A trusted San Jose mesothelioma lawyer can help you seek justice if you or a loved one are receiving treatment for mesothelioma. Several reputable law firms specializing in mesothelioma litigation provide services in California, including the San Jose area.
Hiring a San Jose mesothelioma lawyer is a key step in pursuing justice if you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma. California remains one of the most active jurisdictions for asbestos litigation, with juries awarding multi-million-dollar verdicts in mesothelioma cases through 2025. More mesothelioma claims have been filed in California than in most other states.
Many law firms specializing in mesothelioma have offices in California, offering you access to mesothelioma lawyers who can provide the guidance and compassion necessary to seek compensation. Mesothelioma lawyers specialize in complex asbestos cases. A San Jose asbestos attorney can leverage their knowledge of the local landscape and court system to ensure that your case gets the proper attention and expertise that it needs to succeed.
According to the Environmental Working Group, California has experienced more than 27,080 asbestos-related deaths through 2017. Santa Clara County averages 59 asbestos-related deaths per year. San Jose is home to several occupations connected to asbestos exposure. The 550-acre South Bay Asbestos Superfund site also sits in the city’s Alviso District, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. California also has naturally occurring asbestos in most of the state’s counties.
Working With a San Jose Asbestos Lawyer
A San Jose asbestos attorney can guide you through the entire litigation process, from gathering the information needed for filing a claim to pursuing compensation. After you choose a mesothelioma lawyer, their first step is learning more about you and gathering critical documentation for your case. This typically includes medical record related to your diagnosis, financial records and employment or military records. A trusted California mesothelioma lawyer can help you gather this information.
Your attorney will then evaluate where it’s appropriate to file your case. The location of your exposure and the number of defendants involved in your exposure play a role. California courts routinely group asbestos lawsuits filed across multiple counties before a single dedicated judge (a Judicial Council Coordinated Proceeding), streamlining discovery, motions and pretrial proceedings.
$30B+ IN TRUST FUNDS AVAILABLE
Find the Right Attorney for You
When filing a mesothelioma claim, the right legal representation is everything. We’ll connect you to a top lawyer who will help you secure financial compensation.
Your mesothelioma lawyer will help determine your eligibility for compensation. The strength of your case, the severity of your illness and evidence showing your exposure can all play a role. The average mesothelioma settlement generally ranges nationally from $1 million to $2 million. It can take anywhere from 6 to 12 months to reach a settlement.
Past California Asbestos Trial Verdicts
$21.17 million (verdict): A 72-year-old man who died from mesothelioma after working as a paint tinter received this award in 2017.
$10 million (verdict): This verdict was awarded in 2017 to a 65-year-old man diagnosed with mesothelioma after a career installing pipes.
$8.6 million: A former U.S. Navy machinist who was diagnosed with mesothelioma received this award in 2005.
California allows uncapped economic damages, including medical bills, lost wages and funeral costs with noneconomic damages. Separate rules applying to wrongful death claims.
In rarer instances, your case could advance all the way to trial if a settlement agreement isn’t reached. This process takes much longer, but it can result in a significantly higher payout.
“You’re going to get better values in certain states. Louisiana is a great state. Pennsylvania is a good state. California is also good.”
Carl Money, Mesothelioma Lawyer & Partner at Nemeroff Law Firm
Top Mesothelioma Law Firms in San Jose
Several reputable law firms in San Jose specialize in mesothelioma cases and have a long history of litigating them successfully. These firms devote significant time and resources to pursuing compensation for people diagnosed with mesothelioma, handling the complexities that these cases require. Top firms include Simmons Hanly Conroy, Weitz & Luxenberg and Meirowitz & Wasserberg.
Rated in the Top 10 Asbestos and Mesothelioma Trial Lawyers
Asbestos Exposure in San Jose
One major source of asbestos exposure in San Jose is the South Bay Asbestos Area site. For almost 30 years, the area operated as an asbestos-cement pipe manufacturing plant, producing asbestos-contaminated waste that was sent to nearby landfills.
In the 1980s, soil samples revealed that asbestos had been distributed throughout Alviso. Significant effort went into cleaning up the site, including paving nearly 130,000 yards of an asbestos-contaminated truck yard and industrial yard and wet sweeping streets monthly. Officials also monitored the air quality.
Known and Suspected Asbestos Jobsites in San Jose
Communications Hill development site: This area sits on naturally occurring asbestos deposits in the soil and rock, putting construction workers and nearby residents at risk of fiber exposure.
IBM Almaden and Cottle Road facilities: IBM’s San Jose campus employed thousands of workers over decades, many of whom encountered asbestos in the facility’s construction and equipment. Workers who built the facility, maintained equipment or performed renovations faced exposure.
Older Santa Clara County schools, hospitals and public buildings: Buildings constructed before the 1980s throughout Santa Clara County incorporated asbestos-containing materials. Maintenance workers, teachers and contractors faced ongoing exposure risk during renovations and repairs.
