Where were the most asbestos exposures in Mississippi?

Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula — now Huntington Ingalls Industries — is by far the largest asbestos exposure site in Mississippi. The shipyard employed 25,000 workers at its Cold War peak and built destroyers, amphibious assault ships, and submarines that required extensive asbestos insulation throughout. The Chevron refinery in Pascagoula and Gulfport-area maritime operations also exposed thousands of workers.

Mississippi Asbestos Exposure & Mesothelioma

Q: What is Mississippi's statute of limitations for mesothelioma?

Mississippi has a 3-year statute of limitations for mesothelioma personal injury claims under Miss. Code Ann. § 15-1-49. The discovery rule applies — the 3-year window starts from the date of confirmed mesothelioma diagnosis. Wrongful death claims must be filed within 3 years of the date of death.

Mississippi’s Gulf Coast is dominated by Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula — one of the largest naval shipyards in the United States — which has employed generations of workers who built Navy warships using asbestos throughout the Cold War era. The Pascagoula refinery corridor and coastal paper mills add thousands more documented exposure sites.

100+Documented MS exposure sites

3 YearsStatute of limitations from diagnosis

2Major exposure regions

$0Upfront legal costs

Mississippi Cities

Critical

Pascagoula

Ingalls Shipbuilding (Huntington Ingalls) — 25,000 Cold War peak workers, still active

View sites › High

Gulfport

Gulfport Shipbuilding, Gulf States Marine Industries, Naval Station Gulfport (Seabees)

View sites ›

Mississippi Asbestos Exposure Regions

Region	Key Sites	Industries	Notes
Pascagoula	Ingalls Shipbuilding (Huntington Ingalls), Chevron Pascagoula Refinery, Mississippi Chemical Corp., Singing River Industries	Shipbuilding, Petroleum Refining, Chemical	25,000-worker Cold War peak; still the largest private employer on the Gulf Coast
Gulfport / Biloxi	Gulfport Shipbuilding, Gulf States Marine Industries, Port of Gulfport, Camp Shelby	Shipbuilding, Port, Military	Active WWII shipbuilding; military installations with documented asbestos in barracks and vessels
Jackson / Central Mississippi	Mississippi Power & Light, Entergy Mississippi, Mississippi Chemical (Yazoo City)	Utilities, Chemical	Power plant boiler rooms and fertilizer manufacturing with heavy insulation use
Natchez / Vicksburg	International Paper (Natchez), Armstrong Tire (Natchez), Shell Chemical (Deer Park area)	Paper, Rubber, Chemical	Natchez paper mill and tire plant are significant Gulf South exposure sites

Mississippi Asbestos Industry Overview

Industry	Active Period	Primary Locations	Risk Level
Naval Shipbuilding	1938–present	Pascagoula	Critical
Petroleum Refining	1963–present	Pascagoula	High
Chemical Manufacturing	1940–1990	Pascagoula, Yazoo City	High
Paper / Pulp Mills	1920–present	Natchez, Moss Point, Vicksburg	High
Power Generation	1930–1985	Statewide (Mississippi Power)	Moderate
Construction	1945–1980	Statewide	Moderate

Mississippi Legal Information

Claim Type	Deadline	Governing Law
Personal Injury	3 years from diagnosis	Miss. Code Ann. § 15-1-49 — discovery rule applies
Wrongful Death	3 years from date of death	Miss. Code Ann. § 11-7-13
Trust Fund Claims	Varies by trust	Can be filed simultaneously with lawsuit
VA Benefits	No deadline	Federal; can pursue while lawsuit is pending

Mississippi asbestos cases are filed in Circuit Court. Jackson County (Pascagoula) and Harrison County (Gulfport) Circuit Courts are the primary venues for Gulf Coast asbestos litigation. Mississippi applies the discovery rule — the 3-year period begins upon confirmed mesothelioma diagnosis.

Mississippi Mesothelioma FAQs

What is Mississippi’s statute of limitations for mesothelioma?

Mississippi Code Ann. § 15-1-49 provides 3 years from the date of diagnosis for asbestos personal injury claims using the discovery rule. The clock starts when you receive a confirmed mesothelioma diagnosis — not when you worked with asbestos decades earlier. Wrongful death claims have a 3-year window under § 11-7-13.

Did Ingalls Shipbuilding workers get exposed to asbestos?

Yes — significantly. Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula built Navy destroyers, amphibious assault ships, and the LHA/LHD class of large-deck amphibious ships throughout the Cold War. Workers installed asbestos pipe insulation, boiler lagging, bulkhead insulation, and fireproofing throughout each vessel. Pipefitters, boilermakers, and sheet metal workers had the highest exposures, but all shipyard trades were affected. Ingalls continues to operate today under Huntington Ingalls Industries.

Can Mississippi Navy veterans file mesothelioma claims?

Yes. Veterans who served on ships built or repaired at Ingalls or who worked at Pascagoula-area facilities are eligible for VA disability benefits and civil lawsuits against asbestos manufacturers and suppliers. VA benefits and civil claims can be pursued at the same time, and VA compensation does not reduce civil damages. An attorney experienced in Navy veteran mesothelioma cases can coordinate both tracks simultaneously.