Superior Valve Company, headquartered in Warren, Pennsylvania, manufactured high-pressure gas valves, compressed air valves, and specialty high-pressure valves for industrial process and naval vessel applications. Superior Valve products were installed in United States Navy vessel compressed air systems, high-pressure service systems, and specialty high-pressure applications aboard surface combatants and submarines. Compressed air systems aboard Navy vessels — serving pneumatic controls, damage control systems, SCBA charging stations, and other compressed air consumers — required high-pressure valves rated for service in the demanding naval environment. According to asbestos litigation records, Superior Valve assemblies incorporated asbestos-containing stem packing at valve stem gland seals and asbestos-containing gasket materials at valve body connection faces, creating asbestos exposure for engineering ratings who maintained Superior Valve installations in naval vessel compressed air and high-pressure systems.

Superior Valve Asbestos

Superior Valve high-pressure valve assemblies incorporated asbestos in valve sealing:

  • High-pressure valve stem packing — Superior Valve high-pressure valves installed in Navy vessel compressed air systems and high-pressure service systems incorporated asbestos-containing stem packing material at the valve stem gland seal. Engineering ratings performing valve repacking operations on Superior Valve assemblies in the compressed air system removed and replaced asbestos-containing stem packing during valve maintenance
  • Valve body gaskets — Superior Valve body connections and bonnet connections incorporated asbestos-containing gasket materials at the body joint faces. Engineering ratings disassembling Superior Valve assemblies for internal maintenance encountered asbestos-containing body gasket materials during valve teardown
  • High-pressure connection gaskets — Superior Valve assemblies with flanged connections incorporated asbestos-containing gasket materials at the valve inlet and outlet flange faces. Engineering ratings removing Superior Valve assemblies from the high-pressure system encountered asbestos-containing gasket materials at the piping connections

VA Claims for Veterans Exposed to Superior Valve Products

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from Navy vessel high-pressure system maintenance. Engineering ratings who maintained Superior Valve installations in naval vessel compressed air and high-pressure systems and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.