Los Angeles Mesothelioma & Asbestos Lawyer
Legally Reviewed By: Case A. Dam
Senior Attorney | Mesothelioma & Asbestos
- Page Last Updated:
- November 13, 2024
Legally Reviewed By: Case A. Dam
Senior Attorney | Mesothelioma & Asbestos
- Page Last Updated:
- November 13, 2024
If you or your loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma in Los Angeles, asbestos exposure earlier in life is almost certainly to blame—even if that exposure occurred decades ago. You may be entitled to significant financial compensation. Our experienced Los Angeles mesothelioma lawyers can file a mesothelioma lawsuit to hold the asbestos product manufacturers accountable and recover the compensation you deserve.
The companies that manufactured and supplied asbestos have known since the 1930s that asbestos exposure leads to mesothelioma and other deadly diseases but refused to warn the public or stop producing it. As a result, millions of people have developed mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis around the world. The Centers for Disease Control reports that in Los Angeles County alone, 323 people were diagnosed with mesothelioma from 2017 through 2021. Meanwhile, 227 people died of the disease in the county from 2018 to 2022.
Why Should I Choose the Los Angeles Mesothelioma Attorneys at The Lanier Law Firm?
We have over 30 years of experience handling mesothelioma cases and over $20 billion in successful mesothelioma settlements and verdicts. Our attorneys are well-known by our peers and the public for their litigation skills. Our founder, Mark Lanier, has been recognized as Lawyer of the Year in Product Liability Litigation. Our law firm has a Tier 1 Best Law Firm rating, the highest rating available by U.S. News & World Report, and recently secured a $39 million verdict for a talc pleurodesis procedure that led to a mesothelioma diagnosis.
Twenty-four of our attorneys were rated among the Best Lawyers in America in 2024, and the Courtroom View Network has recognized us as the firm that achieved the “Most Impressive Plaintiff Verdict” in 2019, which we achieved in an asbestos case. Our attorneys have consistently won recognition as Super Lawyers and Rising Stars.
With a mesothelioma attorney from The Lanier Law Firm on your side, you can rest assured that your Los Angeles asbestos case will be handled with the skill of one of the most experienced mesothelioma law firms in the world.
We are passionate about leveling the playing field so everyday individuals can successfully stand up to large companies that harm them. We offer free case evaluations and do not charge fees until we recover your well-deserved compensation.
How Was I Exposed to Asbestos in California?
Asbestos-related diseases in California may result from primary or secondary occupational exposure. Exposure for California residents may have also occurred during military service.
Past Occupational Exposure
Although asbestos is no longer widely used, the effects of exposure to the toxic material continue to plague workers who worked in industries with heavy asbestos usage.
Many industries widely used asbestos in numerous applications until the late 1970s, when the EPA began regulating asbestos. Los Angeles is a center of industry that has long served as one of the largest manufacturing hubs in the United States. Throughout much of the 1900s, the following manufacturing sectors flourished in Los Angeles while exposing workers to heavy asbestos levels:
- Aircraft and aerospace manufacturing
- Automobile production
- Oil and petroleum refining
- Food processing
- Textile and apparel manufacturing
Asbestos was used in brake linings and clutches in aircraft and automobiles, boiler insulation, and insulation at oil refineries. It insulated buildings and created watertight seals in plumbing and engine gaskets. It strengthened cement and improved the performance of paint and adhesives.
Los Angeles is home to the largest seaport in the nation, and thousands of workers were exposed to asbestos while working in shipyards. Asbestos could be found nearly everywhere in ships, including in the hull insulation, engine rooms, plumbing, and bulkheads.
Railroad workers in LA have also experienced heavy asbestos exposure, most notably in engine parts, railroad ties, adhesives, insulation, brakes, and the rail cars that hauled asbestos products.
Secondary Occupational Exposure
Airborne asbestos fibers often cling to the clothing of exposed workers. This clothing creates a hazard for family members when it is worn home. This can impact any member of the family, but historically, housewives have been most impacted. This is most likely due to the disturbance of fibers while laundering the tainted clothing.
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Members of the military, especially those in the U.S. Navy, have a heightened risk of asbestos-related sickness when compared to non-military occupations. Military members have often been present in building explosions or demolitions while serving overseas in Iraq, Vietnam and elsewhere.
Additionally, the military used asbestos extensively in naval ships, aircraft and other vehicles. Service members working as shipbuilders, electricians or mechanics, as well as those who served aboard naval ships or spent significant time in military aircraft, experienced high levels of exposure.
Prior to 1975, asbestos was used in the following building applications:
- Boilers and heating vessels
- Cement pipe
- Conduits for electrical wire
- Heat-protective pads
- Laboratory furniture
- Paper products
- Pipe covering
- Roofing products
- Sealants and coatings
- Insulation products
- Textiles
Workers may have experienced occupational asbestos exposure at the following sites in Los Angeles:
- Long Beach Naval Shipyard
- Todd Pacific Shipyard in San Pedro
- The former California Zonolite/W.R. Grace & Company site in Glendale
- Alcoa in Vernon
- Firestone in Los Angeles
- Harvey Aluminum/Martin Marietta in Torrance (Harbor Gateway)
- Kimberly-Clark in Fullerton
- Lockheed Corporation in Burbank
- McDonnell Douglas in Long Beach
What if I have a mesothelioma diagnosis, but I don’t know where I was exposed?
The secrecy of asbestos companies and mesothelioma’s extended latency period can make it difficult to identify sources of exposure. The experienced Los Angeles asbestos attorneys at The Lanier Law Firm have extensive knowledge of where exposure occurs.
