Schertz Toxic Exposure and Industrial Injury Accountability: The Attorney 911 Guide to Securing Your Future

You didn’t know. For twenty years, thirty years, maybe longer—you went to work in the industrial corridors around Schertz, did your job, and came home to your family in Guadalupe or Comal County. Nobody told you the dust you breathed while maintaining equipment near Lookout Road, the chemicals you handled at local manufacturing plants, or the insulation you cut during the construction of Schertz’s suburban expansion would one day try to kill you. You simply trusted that the companies profiting from your labor were following the law and keeping you safe. Now, with a diagnosis of mesothelioma, leukemia, or a permanent industrial injury, you finally know the truth. And now you have rights that the corporations responsible hope you never discover.

There is a word for what has happened to you or your loved one in Schertz. It is not “bad luck.” It is not merely the result of “aging” or “genetics.” It is exposure. Whether you were a veteran stationed at Randolph Air Force Base, a pipefitter at a nearby refinery, or a fabrication worker cutting quartz countertops on the I-35 corridor, your illness is likely the direct result of corporate negligence. At Attorney 911, led by Ralph Manginello and former insurance defense insider Lupe Peña, we don’t just “handle” cases. We diagnose the betrayal that led to your diagnosis and we hold the billion-dollar entities that caused it accountable.

The Diagnosis Principle: Why You Are Only Now Learning the Truth

Toxic exposure is fundamentally different from a car accident on I-35 or FM 3009. If you’re in a wreck, you know the moment you’re injured. But if you were exposed to asbestos or benzene in Schertz during the 1970s, 80s, or 90s, your body has been a silent crime scene for decades. Many of our clients in the Schertz area only discover they are victims when they end up at Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) or a local specialty clinic with a cough that won’t go away or blood counts that won’t normalize.

We perform the legal diagnosis that your doctors may not have the resources to complete. We connect the dots between your current illness and the specific Schertz employer, the specific product, and the specific timeframe of your exposure. This is the moment of recognition: your suffering was preventable, and someone else is responsible for it.

The Attorney 911 Advantage: 27+ Years of Fighting for Texas Workers

When you are facing a terminal diagnosis or a life-altering injury, you cannot afford a “settlement mill” firm that treats you like a file number. You need a trial team that knows the industrial landscape of Schertz and the surrounding Guadalupe County region. Ralph Manginello brings 27+ years of experience to your case. He has been admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas and has spent over two decades litigating against the world’s most powerful corporations.

Most importantly, Ralph was part of the litigation team in the BP Texas City Refinery explosion litigation—a total case valued at $2.1 billion. If our firm can take on a multinational giant like BP after one of the most catastrophic industrial disasters in American history, we can take on the manufacturers and employers that poisoned you in Schertz.

The Insider Advantage: Why Lupe Peña Changes Your Outcome

Every toxic exposure case involves an invisible war against an insurance company. These companies use a standard playbook to delay, deny, and diminish your claim. They wait for terminal patients to pass away so the “pain and suffering” damages decrease. They hide behind “junk science” to claim your smoking or your diet caused your cancer instead of their chemicals.

Attorney 911 associate Lupe Peña used to be part of that machine. He spent years working in insurance defense, learning exactly how these corporations evaluate and minimize claims from the inside. He knows their tactics because he was trained to use them. Now, he has switched sides. He uses that classified intelligence to anticipate the defense’s every move. As Eddy M. shared in his verified Google review: “Every question I had was answered thoroughly and in a timely manner, which made everything much less stressful.” Our firm combines Ralph’s $2.1B litigation pedigree with Lupe’s insider defense intelligence to give Schertz families an advantage no other firm can replicate.

Tier 1 Anchor: Mesothelioma and Asbestos Exposure in Schertz

Asbestos is not one substance; it is a family of minerals that were used pervasively throughout Schertz’s industrial and military sites because of their heat resistance. While companies like Johns-Manville and Raybestos-Manhattan knew of the dangers as early as 1935, they kept using these fibers for decades.

