Our lawyers are skilled in California-specific litigation, legislation, and liability issues. Furthermore, we know how to help mesothelioma victims in the Golden State receive compensation in a timely manner. Through our experience, we have become familiar with the large number of asbestos companies in California, and we understand how their operations have led to long-term disabilities and deadly diseases such as mesothelioma.
Filing Mesothelioma Lawsuits in California
In general, mesothelioma victims or their survivors can submit an asbestos claim in any state where they have worked, resided, or provided military service. Even if you are not currently living, employed, or stationed in California, you may be able to file a personal injury or wrongful death claim if the relevant asbestos exposure occurred in that state.
Our experienced lawyers will be able to help you in choosing the appropriate venue for your mesothelioma lawsuit. We can also provide guidance about the best court in which to file your claim.
California Asbestos Laws
California heavily regulates the use of asbestos through everything from air quality programs to asbestos removal, as well as litigation related to asbestos injury through exposure.
Asbestos Litigation in California
According to an analysis in DataPoints, an occasional newsletter produced by California’s Judicial Branch, historically most asbestos litigation in the state originated in three counties – Alameda, Los Angeles, and San Francisco – which were also three of the top five venues in the country for asbestos lawsuits through the 1980s. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, asbestos claims in California dropped significantly compared to other areas of the country. However, in recent years, California filings related to asbestos and mesothelioma have started to rise again.
Today, the Superior Court of San Francisco County hears a large majority of asbestos cases in California. In order to help manage the large volume of cases, San Francisco County uses a system of electronic filing and case management. The San Francisco courts also group similar cases to help streamline the caseloads moving through the system. The courts also offer preference to plaintiffs who have short life expectancies. Few asbestos cases in California go all the way to a trial verdict.
Asbestos Safety Guidelines in California
Given the size of California, the state has implemented two separate sets of safety regulations to help protect its citizens from naturally occurring asbestos, which is found in at least 45 of the state’s 58 counties. These laws, known as Asbestos Airborne Toxic Control Measures (ATCMs), specifically apply to two different classes of activity:
- Surfacing Applications
- This applies to the production, sale, or use of “aggregate material” (i.e., gravel, sand, etc.) in geographic areas where ultramafic rock is known to be located, or where an air pollution control officer has otherwise determined that asbestos is present.
- Construction, Grading, Quarrying, and Surface Mining
- This rule applies to construction and mining-related activities in areas where ultramafic rock or asbestos occurs naturally.
While some exceptions are allowed, generally companies and individuals in California must work together with an air quality control officer to make sure they remain compliant with these ATCMs.
In addition to regulating activities around naturally occurring asbestos, the California code includes a chapter on General Industry Safety Orders, which contains rules around asbestos and other regulated carcinogens. These state-specific laws build on federal laws and regulations provided by OSHA and other agencies to protect workers from asbestos exposure at their place of employment.
Finally, like other states, California follows the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) guidelines to minimize airborne contaminants known to be health hazards. The Air Resources Board (ARB), part of the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA), provides statewide NESHAP oversight, and the state is broken up into 35 local air districts, each of which may have their own guidelines that must be followed when renovating or demolishing a building. Nineteen California counties are not part of an air district, and companies in those counties must work directly with the ARB.
Jobsites in California with Documented Mesothelioma Cases
One of the highest-risk places for asbestos exposure is on the job. Thousands of major job sites in California have put unsuspecting workers at risk for exposure to asbestos.
Our attorneys have represented mesothelioma clients who have worked at some of the largest sites in California where asbestos exposure occurred:
Los Angeles
- Los Angeles Pacific Railroad
- Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- Southern California Edison (Redondo Beach)
- Standard Oil Company of California (El Segundo)
San Diego
- Miramar Naval Air Station
- North Island Naval Air Station
- San Diego Marine Shipyard
- U.S. Naval Shipyard
San Francisco Bay/San Jose/Oakland
- Alcoa Building
- Bethlehem Steel Corp. (Alameda)
- California Gas and Electric Company
- Golden Gate Bridge Toll Station
San Francisco Bay/San Jose/Oakland (cont'd)
- Hamilton Field Air Force Base / Hamilton Army Airfield (Novato)
- Kaiser Shipyard (Richmond)
- Lawrence Radiation Labs (Livermore)
- Mare Island Navy Yard (Vallejo)
- Moore Dry Dock
- Naval Air Station Moffett Field
- San Francisco Naval Shipyard (Hunters Point)
- Standard Oil Company of California (Richmond)
- Todd Shipyard (Alameda)
- U.S. Naval Theatre, Treasure Island
Other California Jobsites
- Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (Various Locations)
- Vandenberg Air Force Base
These are undoubtedly not the only sites in California where asbestos exposure has occurred. Regardless of where you or your loved one has lived, worked, or performed military service in California, our firm can help you receive compensation for asbestos exposure.
