Asbestos / Mesothelioma Statistics in Bakersfield
~30
Annual Mesothelioma Diagnoses (Bakersfield MSA)
2 years
SOL from Diagnosis
Kern County oil fields, Chevron/Texaco refineries, agricultural processing, railroad
Key Exposure Industries
Kern County Superior Court
Primary Litigation Venue
Courts in Bakersfield, California
Kern County Superior Court — Civil Division
1415 Truxtun Ave, Bakersfield, CA 93301
Hospitals & Trauma Centers in Bakersfield
Dignity Health Memorial Hospital — Cancer Center
420 34th St, Bakersfield, CA 93301
Liability Considerations in Bakersfield
Oil Field and Refinery Asbestos Exposure in Bakersfield
The Kern County oil fields surrounding Bakersfield have produced oil since the 1860s and are home to some of the oldest producing wells and refining operations in California. Chevron, Texaco (now Chevron), Shell, and numerous smaller operators maintained oil field equipment, pipelines, and processing facilities using asbestos pipe insulation throughout the mid-20th century. Pipefitters, boilermakers, and process mechanics who maintained high-temperature steam injection systems used for enhanced oil recovery were exposed to significant concentrations of asbestos fiber. The Chevron Kern River refinery complex is a major industrial facility in Bakersfield proper with decades of pipe insulation maintenance work involving asbestos materials.
Your Legal Team
Linda Nakamura
Partner
San Francisco, CA
Linda Nakamura is one of California's leading mesothelioma attorneys, with a particular focus on Navy veteran cases and complex multi-defendant litigation in the Northern District of California's active asbestos docket. Over 22 years, she has represented over 800 mesothelioma families, developing deep expertise in trust fund portfolio maximization — identifying all applicable trusts, optimizing claim sequencing, and coordinating trust fund distributions with civil settlements to maximize total family recovery. Linda has been recognized by the San Francisco Examiner as one of the Bay Area's top plaintiffs' attorneys and is a regular panelist at the American Association for Justice annual convention's toxic tort track. Her technical knowledge of shipbuilding history, Navy vessel specifications, and industrial insulation products enables her to reconstruct exposure histories with exceptional precision.
Education
- J.D., UC Berkeley School of Law, Boalt Hall (2004)
- B.A., Political Science, Stanford University (2001)