The Science of Why Asbestos Kills: Frustrated Phagocytosis

To understand why you are sick today, you have to understand what happened in your lungs decades ago. When you breathed in asbestos fibers—potentially while working at a Schertz construction site or an older warehouse—microscopic fibers measuring five micrometers or longer reached your mesothelium (the lining of your lungs).

Your body’s immune system sent cells called macrophages to destroy the foreign fibers. However, asbestos fibers are too long and sharp for the macrophages to engulf. This leads to a process called frustrated phagocytosis. The macrophages fail and die, releasing inflammatory cytokines like TNF-α and IL-6. This triggers a chronic, 20-to-50-year inflammatory cycle that generates reactive oxygen species (ROS). These ROS direct damage your DNA, inactivating critical tumor suppressor genes like BAP1. Over decades, this cellular damage results in the malignant transformation known as mesothelioma.

The National Cancer Institute provides more information on how asbestos causes the cellular damage that leads to cancer:
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances/asbestos/asbestos-fact-sheet

Schertz Exposure Pathways and Potential Defendants

If you worked in Schertz, you may have encountered asbestos in:

• Military Service: Navy veterans and base workers at Randolph AFB were exposed through shipboard insulation, gaskets, and aircraft components.
• Manufacturing and Processing: Facilities along the I-35 corridor used Kaylo insulation and Unibestos pipe covering in their steam lines and boilers.
• Construction and Demolition: Electricians, plumbers, and drywall finishers working on Schertz residential and commercial expansion prior to 1980 handled “mud” (joint compound) and transit pipes that released millions of fibers into the air.

For veterans in Schertz, the VA provides specific resources for service-connected asbestos disease:
https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/asbestos/index.asp

The Dual-Path Recovery Strategy: Trust Funds vs. Litigation

Most firms tell you that you can sue. We tell you that you can pursue multiple pathways simultaneously.

1. Asbestos Bankruptcy Trusts: There are over 60 active trusts holding approximately $30 billion. We file claims with every trust whose products you encountered. For example, the Manville Trust currently pays roughly 5% of approved values, while the NARCO Trust often pays significantly more.
2. Civil Litigation: We simultaneously file lawsuits against solvent (non-bankrupt) defendants like John Crane Inc. or Goodyear, who can be held liable for their asbestos-containing gaskets and packing.

As Chad H. shared in his Google review regarding Ralph’s fighting spirit: “A true PITT BULL and fighter. He don’t play!… Direct communication on my legal issue and keeps you updated.” We bring that “Pit Bull” energy to ensure you maximize your recovery from every available source.

Axis 1: Benzene and Industrial Chemical Exposure

Schertz sits just north of the Eagle Ford Shale, and many residents work in the regional oil and gas service industries or commute to the San Antonio refinery clusters. If you worked as a refinery operator, petroleum inspector, or tank cleaner, you were likely exposed to benzene—a colorless, sweet-smelling chemical that is a known human carcinogen.

The Biological Mechanism: Muconaldehyde and Bone Marrow Failure

Benzene doesn’t just enter your lungs; it enters your blood. Your liver metabolizes benzene using an enzyme called CYP2E1 into benzene oxide. This is then converted into a dangerous metabolite called muconaldehyde. This metabolite targets the hematopoietic stem cells in your bone marrow—the “master cells” that produce your blood.

By binding to your DNA, muconaldehyde causes specific chromosomal translocations, such as t(8;21), which are pathognomonic (signature markers) for benzene-related Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS). If you have been diagnosed with AML and have a history of working in the Schertz area industrial centers, your cancer is not a coincidence; it is a corporate byproduct.