Even in cases where clients identify an exposure source, we have found that many clients have been exposed to asbestos through more than one source. If you hire The Lanier Law Firm, our asbestos lawyers will gather a detailed life and work history from you and investigate thoroughly until we are satisfied we have identified all exposure sources.
Los Angeles Mesothelioma Lawyers Can Help You Obtain Compensation for Your Asbestos Exposure
Asbestos-related diseases are painful, debilitating, and fatal. We understand no amount of financial compensation can replace good health or a lost loved one. However, compensation can provide access to the most up-to-date medical treatment, alleviate financial stress, allow you to enjoy quality time with your loved ones, and provide long-term financial security for your family.
The following types of compensation may be available to you:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Punitive damages
Types of Mesothelioma Claims
If you or your loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you may be eligible for compensation through multiple sources. Our experienced asbestos lawyers in Los Angeles can help you recover damages through the following sources:
- Mesothelioma lawsuits: Lost wages, medical expenses, pain and suffering, and in some cases, punitive damages
- Mesothelioma wrongful death claims: Loss of companionship, loss of financial support, funeral expenses, and similar financial and emotional losses
- Asbestos trust fund claims: Medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and wrongful death damages
- Workers’ compensation claim: Lost wages and medical care at your employer’s expense if your diagnosis is the reason you stopped working and your asbestos exposure occurred at your current job
If you were exposed to asbestos in the military, you cannot sue the government, but you can file a mesothelioma VA claim. The VA pays monthly compensation and provides free medical benefits to eligible veterans with mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses.
Learn More About
Filing a Mesothelioma Lawsuit
- Are you eligible?
- What is the average settlement?
- How long will it take?
Why Should You Trust the Lanier Law Firm to Handle your Mesothelioma Case?
Filing a Mesothelioma Lawsuit in California
Our experienced asbestos attorneys can file your Los Angeles mesothelioma lawsuit for you so you can focus on medical treatment and your family.
The first step in a mesothelioma lawsuit is identifying the defendants. Our extensive proprietary database of asbestos products, internal asbestos manufacturer documents, and other information enables us to determine who is responsible for your exposure based on your history alone. We will then analyze your medical records, talk to your family, and consult with medical experts to determine the lifetime cost of your diagnosis and make a written demand for damages.
If the responsible companies refuse to pay, we will file a lawsuit and negotiate a settlement. If necessary, we will take your case to trial. A mesothelioma lawsuit can take a year or more to resolve, particularly if it goes to court. However, if you are over 70 or your prognosis is six months or less, you may be able to expedite your mesothelioma lawsuit by filing a motion of preference.
The California statute of limitations limits the time to file an asbestos exposure lawsuit to just one year after the diagnosis date, so it is important to contact us as soon as possible to protect your claim.
Options for Families of People with Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a dreadful disease that impacts the entire family. Close family members have options to recover damages. If your spouse has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you may be able to assert a claim for the loss of love, affection, and physical intimacy alongside the mesothelioma victim’s mesothelioma lawsuit. This kind of claim is known as loss of consortium.
If your loved one has died from mesothelioma, you may be able to file a lawsuit on their behalf or continue a mesothelioma lawsuit if it did not resolve before the death. Known as a survival claim, such an action enables you to recover the damages your loved one could have recovered had they survived.
A survival action is in addition to a wrongful death action. A wrongful death lawsuit pursues the damages the deceased’s family has suffered, whereas a survival claim focuses on the damages the loved one suffered before death. You can generally file both claims together. If you have lost your loved one to mesothelioma, our compassionate Los Angeles asbestos attorneys can work out these details for you and pursue the maximum damages available for your family.
Our Los Angeles Mesothelioma Attorneys
What Our Clients Say
“The Lanier Law Firm has been such a blessing for our family. My mother passed away from mesothelioma. The many settlements my father received allowed him to live comfortably until he passed away at 95. The Lanier Law Firm was very professional and always answered our questions promptly. I am very grateful for all of their guidance. I would recommend using their services if one of your loved ones is in this same situation.” – Nancy K.
“The Lanier Law Firm was with my mother and stepfather through the whole process when we found out my stepfather was exposed to asbestos while working in the naval shipyards. Throughout the last 10+ years, their expert lawyers and team have blessed not only my family but many other lives. My mother made sure that any settlement received 10% was given back to the same church in which we had recently held her memorial service. The Lanier Law firm not only blessed families but provided a way to give back to others.” – Robert T.
“We were immediately greeted with kindness and help. My father was treated with great dignity, honesty, and compassion. Because of his illness, we weren’t able to travel, but that was no problem because they came to us. Quickly. I have never been made to feel like a bother or nuisance when I call with questions. I am always treated with the same kindness and respect that my father received. Lanier Law Firm has gone above and beyond to research every company that had a hand in this horrible cancer! They are making sure that the ones who caused his illness and, ultimately, his death have had to pay for their crimes. There aren’t enough stars to rate this law firm!” – Kristy B.
Our Los Angeles mesothelioma law firm office is located in Westlake Village, just off Village Glen. Our address is:
2829 Townsgate Rd.
Suite 100
Westlake Village, CA 91361
We are a nationwide asbestos law firm with law offices in Los Angeles, New York City, and Houston. Our Los Angeles location handles mesothelioma cases throughout Northern and Southern California and beyond.
Time is of the essence in mesothelioma cases. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
By submitting this form, you agree to our terms & conditions. Please read full disclaimer here.
