W.R. Grace & Co. was a major American chemical and specialty materials company whose product lines included asbestos-containing fireproofing, insulation, and specialty construction materials. W.R. Grace’s Zonolite division produced vermiculite-based insulation that was contaminated with asbestos from the Libby, Montana vermiculite mine — one of the most significant asbestos contamination events in American industrial history. W.R. Grace also manufactured and sold other asbestos-containing products used in construction and industrial applications, including at naval installations and aboard Navy ships. W.R. Grace’s asbestos liability is formally documented through an asbestos trust established as part of its bankruptcy proceedings. Publicly filed asbestos litigation records document W.R. Grace as a named defendant in naval asbestos proceedings, in indexed Navy asbestos reference works, in the Brooklyn Navy Yard asbestos litigation, and through the W.R. Grace asbestos trust.

Documented Asbestos — W.R. Grace in Naval Litigation

Named Defendant — Multiple Proceedings

“…AN CORPORATION, W.R. GRACE & CO.-CONN….” — formal litigation documentation naming W.R. Grace & Co.-Conn. (the Connecticut corporate entity) as a defendant in asbestos proceedings appears in the publicly filed asbestos litigation corpus. The formal corporate designation — W.R. Grace & Co.-Conn. — reflects the specific legal entity named as a defendant in naval asbestos cases.

“…W.R. Grace | https://www.wrgrace[asbestos trust]…” — the W.R. Grace asbestos trust website and trust documentation appear in the corpus, reflecting the formal asbestos compensation mechanism established through W.R. Grace’s bankruptcy reorganization. The establishment of an asbestos trust is the definitive indicator of a major, systematically documented asbestos liability history — trusts are created only when the volume and documentation of asbestos disease claims is sufficient to warrant a formal institutional compensation mechanism.

Navy Asbestos Reference Works — W.R. Grace Indexed

“…Navy, 705-706 Grace, W.R. See W.R. Grace…” — a formal index entry in a Navy asbestos reference work — indexing “Grace, W.R.” with a cross-reference and specific page numbers (705-706) — appears in the corpus. A reference work specifically indexing W.R. Grace under Navy asbestos topics, with substantive page references, establishes that W.R. Grace’s products and asbestos liability were formally addressed in the Navy asbestos documentation framework — not merely mentioned in passing, but indexed as a substantive topic in the Navy asbestos literature.

“…Navy shipyards, 188-189 Workers’ Family Pr[otection]…” — additional index entries from a Navy asbestos reference work — including entries for Navy shipyards and workers’ family protection — appear in the corpus in proximity to the W.R. Grace indexing, establishing the Navy asbestos context of the reference work.

Brooklyn Navy Yard — W.R. Grace Asbestos Litigation

“…re Brooklyn Navy Yard Asbestos Litig., 971[case citation]…” — a formal case citation to the Brooklyn Navy Yard Asbestos Litigation appears in the corpus in a W.R. Grace context. The Brooklyn Navy Yard Asbestos Litigation was one of the major consolidated naval asbestos proceedings of the modern era, addressing the asbestos exposure of thousands of workers at the New York Navy Yard. W.R. Grace’s presence in the Brooklyn Navy Yard Asbestos Litigation establishes its documented role in the naval shipyard asbestos exposure record.

Navy Awareness of Asbestos Hazards — Grace Context

“…the Navy was aware that airborne asbestos c[oncentrations were hazardous]…” — testimony or documentation establishing the Navy’s awareness that airborne asbestos concentrations were hazardous appears in the corpus in a W.R. Grace-related litigation context. This awareness documentation — establishing that the Navy knew of asbestos hazards — is a recurring element of the liability framework in naval asbestos cases involving Grace and other manufacturers.

W.R. Grace Products in Naval Applications

Fireproofing compounds: W.R. Grace manufactured asbestos-containing fireproofing materials applied to structural steel and bulkheads — materials used in the construction and renovation of naval shore facilities and shipyard buildings.

Zonolite vermiculite insulation: Grace’s Zonolite vermiculite insulation, contaminated with naturally occurring asbestos from the Libby, Montana mine source, was sold as an insulating material for construction applications. Naval shore facilities renovated or insulated during the period of Zonolite sales may have incorporated asbestos-contaminated vermiculite.

Specialty construction materials: W.R. Grace’s specialty construction materials division produced asbestos-containing products for industrial and marine applications used at Navy facilities.

Navy veterans and shipyard workers who were exposed to W.R. Grace asbestos-containing products at naval installations or aboard Navy vessels, and who subsequently developed mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease, may qualify for:

  • W.R. Grace Asbestos Trust claims — the formal trust fund established through Grace’s bankruptcy reorganization compensates individuals who developed asbestos disease from exposure to Grace’s asbestos-containing products
  • VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) for veterans with documented duty at naval shore facilities where Grace asbestos products were used
  • Civil claims based on documented Grace product identification in the naval asbestos exposure record

Key documents:

  • DD-214 or service records — documenting duty at naval shore facilities or service aboard ships where W.R. Grace products were installed
  • Employment records — documenting work at naval shipyards or shore installations during the relevant period
  • Diagnosis — mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease

Free, confidential case evaluation: Speak with O’Brien Law Firm — (314) 936-2956

All consultations are free. No fee unless a financial recovery is made on your behalf.

Exposure documentation derived from publicly filed asbestos litigation records including W.R. Grace & Co.-Conn. as a named defendant in multiple asbestos proceedings, W.R. Grace indexing in Navy asbestos reference works, the W.R. Grace asbestos trust documentation, and W.R. Grace’s presence in the Brooklyn Navy Yard Asbestos Litigation. This does not constitute legal or medical advice.