OSHA has set a permissible exposure limit (PEL) for benzene of 1 ppm, but researchers have documented cancer risks at levels far below this limit. Learn more about benzene standards here: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.1028

Potential Benzene Defendants for Schertz Workers

If you handled solvents, crude oil, or gasoline while working for major regional employers like Valero, ExxonMobil, or local oilfield service companies, you may have a claim. In 2024, a Pennsylvania jury awarded $725 million against ExxonMobil in a benzene-related leukemia case—proving that juries are increasingly refusing to let these companies hide behind their safety manuals.

Axis 1 Expansion: Silica and the “Next Asbestos” Epidemic

The construction boom across Schertz, Cibolo, and New Braunfels has created a new, younger generation of toxic exposure victims: engineered stone fabrication workers.

If you worked in one of the many fabrication shops in the Schertz area cutting quartz countertops, you were exposed to crystalline silica. Traditional granite contains about 30% silica; engineered stone (quartz) contains over 93%. When you cut or grind these slabs without high-level dust suppression, you inhale microscopic silica particles into your alveoli.

These particles kill your lung’s macrophages, creating an inflammatory cascade that leads to Accelerated Silicosis. While traditional silicosis takes 30 years to develop, we are seeing 30-year-old workers in the Schertz area who need double lung transplants after only five years on the job.

If you are a stone fabricator in Schertz experiencing shortness of breath, we pursue third-party claims against the manufacturers of the slabs—companies like Caesarstone, Cambria, and Cosentino—who knew their product was significantly more dangerous than natural stone but failed to warn the workers.

CDC documents the rising threat of silicosis in fabrication workers here:
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7238a1.htm

Axis 1: PFAS and Military Exposure at Randolph AFB

Schertz residents who lived or worked near Randolph Air Force Base or other Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) installations may have been exposed to PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). These are “forever chemicals” found in Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) used for decades in firefighting training.

PFAS bioaccumulates in your blood and liver, disrupting your PPAR-gamma receptors and metabolic pathways. This is linked to:

• Testicular Cancer
• Kidney Cancer
• Thyroid Disease
• Ulcerative Colitis
• Preeclampsia

The EPA recently finalized a 4.0 parts per trillion (ppt) limit for PFOA and PFOS in drinking water, acknowledging that even tiny amounts are hazardous. You can find the EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap here: https://www.epa.gov/pfas/pfas-strategic-roadmap-epas-commitments-action-2021-2024

If you are a veteran or a Schertz resident whose water supply has been contaminated by base runoff, Attorney 911 fights to secure compensation for your medical monitoring and personal injuries.

Axis 2: Dangerous Industry Workers in Schertz

Not every injury is a silent disease. Schertz is home to massive logistics centers (like Amazon and Sysco), construction firms, and oilfield service hubs. When an employer cuts corners on safety to meet a production quota, it is the worker who pays the price.

Construction Accidents: Scaffold Falls, Cranes, and Trenches

Construction has the highest death rate of any industry in Texas. OSHA’s “Fatal Four”—falls, struck-by, electrocution, and caught-in/between—are often the result of management failures.

• Trench Collapse: A single cubic yard of Schertz soil weighs as much as a small car (3,000 lbs). If an employer fails to use shoring or a trench box as required by 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P, they have created a death trap.
• Scaffold Falls: We investigate whether your fall was caused by an improperly erected platform or defective fall arrest systems (harnesses).
• Third-Party Liability: Even if you are receiving workers’ comp, you can often sue the general contractor, the property owner, or the equipment manufacturer for full damages, including pain and suffering. Workers’ comp is the floor; a third-party lawsuit is the ceiling.

OSHA provides specific safety standards for construction which we use to prove negligence: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926

The “Death Star” Bill and Heat Stroke in Schertz

Working in a Schertz warehouse like Amazon during a Texas summer is hazardous. Texas leads the nation in occupational heat fatalities. Despite this, the Texas state legislature recently passed HB 2127 (the “Death Star” bill), which preempts local ordinances that require water breaks for workers.

