Mesothelioma is a deadly disease caused by prolonged exposure to asbestos fibers, which are naturally occurring minerals found worldwide, including in California. While natural exposure is possible, exposure is typically the result of the minerals’ use in building and manufacturing materials, such as pipes, insulation, gaskets, auto parts, and more. If you have been exposed to asbestos and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, I want to help you. I’m Ed Smith, your El Dorado Hills mesothelioma attorney.

As stated above, asbestos is a collection of naturally occurring minerals that, in the past, were used in building and manufacturing. As such, there are two primary ways that a person can be exposed to asbestos:

• Through the natural environment – if asbestos fibers are present in air and soil, these fibers may enter a person’s airway and lungs, leading to mesothelioma; and

• Exposure in the home or workplace – because asbestos was previously used in building and manufacturing, those who lived in homes with asbestos-containing materials, or handled asbestos-containing materials during their working years, are at an increased risk of developing mesothelioma.

California is one of the places in the nation where asbestos in the environment is prevalent. Three of the top sites for asbestos are:

• Coalinga Asbestos Mine, Coalinga, CA: From 1962 to 1975, the Coalinga Asbestos Company owned an asbestos mill site spanning 120 acres. The nearest town – Coalinga – is a mere 16 miles away from the site and could have been exposed to the asbestos fibers due to the frequent transport from the Coalinga Asbestos Mine to another mine site – the Atlas Asbestos Mine.

• Atlas Asbestos Mine, Coalinga, CA: Another mine owned by the Coalinga Asbestos Company was the Atlas Asbestos Mine, which was more than three times bigger than the Coalinga Asbestos Mine. Some of the asbestos mined from the Atlas mine was transported to Coalinga. Thankfully, the EPA declared that in both cases of asbestos mines, Coalinga’s citizens’ health was protected and that no further action was necessary.

• South Bay Asbestos Area, Santa Clara, CA: A 550-acre-sized area on the bay of San Francisco served as an active dumping site for asbestos for companies in the asbestos cement pipe manufacturing industry for more than three decades. This dumping site affected the level of asbestos in the soil, which also meant that the local water sources became contaminated. Clean-up of the site is still ongoing.

The area of El Dorado Hills is also rife with asbestos fibers. According to research published by the UC Davis Cancer Center, the prevalence of naturally occurring asbestos fibers in the area is high. While the risk of exposure (resulting in disease) is low, it is still genuine and should be taken seriously. Even scarier, the EPA concluded that everyday activities like biking or jogging can stir up asbestos fibers, resulting in concentrations 43 times higher than background levels.

If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, contact an experienced asbestos attorney in El Dorado Hills, CA.

The video below explains some of the causes and symptoms of asbestos.

Mesothelioma is a mesothelium cancer, the tissues covering the body’s internal organs. The cancer is highly aggressive, and the prognosis is grim.

With a few exceptions, mesothelioma is almost always the result of preventable asbestos exposure. However, the time and location of asbestos exposure can be hard to pinpoint, as the disease may develop decades after.

If you have developed mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure, you have the right to take action. If you have lost a loved one due to mesothelioma, you can file a wrongful death action to recover the compensation that your family deserves, including compensation for the costs of funeral and burial expenses, lost wages, and medical bills associated with mesothelioma treatment and related complications.

Our legal team will thoroughly investigate the cause of your – or your loved one’s – mesothelioma and the location and time of asbestos exposure. Then, we will build a case that holds the party responsible for asbestos exposure liable for your family’s harm. Liable parties may include a previous employer, a manufacturer, a large company (such as the mining company discussed above), or even a city government for failing to warn of asbestos in soil.

When you or your family member is diagnosed with terrible mesothelioma disease, you deserve to have an advocate on your side who cares about you. We can help your family seek the justice you deserve when preventable exposure to asbestos damages your life and well-being. 

We are seasoned personal injury and mesothelioma attorneys with the experience and skillset necessary to build a mesothelioma case and recover the compensation your family deserves. We also have experience in the courtroom, are skilled litigators, and know what it takes to obtain a successful jury verdict.

If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma in El Dorado Hills, CA, contact one of our asbestos attorneys today at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400. We are available anytime to discuss your case and provide free, friendly advice on bringing a claim for financial compensation.

We are members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the National Association of Distinguished Counsel.

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^{Editor’s Note: updated [cha 8.3.23] Photo by Pixabay [cs 923]}