Experienced Fresno mesothelioma lawyers help victims of asbestos exposure fight for justice. The city of Fresno has a long history of industrialized asbestos, and Fresno County is also the site of naturally-occurring asbestos deposits and mines. Both have contributed to harmful exposure in workers and residents.
Currently, over $30 billion is available in trust funds for asbestos victims. If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may qualify for a substantial amount of compensation. We invite you to fill out our form today for a free Financial Compensation Packet, filled with information about top Fresno asbestos lawyers, how to get paid in 90 days, how to file an asbestos trust fund claim, and much more.
FREE Financial Compensation Packet
- Info on law firms that will recover your HIGHEST COMPENSATION
- Learn how to get paid in 90 days
- File for your share of $30 billion in trust funds
Facts about Asbestos in Fresno
- California has seen many asbestos-related deaths over the years, including more than 27,000 between 1999 and 2017.
- In that period, Fresno County had more than 580 deaths related to asbestos exposure.
- The area around Fresno includes natural deposits of asbestos.
- Some of these sites were mined and may still contribute to exposure.
Why Do I Need a Fresno Mesothelioma Lawyer?
If you have been diagnosed with an asbestos illness, you need a lawyer. Top-rated California lawyers who serve the Fresno area and have experience with mesothelioma cases can help you seek compensation.
Mesothelioma is a devastating and expensive illness. You’re facing medical bills, loss of earning capacity, and personal care costs. Mesothelioma is almost always caused by negligent workplace asbestos exposure, which means you can hold companies liable for your resulting expenses.
A lawyer with asbestos experience, a local presence, and nationwide reach is the best choice to guide your next steps. They can help you file a lawsuit to seek a settlement, make a claim with an asbestos trust fund, or claim VA benefits if you are a veteran.
Where Was I Exposed to Asbestos in Fresno?
If you lived or worked in Fresno and now have mesothelioma, you likely encountered asbestos in the area. One of the first things an asbestos attorney will do to help you is track down where and when you were exposed to asbestos.
Most exposure occurs in the workplace. Some jobs carry a greater risk of asbestos exposure than others. Some of the common types of companies that put workers at risk in Fresno and elsewhere include:
- Manufacturing plants
- Construction sites
- Automotive repair shops
- Power plants
- Oil refineries
- Steel mills
- Industrial plants
- Processing plants
Men and women who served in the military also had a high risk of asbestos exposure.
How Has Asbestos Been Used in Fresno?
Fresno was founded in 1872 by the Central Pacific Railroad. The city grew around a core formed by the railroad station and several stores as settlers from other parts of the country moved into the area.
In 1874, voters moved the county seat to Fresno, which became an incorporated city in 1885.
After several devastating 19th-century fires, new construction included more durable materials, like brick and cement.
Locally-available asbestos was added to these construction materials to make them more resistant to fire and heat.
By the beginning of the 20th Century, Fresno had many of the amenities of a modernized and growing American city.
The influx of new residents, which included immigrants from Armenia, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Scandinavia, required the construction of new homes, businesses, and power plants.
After World War II, Fresno experienced another boom in population due to strong economic growth in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
Fresno’s transition from a frontier town to California’s largest inland city occurred during heavy asbestos use.
For nearly a century, construction companies, power plants, and various transportation-related enterprises used asbestos and asbestos-containing materials (ACMs).
Most of the houses, apartment buildings, commercial centers, and industrial facilities built between 1930 and 1979 either have or had many parts made from asbestos.
Fresno County Asbestos Mines and Superfund Sites
Fresno is in an area rich with naturally-occurring asbestos deposits (NOAs). According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), two abandoned mines in Fresno County, the Atlas, and Coalinga Asbestos Mines, have met the requirements for Superfund sites.
The Atlas Asbestos Mine operated from 1963 to 1979 on a large site near Coalinga, California, around 62 miles from Fresno.
Large amounts of extracted asbestos minerals and processed ACMs passed through Coalinga and were distributed throughout Fresno County. The site is still listed as a Superfund site, and the EPA continues to monitor it.
The separate Coalinga Asbestos Mine occupied 107 acres and was used as an asbestos milling, processing, storage, and distribution center.
The Coalinga area was also used as a dumping ground for asbestos-contaminated pipes and mining waste by the owners of the Atlas Asbestos Mine and the U.S. Asbestos Company.
The EPA declared both areas Superfund cleanup sites. They were removed from the list in 1998.
Other Fresno Job Sites and Businesses Associated with Asbestos
Fresno’s origins as a railroad town and the use of asbestos in various industries create a legacy of active and abandoned job sites known to contain dangerous asbestos materials.
Schools, Public Buildings, and Hospitals
- California State University
- Fresno City College
- USCF Fresno
- Glen Agnes Senior Housing
- Saint Agnes Hospital
- Fresno Youth Center
- Fresno Convention Center
- Fresno County Courthouse
- Fresno County General Hospital
- Fresno State Hospital
Plants and Power Companies
- Pacific Gas and Electric Light Company
- Warrick Electric Company
- Anderson-Clayton Oil Plant
- Fresno Gas & Electric Company
Additional Job Sites and Businesses
- Plaskett Construction Company
- E & J Gallo Winery
- Fresno Distributing Company
- Fresno Linen Service
- Montgomery Ward
- Red Star Industrial Service
- R.L. O’Neil Construction
- Robert Harper Construction
- Sears & Roebuck
- Best Fertilizer
- California Associated Raisin Co.
- California Wine Association
- Cyclops Refrigerator
- Guild Wineries
- Gallo Winery
- Del Monte Cannery
- Cellulo Company
- NAPA Auto Parts
- Spreckles Sugar Company
- Valley Nitrogen Producers, Inc.
Mesothelioma and Cancer Treatment Near Fresno
Several medical facilities in the Fresno area offer cancer treatment and support services for those with mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases.
California Cancer Center
7257 N. Fresno Street
Fresno, CA 93720
Phone: (559) 447-4050
Cancer Care Associates
1791 E Fir Ave.
Fresno, CA 93720
Phone: (559) 326-1222
Saint Agnes Cancer Center
7130 N. Millbrook Ave.
Fresno, CA 93720
Phone: (559) 450-5500
Fresno Cancer Center
7887 N. Cedar Ave.
Fresno, CA 93720
Phone: (559) 437-1000
Legal Help in Fresno and Additional Information
Keep in mind that you may be eligible for compensation if you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis. Don’t forget to fill out our form to get our free Financial Compensation Packet, filled with information on the experienced asbestos and mesothelioma attorneys in your area.
Jeffrey B. Simon
Reviewer and EditorJeffrey B. Simon is a founding partner of Simon Greenstone Panatier, PC and has been recognized multiple times for excellence in trial law. He is licensed to practice in California, Texas, and New York. He specializes in mesothelioma and asbestos, toxic torts, and pharmaceutical injury. Simon has been given lifetime achievement awards from America’s Top 100 Attorneys and also the Worldwide Registry of Executives and Professionals.
Connect with California Mesothelioma Lawyer Jeffrey B. Simon
References
- Environmental Working Group. (n.d.). Asbestos-Related Deaths in California.
Retrieved from: http://www.asbestosnation.org/facts/asbestos-deaths/ca/ - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Atlas Asbestos Mine Coalinga, CA.
Retrieved from: https://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0901736 - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Coalinga Asbestos Mine Coalinga, CA.
Retrieved from: https://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0902075