CALIF. ASBESTOS DEATHS
California has more asbestos-related deaths than any state in the nation

When examining national health records, California and Los Angeles have the highest rates of asbestos-related deaths than any state or city in the country, according to government statistics recorded between 1979 and 2001.

At least 4,273 people in California have been killed by asbestos during this period. Broken down by city, the areas around San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego are the urban centers most affected.

On the government’s list of the Top 100 counties in the nation showing deaths due to asbestos, California ranks high, showing 12 deadly counties – a statistic of great concern to any state, and matched only by Florida and New Jersey.

Shipyard workers, construction workers, auto mechanics and military veterans are at the greatest risk for asbestos poisoning, as these are the occupations in which asbestos use has been most prevalent. Naval shipyards in Southern California, for example, were hotbeds for work site exposure, often leading to hundreds of cases of mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is the most serious form of asbestos cancers, affecting the lining of the lungs and leading to death within months of being diagnosed. The disease has a 20- to 50-year latency period, which means that industrial workers exposed to asbestos in the 1960s and 1970s are just now being diagnosed positive.

Seek Justice

Government sources estimate that in the next decade more than 35,000 people nationwide will be diagnosed with mesothelioma, most often the result of industrial workplace exposure to asbestos – and usually contracted through their employers’ blatant disregard for health safety.

That’s why victims diagnosed with mesothelioma have strong cases in court against their former employers. If you have a mesothelioma injury, contact Weitz & Luxenberg for a complete free evaluation of your legal rights. Litigating asbestos-related health injuries is the firm’s strongest practice area.

Weitz & Luxenberg is a leading plaintiffs' law firm that has represented people affected by mesothelioma for over 20 years. Men and women diagnosed with mesothelioma or lung cancer caused by asbestos exposure may be entitled to compensation from the companies responsible for their disease.

If you would like a free consultation or more information about your legal options, please complete the form on this page, and a representative of our law firm will contact you as soon as possible.