Pacific Gas & Electric facilities: Utility workers at PG&E’s Santa Clara County facilities encountered asbestos in equipment, insulation and infrastructure throughout much of the 20th century.
San Jose State University buildings: Older campus buildings constructed with asbestos-containing materials put maintenance workers, staff and contractors at risk during the university’s decades of construction and renovation.
Santos and Marshland Landfills: These landfills received asbestos-contaminated waste from the nearby asbestos-cement pipe manufacturing plant that operated in the Alviso District for nearly 30 years.
South Bay Asbestos Area (Alviso District) Superfund Site: The EPA designated this 550-acre site as a National Priorities List Superfund site. It includes former landfills, a ring levee and truck yards contaminated with asbestos waste.
Western Electric and Lucent Technologies sites: Electronics and telecommunications workers at these Santa Clara County facilities encountered asbestos in electrical insulation, equipment components and facility infrastructure throughout their careers.
Common professions that may have resulted in asbestos exposure include military services, plumbing, pipefitting and electrical work. San Jose also has some common exposure risks, including older buildings that may still contain asbestos. Fibers can enter the air when those buildings are renovated or demolished.
Beyond the Alviso Superfund site, Santa Clara County has multiple known and suspected sources of asbestos exposure linked to industrial, infrastructure and naturally occurring asbestos sources. When California’s naturally occurring asbestos deposits in the earth are disturbed, they can release the fibers into the air. They can then spread and be inhaled. Once released, they can linger in the environment for a long time. Unpaved roads are a particular risk area. Driving or biking over them can release the fibers into the air.
Exclusive Content
Carl Money, Mesothelioma Lawyer & Partner at The Nemeroff Law Firm: How Lawyers Help Find How You Were Exposed to Asbestos
Patients generally, I mean, a lot of times don’t know where they’re exposed. And they might have kind of an idea, and some of them have no idea what so ever and so they shouldn’t have to worry about that. I will visit with them when I meet them. I will get their work history.
As we walk through their work history, a lot of times things will pop up that they forgot about, you know, and it’s just a wonderful encounter when you’re sitting there with the family and a lot of times, you know, besides the mesothelioma patient, you’re going to have all the family around. And as you walk through the history from the day they’re born to the day I’m sitting in their living room or at their kitchen table. We’ll go through everything and so we’ll figure out their work history and a lot of times something that they had forgot about. Even at jobs sometimes people forget about, oh yeah, you know, I used to change brakes right out of high school or I didn’t shop in high school, you know, for a year.
And so that makes a big difference, you know. There’s a lot of brake defendants that we’ll be able to get compensation from in the bankruptcy or the asbestos trust funds. So we’ll get that from them. We’ll get it from their co workers, we’ll get this asbestos exposure evidence from their family.
But also, you know, depending on where they work, we generally know in every state the viable asbestos companies, the bankrupt asbestos companies, the brand names, manufacturers names of all the products that were in that state. We have a repository of all this information. We know everything about these defense because we’ve been doing it for twenty five years. So we’ll be able to get a lot of evidence.
But I guess the most important thing is they don’t need to worry about it. That is our job. We will figure that out in working with them and working with all the things we have. We’ll also get information during trial and discovery.
So there’s lots of ways to get that information and they shouldn’t worry about it.
Secondary Exposure
Secondary exposure to asbestos is a very real concern to be aware of, as it can affect the health of family members and those who may believe they have never been around asbestos. When someone works in an industry or at a site with asbestos, the fibers may cling to them. A worker may unknowingly bring asbestos back into their home. They can attach to hair, skin and clothes.
From there, it may settle onto furniture, carpeting or be further dispersed throughout the home. If you were diagnosed with mesothelioma, don’t know where your exposure took place, and had a family member who worked an at-risk job, you may have experienced secondary exposure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a San Jose mesothelioma lawyer do?
A San Jose mesothelioma lawyer can litigate your case, helping you gather exposure history, identify liable parties and file in California state court. They’ll negotiate trust fund claims and handle the entire legal process on a contingency basis, meaning you pay nothing unless they recover compensation for you.
Do mesothelioma lawyers work on contingency fees?
Yes. Mesothelioma lawyers in San Jose work on a contingency basis, so patients don’t pay anything up front. There are no hourly rates and no retainer fees. Your lawyer collects a fee only if they recover compensation for you, typically as an agreed percentage of the settlement or verdict.
How much compensation can mesothelioma patients receive in California?
The average mesothelioma settlement generally ranges from $1 million to $2 million nationally. California juries have awarded multi-million-dollar verdicts in mesothelioma cases. Patients may pursue compensation through asbestos trust funds, personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits and Veterans Affairs benefits.
What is the statute of limitations for mesothelioma claims in California?
Because the California legislature can change the state’s statute of limitations at any time, it’s best that you consult with your mesothelioma attorney to see if you meet the limitations, if there are exceptions in your case or if the details of your case mean you need to file in a different state.
Are there known asbestos jobsites in San Jose?
