Alameda County was once home to factories and shipping work, which means many people were exposed to asbestos. This exposure still hurts people today, even decades later. Asbestos is especially dangerous because you might not get sick until 20-50 years after breathing it in. This makes these legal cases tricky to handle.
At Berg Injury Lawyers, we understand Alameda County’s unique history and the specific challenges facing local asbestos victims. We have successfully represented shipyard workers, construction tradespeople, factory employees, and others who have developed serious illnesses after workplace exposure.
Asbestos Exposure in Alameda: A History of Harm
Naval Air Station Alameda, operational from 1940 to 1997, stands as one of the most significant sources of asbestos exposure in the county’s history. Throughout its decades of operation, the station’s shipbuilding and repair facilities extensively used asbestos in boiler rooms, engine spaces, and insulation, putting thousands of naval personnel and civilian workers at risk.
Asbestos even found its way into commercial and public buildings constructed before 1980. Schools, government buildings, hospitals, and office complexes throughout Alameda County frequently contained asbestos in ceiling tiles, floor coverings, pipe insulation, and fireproofing materials.
This widespread historical use means that many Alameda County residents who never worked directly with asbestos may have experienced significant exposure. If this history overlaps with your own and you’ve been experiencing health problems like those listed below, it’s time to reach out to our attorneys.
Health Consequences of Asbestos Exposure
When asbestos fibers are inhaled, they can become permanently trapped in the lungs, causing inflammation, scarring, and eventually serious health problems that may not be diagnosed until 20-50 years later. These problems include:
- Mesothelioma: This aggressive cancer affects the lining of the lungs, abdomen, or heart. It is almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure. The average survival time after diagnosis is 12-21 months.
- Asbestosis: A chronic lung disease characterized by severe scarring of lung tissue. It causes shortness of breath, persistent dry cough, and eventually heart failure in advanced cases.
- Lung Cancer: Asbestos exposure significantly increases the risk of developing lung cancer, especially among smokers. These cancers are often diagnosed at advanced stages.
- Pleural Plaques and Thickening: These conditions involve thickening of the pleural membrane surrounding the lungs. While not always life-threatening, they indicate significant asbestos exposure and can cause breathing difficulties.
- Other Respiratory Complications: These include pleural effusions (fluid around the lungs), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and increased susceptibility to respiratory infections.
If you or a loved one worked in Alameda County’s industrial sites, shipyards, or construction industry before the 1980s and are experiencing respiratory symptoms, get legal help as soon as possible.
Occupations at High Risk for Asbestos Exposure in Alameda
Certain occupations in Alameda County carried particularly high risks of asbestos exposure, especially for those working in these fields with defective products between the 1940s and 1980s:
- Shipyard workers at Naval Air Station Alameda and nearby facilities
- Navy veterans who served aboard vessels built or repaired in Alameda
- Insulators who installed asbestos-containing materials in buildings and ships
- Pipefitters and plumbers working with insulated pipes and gaskets
- Electricians exposed through electrical panels and wiring insulation
- Boilermakers in power plants and industrial settings
- Carpenters handling asbestos-containing construction materials
- Sheet metal workers in various manufacturing facilities
- Mechanics working with brake linings and clutches
- Demolition and renovation crews disturbing existing asbestos materials
- Maintenance personnel in schools, hospitals, and public buildings
- Factory workers in manufacturing plants throughout Alameda County
- Longshoremen at the Port of Oakland
Diagnosing Asbestos-Related Diseases
To diagnose diseases caused by asbestos, doctors need to look at several things: your work history, X-rays and scans, and tissue samples. Since symptoms usually show up decades after you were exposed to asbestos and can look like other breathing problems, you need doctors who really know about asbestos diseases.
The diagnostic process typically includes:
- Detailed occupational history documenting potential asbestos exposure sources and timeframes
- Chest X-rays to identify characteristic changes like pleural plaques or pulmonary fibrosis
- CT scans providing more detailed images of lung abnormalities than standard X-rays
- Pulmonary function tests measuring lung capacity and breathing efficiency
- Bronchoscopy to examine airways and collect tissue samples when necessary
- Thoracoscopy or video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) for more extensive tissue sampling
- Pathological examination of tissue samples to confirm diagnosis and type of disease
The Asbestos Litigation Process: From Diagnosis to Compensation
Asbestos lawsuits are often challenging cases because there’s often a huge gap between when you were exposed and when you got sick. Many different companies might be responsible, and you need special types of evidence. At Berg Injury Lawyers, we help Alameda County asbestos victims through every part of this difficult process. Here’s what your case might look like:
Step 1: Initial Case Evaluation—After diagnosis, we review your medical records and work history to determine the viability of your claim. This includes identifying your specific diagnosis and confirming it’s related to asbestos exposure.
Step 2: Identifying Exposure Sources and Responsible Parties—We investigate where and when you were exposed to asbestos—often decades ago. This involves:
- Documenting your complete work history in Alameda County
- Researching which companies supplied asbestos products to your workplaces
- Interviewing former coworkers who can confirm asbestos use
- Analyzing Navy records for veterans who served at Naval Air Station Alameda
- Reviewing historical documents about product usage at specific Alameda County job sites
Step 3: Determining the Appropriate Legal Approach—Based on your unique situation, we determine the best legal strategy, which could include a personal injury lawsuit, wrongful death claim, veterans’ benefits claim, or a multiple claim strategy.
Step 4: Overcoming Evidence Challenges—Proving asbestos cases presents challenges that require specialized legal knowledge:
- Locating and preserving records from companies that may no longer exist
- Finding witnesses who can testify about workplace conditions from decades ago
- Establishing product identification for specific asbestos-containing materials
- Linking your specific exposure to your current illness through expert testimony
- Countering defense arguments that other factors caused your illness
Step 5: Maximizing Compensation—We work to secure full compensation through settlement negotiations or, when necessary, trial. This includes documenting:
- All past and future medical expenses related to your asbestos illness
- Lost wages and diminished earning capacity
- Pain and suffering from your illness
- The impact on your quality of life and family relationships
- End-of-life costs in wrongful death cases
Most asbestos claims settle before trial, but having attorneys with trial experience significantly strengthens your negotiating position. Our team at Berg Injury Lawyers has the resources and expertise to take your case through trial when needed to secure fair compensation.
Why Choose Berg Injury Lawyers for Your Asbestos Case
Asbestos litigation demands specialized knowledge, resources, and commitment that not all law firms can provide. When you’re facing a life-threatening diagnosis like mesothelioma or asbestosis, your choice of legal representation can impact both your case outcome and your peace of mind during a difficult time.
Berg Injury Lawyers combines a deep knowledge of Alameda’s industrial history with the resources, expert connections, and time-tested legal techniques to build your case and get you the compensation you deserve.
No Fee Guarantee®
You might be worried about hiring an attorney because of the potential cost, but at Berg Injury Lawyers, if you don’t win, you pay nothing. There’s also no cost or obligation to hire or to simply speak to one of our lawyers. We call that our No Fee Guarantee®.
Contact Berg Injury Lawyers Today.
Contact Berg Injury Lawyers today for a free, confidential consultation about your Alameda asbestos case. Our experienced legal team is standing by to help you navigate this difficult journey and fight for the compensation you deserve.
