In a city like San Bruno, exposure often happens in overlapping settings:
- Commutes and time-sensitive schedules: If you were stuck in traffic or delayed routes during major smoke events, your exposure window may be longer than you expected.
- Indoor air that isn’t set up for smoke season: Many homes and businesses rely on standard filtration and HVAC settings that may not be adequate during thick smoke.
- Workplaces with shared spaces: Manufacturing, service jobs, and shift work can mean prolonged time around others in the same air.
- School and caregiving routines: Parents and caregivers often monitor kids’ symptoms while juggling work—creating documentation gaps that insurers may later exploit.
These factors don’t automatically determine liability—but they do affect the timeline, the pattern of symptoms, and the evidence you should preserve early.