If your employer failed to provide water, rest, and shade, resulting in heat stroke or chronic kidney disease, we hold them liable under the OSHA General Duty Clause. Survivors of severe heat stroke often face permanent neurological damage and cardiomyopathy. We make sure the company that put you in that position pays for your lifetime of care.

Maritime and Railroad Rights: Beyond Workers’ Comp

If you commute to the Port of Houston or work for Union Pacific rail lines passing through Schertz, your legal rights are governed by specialized federal laws:

• The Jones Act (46 USC § 30104): If you are a seaman, you have the right to sue your employer for negligence with a jury trial—not workers’ comp.
• FELA (45 USC §§ 51-60): Railroad workers have a lower burden of proof for negligence. If the railroad’s failure played any part—even the slightest—in your injury, they are liable.

Ralph Manginello’s experience with maritime law and industrial accidents ensures that whether your injury occurred on a vessel, a locomotive, or a Schertz job site, your rights are protected. Attorney Ralph Manginello explains the distinction between offshore accidents and standard injury claims here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vd_HVPtPf4

Corporate Enemy Tactics: Exposure of the Defense Playbook

The corporations that exposed you in Schertz have an army of lawyers. Lupe Peña knows their tactics because he was one of them. Here is what they will try to do to you:

1. The “Alternative Cause” Defense: They will dig through your medical records looking for a reason to blame you. If you smoked in 1985, they will say that caused your mesothelioma. (Science Fact: Smoking does not cause mesothelioma; only asbestos does).
2. The “Identification” Defense: They will argue that you can’t prove their specific product was the one you breathed. We counter this with the “substantial factor” test, using co-worker testimony and employment records to prove you encountered their products daily.
3. The “Statute of Limitations” Trap: They will tell you it’s too late because your exposure ended 20 years ago. In Texas, the Discovery Rule prevents this. Your deadline typically starts when you discover the disease, not when you were exposed.

As Stephanie H. shared in her review: “She took all the weight of my worries off my shoulders… she immediately reassured me and took me seriously.” We handle the defense tactics so you can focus on your family.

Compensation Pathways: What Your Case Is Worth in Schertz

A terminal diagnosis disrupts every aspect of your life. We fight for compensation that covers the true cost of your injury:

• Economic Damages: Past and future medical bills (mesothelioma treatment can exceed $1M), lost wages, and loss of future earning capacity.
• Non-Economic Damages: Pain and suffering, mental anguish, and Loss of Consortium—the impact your illness has on your relationship with your spouse and children.
• Punitive Damages: When we prove a company like Monsanto or 3M KNEW their product was dangerous and HID it, we seek damages meant to punish them.

Average Mesothelioma Settlements often range between $1M and $1.4M, with verdicts frequently reaching much higher. While every case is unique and past results do not guarantee future outcomes, we pursue every dollar available from every liable party.

Evidence Preservation: Why the Clock is Ticking

In toxic exposure cases, the evidence is disappearing every day. As Schertz continues to grow, old warehouses are demolished and records are purged. To win your case, we need to preserve:

• Employer OSHA 300 Logs and industrial hygiene monitoring reports.
• SDS (Safety Data Sheets) for every chemical in your unit.
• Witness Testimony: Your former co-workers from the 70s or 80s are aging. We need to take their depositions now to secure your history.

Ralph Manginello discusses the critical importance of documenting your case immediately: https://share.transistor.fm/s/a85410a7

Why Choose Attorney 911?

We are not a massive, national corporate firm where you’ll never speak to the partner. We are your neighbors. Ralph and Lupe are right here in the Texas triangle. We speak your language—hablamos español—and we treat every client like family.

As Ken T. put it: “He listened intently… treated me professionally, with respect and understanding. He communicates promptly, discusses all relevant matters, and follows up… basically he delivers!”

We work on a contingency fee basis. This means there are NO upfront costs. We pay for the experts, the filing fees, and the investigator. If we don’t win, you owe us nothing. Zero risk to you; maximum accountability for them.

Frequently Asked Questions for Schertz Victims

Can I file a claim if my exposure was 30 years ago?