ELSM Mesothelioma Clients in California
The law firm of Early, Lucarelli, Sweeney & Meisenkothen has represented hundreds of mesothelioma clients in the state of California – helping them to secure financial assistance for their loved ones. Our clients live in the towns and cities of California listed below:
- 29 Palms, CA (1)
- Anaheim Hills, CA (1)
- Antioch, CA (1)
- Apple Valley, CA (2)
- Aromas, CA (1)
- Atascadero, CA (2)
- Auburn, CA (2)
- Bakersfield, CA (2)
- Buellton, CA (1)
- Campbell, CA (1)
- Carson, CA (1)
- Cazadero, CA (1)
- Ceres, CA (1)
- Cerritos, CA (2)
- Chula Vista, CA (1)
- Citrus Heights, CA (1)
- Clovis, CA (1)
- Coalinga, CA (1)
- Corona, CA (1)
- Coronado, CA (1)
- Costa Mesa, CA (2)
- Covina, CA (1)
- Diamond Bar, CA (1)
- Discovery Bay, CA (1)
- Duarte, CA (1)
- El Cajon, CA (1)
- El Cerrito, CA (1)
- El Dorado Hills, CA (1)
- El Sequndo, CA (1)
- El Sobrante, CA (1)
- Escondido, CA (2)
- Fallbrook, CA (1)
- Foresthill, CA (1)
- Fresno, CA (9)
- Garden Grove, CA (3)
- Georgetown, CA (1)
- Grass Valley, CA (1)
- Hayward, CA (3)
- Hemet, CA (2)
- Hidden Hills, CA (1)
- Huntington Beach, CA (3)
- Igo, CA (1)
- Julian, CA (1)
- Keyes, CA (1)
- La Quinta, CA (2)
- Laguna Hills, CA (1)
- Lake Forest, CA (1)
- Lakeside, CA (1)
- Lakewood, CA (1)
- Lincoln, CA (1)
- Lodi, CA (2)
- Long Beach, CA (1)
- Los Angeles, CA (5)
- Madera, CA (1)
- Manhattan Beach, CA (1)
- Maricopa, CA (1)
- Meadow Vista, CA (1)
- Menifee, CA (1)
- Merced, CA (1)
- Mission Viejo, CA (1)
- Modesto, CA (1)
- Montebello, CA (1)
- Moreno Valley, CA (1)
- Mountain View, CA (1)
- Murieta, CA (1)
- Murrieta, CA (1)
- Newark, CA (1)
- Newcastle, CA (1)
- Oakland, CA (1)
- Orange, CA (1)
- Orangeville, CA (1)
- Palm Desert, CA (1)
- Palm Spring, CA (1)
- Palm Springs, CA (2)
- Pasadena, CA (1)
- Penn Valley, CA (1)
- Pioneer, CA (1)
- Pismo Beach, CA (1)
- Placentia, CA (1)
- Placerville, CA (1)
- Plam Desert, CA (1)
- Pleasant Hill, CA (1)
- Pleasanton, CA (2)
- Pomona, CA (1)
- Poway, CA (1)
- Rancho Cucamonga, CA (1)
- Rancho Mirage, CA (1)
- Rancho Palos Verdes, CA (2)
- Redding, CA (1)
- Redwood City, CA (1)
- Rescue, CA (1)
- Richvale, CA (1)
- Ridgecrest, CA (1)
- Riverside, CA (2)
- Roseville, CA (3)
- Sacramento, CA (2)
- Salinas, CA (1)
- San Bernardino, CA (2)
- San Carlos, CA (1)
- San Diego, CA (5)
- San Dimas, CA (2)
- San Francisco, CA (4)
- San Jose, CA (6)
- San Juan Capistrano, CA (1)
- San Marcos, CA (2)
- San Pedro, CA (1)
- San Ramon, CA (1)
- Santa Ana, CA (2)
- Santa Barbara, CA (1)
- Santa Clara, CA (1)
- Santa Paula, CA (1)
- Santa Rosa, CA (2)
- Santee, CA (1)
- Sierra Madre, CA (1)
- Simi Valley, CA (1)
- Sonoma, CA (1)
- South Lake Tahoe, CA (1)
- Stockton, CA (1)
- Studio City, CA (1)
- Sunnyvale, CA (1)
- Sylmar, CA (1)
- Taft, CA (1)
- Torrance, CA (1)
- Tracy, CA (2)
- Trinity Center, CA (1)
- Truckee, CA (1)
- Tulare, CA (2)
- Union City, CA (1)
- Upland, CA (1)
- Vacaville, CA (1)
- Vallejo, CA (2)
- Venice, CA (1)
- Villa Park, CA (1)
- Visalia, CA (1)
- Vista, CA (1)
- Watsonville, CA (1)
- Westlake Village, CA (1)
- Westminster, CA (1)
- Whittier, CA (2)
- Wilmington, CA (1)
- Wilton, CA (1)
- Woodcrest, CA (1)
- Woodland Hills, CA (2)
Settlements for Mesothelioma Clients Living in California
The following table represents some of the types of California mesothelioma clients our law firm has had the privilege of helping to receive financial assistance based upon their exposure to asbestos.
Please note that individual cases vary based upon a number of factors, and prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. If you have any questions about your legal rights, please contact us immediately.
California Statute of Limitations for Mesothelioma
In California, the statute of limitations for mesothelioma and asbestos claims is 1 year from date of diagnosis. For wrongful death claims, victims’ families have 1 year from the time their loved one passes away to file a claim, according to the statute.
Because there is only a short time to gather evidence and file a claim, mesothelioma victims in California and their families must act quickly to find a lawyer who is experienced with asbestos-related claims. Failing to act before the statute of limitations runs out could result in a loss of rights to compensation for you or your family.
Talk with a California Mesothelioma Lawyer Today
Request a Free Evaluation if you or someone you love has been diagnosed with mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure while living and/or working in California. The evaluation will cost you nothing and our attorneys will travel to visit you at your convenience. We understand how difficult a mesothelioma diagnosis is for you and will assist in any way that we can. You can also call us toll-free at 1-800-336-0086.
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