywhere — and 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 Texas, 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.

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 category of mesothelioma compensation cases — “shipyard asbestos cases” — emerged from 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.

A note on time-sensitive considerations for Texas families

Texas has specific time limits on certain compensation claims related to mesothelioma. The clock typically starts at diagnosis, not exposure — but 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 Texas 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 Texas

When your family is choosing where to seek care for your loved one, second opinions matter — especially with a rare cancer like mesothelioma. Many Texas families end up traveling within the state to a high-volume specialist program, even if some treatment happens closer to home. Travel grants and lodging assistance are available through several patient-advocacy organizations.

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

If you’re a family member helping a Texas veteran navigate VA paperwork after a mesothelioma diagnosis, the documentation is the most important early step — and you don’t have to figure it out alone. The VA caregiver support program covers many family members who provide care for a service-connected veteran with a serious illness.

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, 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.