The city of Stockton is home to nearly 300,000 people, and its history reveals strong industrial roots due to its legacy as a transport hub and the home of Stockton Wheel Company, the precursor of the company that would become Caterpillar, Inc. Importantly, Stockton also has a strong military history thanks to shipyards built by the United States Navy during World War II.

Stockton’s diverse industrial and military history and large population size make it a high-risk city for asbestos exposure and the harms that can result from asbestos exposure.

Why Is Asbestos Dangerous?

A single exposure to asbestos can cause the following diseases:

• Mesothelioma
• Asbestosis
• Asbestos-related lung cancer

Of these, mesothelioma is most common, and a single exposure to harmful asbestos fibers can lead to a mesothelioma cancer diagnosis many decades later. This fact is relevant because many Californians worked at industrial or manufacturing jobsites that regularly made use of asbestos for its tensile, durable nature and heat/chemical-resistant properties.

Given the frequent and regular use of asbestos in the 20th century, the harms of asbestos are primarily inflicted on California workers. A recent report from the California Department of Public Health found that more than 350 California workers are diagnosed with mesothelioma annually. An estimated 200 workers among the diagnosed eventually pass away from their diagnosis.

However, the risk of asbestos also extends to the family when workers take asbestos home on their clothing. For this reason, California law permits loved ones of a worker to file a lawsuit if they were exposed to the dangers of asbestos when a family member brought asbestos home from the workplace.

And, given Stockton’s history of Navy shipyards, it must be said that mesothelioma has been especially hard on veterans. While comprising just 8% of the country’s population, nearly a third of the country’s mesothelioma deaths have been veterans.

In sum, Stockton has been particularly affected by asbestos and mesothelioma.

Asbestos Exposure in Stockton

According to research conducted over a nearly 15-year period from 1999 to 2013, San Joaquin County has suffered from hundreds of asbestos-related deaths. As the largest San Joaquin County city by population, and due to its manufacturing and military history and known asbestos exposure jobsites, Stockton residents have assuredly suffered greatly from asbestos-related illnesses.

Known asbestos exposure sites in Stockton include:

• A.G. McKee and Company
• Delta Bank
• Franrica Manufacturing
• Port of Stockton
• Safeway
• Stockton Army Depot
• Stockton Shipyard
• Unilever Foods

These are just a few of the many jobsites that exposed Stockton workers and their loved ones to the dangers of asbestos.

Talk to a Stockton Mesothelioma Lawyer

If you or a loved one was exposed to asbestos and received a diagnosis for mesothelioma or another asbestos-related illness, talk to a Stockton mesothelioma lawyer to find out if you are entitled to legal compensation.

The Ledger Law Firm represents asbestos exposure victims by proving that an asbestos-related illness was caused by wrongful asbestos exposure, which entitles victims to the compensation they deserve.

Billions in trust fund assets are set aside to ensure victims have access to the critically important funds they need, so contact us today to hold all responsible parties accountable and receive the funds you deserve.