Californians who contract diseases caused by exposures to toxins might develop permanently disabling conditions. When those illnesses were caused by someone else’s negligence, the victims are entitled to pursue damages for their losses. In
Beebe v. Wonderful Pistachios LLC, et. al., Cal. Ct. App. Case No. F083502, the Court of Appeal evaluated a case to determine whether a plaintiff presented enough evidence to establish causation, a required element of a tort claim in California.
Factual and Procedural Background
Dale Beebe was employed by Braaten Electric, Inc. as an electrical foreman. In 2011, Potential Design, Inc., which was the general contractor on a construction project for two silos for Wonderful Pistachios and Almonds LLC hired Braaten Electric as a subcontractor to complete electrical work, including at one silo under construction in Firebaugh. Beebe worked at the Firebraugh site during two extended phases of the project, including from Jan. 13, 2012, to Dec. 20, 2012, and again from Sept. 12, 2013, to Sept. 26, 2014. During the time Beebe worked in the Firebaugh facility, he lived on the property in his recreational vehicle.