Yes. Under the Texas Discovery Rule, the statute of limitations for toxic exposure usually begins when you knew or reasonably should have known about your illness and its link to the exposure. Most mesothelioma patients are eligible to file the moment they receive their pathology report.

Does hiring a lawyer affect my VA benefits?

No. Your VA disability benefits for service-connected illness (like Camp Lejeune or AFFF exposure) are completely separate from a civil lawsuit or trust fund claim. You are entitled to pursue both.

What if my former Schertz employer is out of business?

Many bankrupt industrial companies established asbestos and chemical trust funds as part of their reorganization. These funds exist specifically to pay current and future victims. Even if the building is gone, the compensation is still available.

How do “take-home” asbestos claims work?

If you developed mesothelioma but never worked with asbestos, you may have been exposed through a spouse or parent. Workers often brought fibers home on their clothing, hair, and tools. We have successfully represented wives and children who were secondarily exposed during laundry or household contact.

Can I sue if I am an undocumented worker?

Yes. Your immigration status does not affect your legal rights to a safe workplace or compensation for toxic exposure in Texas. Your information is confidential, and federal law protects all workers. Ralph Manginello discusses immigrant rights in deeper detail on the Attorney 911 podcast: https://share.transistor.fm/s/692cfb1a

Local Resources for Schertz Patients

If you have been diagnosed with an exposure-related cancer, you deserve treatment from world-class specialists. Schertz residents are within driving distance of:

• UT Health San Antonio / Mays Cancer Center: An NCI-designated cancer center only 30 minutes away.
• MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston): Consistently ranked the #1 cancer hospital in the nation for mesothelioma and leukemia.
• Audie L. Murphy Memorial VA Hospital: Providing specialized care for veterans in San Antonio.

Search ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest research enrolling patients near ZIP codes 78154 and 78108:
https://clinicaltrials.gov

Contact Schertz’s Toxic Exposure Advocates Today

The corporations that poisoned workers across Schertz and Guadalupe County have spent decades and millions of dollars building their defenses. They are counting on you being too tired, too sick, or too overwhelmed to fight back. They are betting that you will accept a workers’ comp check for pennies on the dollar or that you will simply fade away.

They bet wrong.

Attorney 911 is here to protect your family and your legacy. We have the history, the insider intelligence, and the courtroom results to make them pay for what they did.

Call 1-888-ATTY-911 today for a free, no-obligation consultation.

Our team is available 24/7. We will come to your home in Schertz or meet with you virtually. Remember: trust fund assets are depleting and statutes of limitations are ticking. Don’t let your window for justice close.

Attorney 911. Because the corporations knew—and now it’s time you got even.

Principal Office: Houston, Texas.
https://www.youtube.com/@Manginellolawfirm
Call 1-888-288-9911

Additional Authoritative References

• International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Monograph 100C – Silica: https://publications.iarc.who.int
• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) Benzene ToxFAQ: https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/ToxFAQs/ToxFAQsLanding.aspx
• EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulation for PFAS: https://www.epa.gov/sdwa/and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas
• Texas Government Code § 607.055 (Firefighter Cancer Presumption): https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/htm/GV.607.htm
• OSHA Permit-Required Confined Spaces (29 CFR 1910.146): https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.146
• National Cancer Institute Mesothelioma Progress: https://www.cancer.gov/types/mesothelioma
• NIOSH Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/about/
• Federal Black Lung Benefits Act (N-2900): https://www.dol.gov/agencies/owcp/dcmwc
• B Reader Program Information: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/chestray/breader-info.html
• American Lung Association – Silicosis: https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/silicosis
• Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) – AML: https://www.lls.org/leukemia/acute-myeloid-leukemia
• Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation: https://www.curemeso.org
• EPA Superfund Site Information – Texas: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/search-superfund-sites-where-you-live
• Chemical Safety Board (CSB) Investigation Reports: https://www.csb.gov/investigations/
• PACT Act (Full Text): https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/3373
• NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/
• ATSDR Toxicological Profile for Vinyl Chloride: https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp20.pdf
• FDA Zantac / NDMA Announcement: https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-requests-removal-all-ranitidine-products-zantac-market
• 3M PFOA/PFOS Settlement Data: https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/pfas-stewardship/
• Monsanto Roundup Verdict Summary: https://academic.oup.com/jnci
• CDC Childhood Lead Poisoning Data: https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/
• OSHA Construction Hazards Training: https://www.osha.gov/training/outreach/construction