Yes. San Jose has several known and suspected asbestos exposure sites. The South Bay Asbestos Area in the Alviso District is the most prominent, a 550-acre EPA Superfund site that operated as an asbestos-cement pipe manufacturing plant for nearly 30 years. Other sites include IBM’s San Jose facilities, Pacific Gas & Electric locations, Western Electric and Lucent Technologies sites, San Jose State University buildings, Communications Hill and older Santa Clara County schools, hospitals and public buildings.
Recommended Reading
Your web browser is no longer supported by Microsoft. Update your browser for more security, speed and compatibility.
If you are looking for mesothelioma support, please contact our Patient Advocates at (855) 404-4592
Fact Checked
Our fact-checking process begins with a thorough review of all sources to ensure they are high quality. Then we cross-check the facts with original medical or scientific reports published by those sources, or we validate the facts with reputable news organizations, medical and scientific experts and other health experts. Each page includes all sources for full transparency.
Reviewed
Asbestos.com is the nation’s most trusted mesothelioma resource
The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com has provided patients and their loved ones the most updated and reliable information on mesothelioma and asbestos exposure since 2006.
Our team of Patient Advocates includes a medical doctor, a registered nurse, health services administrators, veterans, VA-accredited Claims Agents, an oncology patient navigator and hospice care expert. Their combined expertise means we help any mesothelioma patient or loved one through every step of their cancer journey.
More than 30 contributors, including mesothelioma doctors, survivors, health care professionals and other experts, have peer-reviewed our website and written unique research-driven articles to ensure you get the highest-quality medical and health information.
About The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com
Assisting mesothelioma patients and their loved ones since 2006.
Helps more than 50% of mesothelioma patients diagnosed annually in the U.S.
A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
5-star reviewed mesothelioma and support organization.
My family has only the highest compliment for the assistance and support that we received from The Mesothelioma Center. This is a staff of compassionate and knowledgeable individuals who respect what your family is experiencing and who go the extra mile to make an unfortunate diagnosis less stressful. Information and assistance were provided by The Mesothelioma Center at no cost to our family.
Asbestos.com. (2026, June 4). San Jose Mesothelioma Lawyer. Retrieved June 18, 2026, from https://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma-lawyer/california/san-jose/
MLA
"San Jose Mesothelioma Lawyer." Asbestos.com, 4 Jun 2026, https://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma-lawyer/california/san-jose/.
Chicago
Asbestos.com. "San Jose Mesothelioma Lawyer." Last modified June 4, 2026. https://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma-lawyer/california/san-jose/.
File a Mesothelioma Claim
Start your claim today with the help and support of the nation’s top mesothelioma law firms.
Attorneys are available to discuss your case today
Over $30 billion available for asbestos victims. Time limits may apply
5.0 Rating160+ Google Reviews
A+ RatedBetter Business Bureau
20 YearsServing Exposure Victims
Aaron Munz did an excellent and amazing job of guiding me through the process of setting up and gathering the proper information for getting my mesothelioma claim started. Extremely efficient!!!
Because of you, my mother is going to be financially set once the settlements come in. Without your guidance, my father would probably have not gotten as far as he did and would have passed not knowing how my mother would be taken care of.
They were able to help us find legal representation and charitable donations to support after the passing of my mother who had a 9-week battle with mesothelioma.
The Mesothelioma Center was so helpful. I received so much information on mesothelioma. It really helped me understand how rare and difficult it is to treat. I got frequent emails asking how my dad and I were doing. They even help with setting you up with an attorney if you want to start a lawsuit. They were so helpful. Thank you so much for your help and compassion.
My father was recently diagnosed with mesothelioma. We as a family were devastated. We were uncertain where to even start, so we reached out to The Mesothelioma Center. They were absolutely amazing. They provided physicians in our area who specialize in this type of cancer because it is so rare. They also set us up with a firm who specializes in getting funds that are set aside to help with our medical bills. I’m so glad we made the phone call. They were very knowledgeable, supportive, sincere, and true patient advocates.
My Dad was diagnosed with mesothelioma, and thankfully The Mesothelioma Center was the first place I called. Snehal Smart answered the phone immediately and was very helpful. She immediately sent us an information packet and answered questions. She followed up each week to see how things were going and to see if we had any questions. She also connected us with a lawyer. I highly recommend this Center.
Whitney Ray Di Bona brings a unique perspective to The Mesothelioma Center's content on Asbestos.com. As both a practicing attorney and consumer safety advocate, she has encountered asbestos-related cases throughout her legal career. She draws on her experience in mass tort litigation and background as a former prosecutor to ensure the accuracy and helpfulness of content for mesothelioma survivors and their families.
Fact-checked and verified content:
Our fact-checking process begins with a thorough review of all sources to ensure they are high quality. Then we cross-check the facts with original medical or scientific reports published by those sources, or we validate the facts with reputable news organizations, medical and scientific experts and other health experts. Each page includes all sources for full transparency.
Please read our editorial guidelines to learn more about our content creation and review process.
Carl Money , Mesothelioma Lawyer & Partner at Nemeroff Law Firm