The Chemical Battleground: Deep Dive into Schertz Industrial Health

Ethylene Oxide (EtO) and Medical Sterilization

While many associate medical sterilization with health, the chemicals used in the process are devastating. Schertz’s location on the San Antonio periphery puts it near several logistics and medical supply centers. Ethylene oxide is used to sterilize equipment that cannot be steam-heated.

At the cellular level, EtO is a direct alkylating agent. It doesn’t need to be metabolized; it reacts directly with your DNA, attaching ethyl groups to the nucleotides. This leads to chromosomal breaks and sister-chromatid exchanges. For those living near sterilization plants or workers in the facility, this results in documented clusters of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and breast cancer. If you developed lymphoma and worked near a medical sterilization hub, we investigate the stack emission reports and your specific exposure dose.

Learn more about the NCI findings on Ethylene Oxide: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances/ethylene-oxide

Vinyl Chloride and the Rare Cancer Link

If your Schertz job site involved the production or handling of PVC plastics, you may have been exposed to vinyl chloride monomer (VCM). This substance is unique because it is linked to an extremely rare cancer: Hepatic Angiosarcoma. This cancer of the liver’s blood vessels is so rare in the general population that a diagnosis is essentially medical proof of chemical exposure. VCM is metabolized into chloroethylene oxide, which creates DNA adducts that explicitly target the liver. For former PVC unit operators in Texas, a “weird spotting” on a liver scan is a legal emergency.

ATSDR provides the full toxicological profile on Vinyl Chloride: https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp20.pdf

Formaldehyde: The Hidden Hazard in Schertz Manufacturing

Formaldehyde is ubiquitous in Schertz manufacturing, used in resins for wood products, textiles, and coatings. It is an IARC Group 1 human carcinogen. Once inhaled, formaldehyde cross-links your proteins and DNA at the point of contact, leading to Nasopharyngeal Cancer and Sinonasal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. It has also been established as a cause of myeloid leukemia. If you were a furniture factory worker or handled pressed-wood resins for decades and now have cancer of the nose, throat, or blood, you were likely never warned that your “safe” workplace was a carcinogenic environment.

Axis 2 Bridge Analysis: When Industries and Toxins Intersect

Attorney 911 specializes in the “Bridge” cases where a worker suffers both from an acute industry injury and a latent toxic exposure.

The Shipyard/Offshore Bridge (Asbestos + Maritime)

Many Schertz residents commute to jobs on the coast or have a history in the shipyards of Orange or Beaumont. Ships built before 1980 were essentially floating asbestos boxes.

• The Synergy: If a shipyard worker has early pleural thickening (asbestosis) and then suffers a fall injury causing a spinal fracture, the health consequences are compounded. The restrictive lung capacity from asbestos means they cannot tolerate the abdominal bracing required for spinal recovery, resulting in 50-80% FEV1 loss and permanent oxygen dependency.
• The Legal Advantage: We file a Jones Act negligence claim for the fall AND multiple asbestos trust fund claims for the lung condition. This dual-track recovery significantly increases the total compensation for the family.

The Oilfield Bridge (Benzene + Silica + H2S)

For workers in the nearby Eagle Ford or those traveling to the Permian Basin, the hazards are “stacked.”

• The Dual-Event Diagnosis: A roughneck might survive a well blowout incident (acute injury) only to be diagnosed with AML (from benzene exposure) or Silicosis (from frac sand) years later.
• Liability Resolution: We pursue the drilling contractor for the blowout, the operator for the safety violations, and the product manufacturers for the silica and chemicals. Most firms only see the “accident.” We see the lifetime of exposure.

Why the Schertz Community Trusts Lupe Peña

In a community with a strong Hispanic workforce, language should never be a barrier to justice. Lupe Peña es bilingue y entiende los desafíos que enfrentan los trabajadores industriales. He understands that cultural importance of family, and he treats every case with the same care he would his own relative.

Lupe’s experience on the defense side taught him how insurers use “notary fraud” or “status intimidation” to keep people from filing claims. He protects our clients from these predatory tactics. Whether you are an undocumented worker in Schertz or a third-generation Texan, Lupe and Ralph ensure you are respected and compensated.

As Chelsea M. shared: “Special thank you to my attorney, Mr. Pena, for your kindness and patience with my repeated questions and concerns throughout the entire process.”

Detailed FAQ: Legal Rights for Schertz Families

Can I sue someone and keep my Social Security Disability?

Yes. Receiving Social Security Disability (SSDI) doesn’t prevent you from receiving a legal settlement. However, there may be “offset” rules or subrogation interests that must be negotiated. Ralph Manginello is an expert in structuring settlements to protect your government benefits.

My doctor didn’t say my cancer was from work. Can I still sue?

Yes. Many oncologists focus on treatment, not legal causation. We hire specialized medical experts, such as forensic pathologists and industrial hygienists, to review your records and provide the legal testimony needed to link your disease to your Schertz workplace.

What are “Punitive Damages” and when are they awarded?

Punitive damages are extra compensation meant to punish a defendant’s gross negligence. In toxic exposure cases, these are common when we find “Smoking Gun” documents—like internal 3M memos showing they knew PFAS was bioaccumulative but kept selling it—proving the company prioritized profit over human lives.

How much do I have to pay Attorney 911 at the start?

Zero. We offer free consultations and advance all case costs. You only pay a percentage of the total recovery after we win your case. If we don’t recover money for you, our services are entirely free. Listen to Ralph explain contingency fees on the Attorney 911 podcast: https://share.transistor.fm/s/c1b705d4

Can I sue the government for Camp Lejeune exposure?

Thanks to the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022, yes. Veterans and their families stationed at the base for at least 30 cumulative days between 1953 and 1987 can file federal claims. This applies to hundreds of Marine families in the Schertz area. The window to file is limited, so contact us immediately.

What is a “B Reader”?

A “B Reader” is a physician certified by NIOSH to read chest X-rays for evidence of dust-related diseases like asbestosis or silicosis. Standard radiologists often miss the subtle markers of these diseases. We ensure your imaging is reviewed by a certified B Reader to provide the medical proof your case needs.

Final Word to Schertz Workers and Families

You have spent your life working hard and playing by the rules. But the corporations you worked for didn’t. They took your health and gave you a diagnosis in return. They hope that you will stay silent.

We are here to make sure you are heard.

Attorney 911 brings the litigation power of a $2.1 billion case record to every kitchen table in Schertz. We have the internal media to educate you, the authoritative science to prove your case, and the “Pit Bull” courtroom reputation to win it.

As Jamin M. put it in his local guide review: “I will be forever thankful to him for everything he did for me and my family. Anyone who needs a quality attorney can look no further.”

Don’t wait for your symptoms to worsen. Don’t wait for the trust funds to reach 1% payment levels. Don’t wait for the statutes of limitations to expire.

Contact Attorney 911 today.

Call 1-888-ATTY-911.
Hablamos Español.
Free Consultation.
No Fee Unless We Win.

Principal Office: 1177 W. Loop South, Suite 1600, Houston, TX 77027.
Serving Schertz, Guadalupe County, Comal County, and all of Texas.
https://share.transistor.fm/s/bddc1426
Call 888-288-9911