US Environmental Claims Attorneys
The release of toxic chemicals or pollutants as a result of industrial accidents or the negligence of a business can have a severe impact on the quality of life for a community and its economy. The effects of these environmental hazards can last many generations and can impact air, soil, and water quality. A class action lawsuit is often the best available means to seek justice for families, individuals, and businesses harmed by environmental injuries. If you are in a similar situation, consider contacting our environmental claim attorneys today.
Unfortunately, you don’t have to look too hard to find an example of environmental damage that was the result of an industrial accident. One of the most recent examples is the BP Oil spill. This spill occurred when the Deep Water Horizon drilling rig exploded on April 20, 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico. Estimates calculate somewhere between 17 and 39 million barrels of crude oil leaked into the water making this the largest oil spill in the world. The impact of this spill on the environment has been substantial. Wildlife living in and around the Gulf of Mexico has been devastated with nearly 10,000 animals reported dead as of October 2010. Many people living in the area surrounding the Gulf of Mexico have reported illnesses due to the effects of inhaling smoke from the crude oil burning and inhaling fumes from the oil that washed up on the shore. The substantial economic impact was illustrated in a report provided to the U.S. Senate just days after the spill was contained which estimated that 8,000 to 12,000 jobs were at least temporarily lost due to this environmental disaster. Several class action lawsuits have been filed by parties to recover from damages incurred as a result of this environmental disaster.
Another industrial accident with a substantially large environmental impact occurred when a gas well operated by Chesapeake Energy erupted in April 2011 sending thousands of gallons of chemically treated water into a nearby tributary when the containment system overflowed. This gas well was mined using a process called fracking. Fracking, which is short for hydraulic fracturing, is a process used to extract natural gas from shale deposits deep in the Earth’s crust. The mining process requires man-made hydraulic fractures to be created in the shale, then, highly pressurized water treated with chemicals is forced into the ground sending the natural gas up the well to be collected.
One major concern with the fracking process is the mixture and type of chemicals that are used to treat the water. While many mining companies contend that the fluid used in fracking is 90% water, environmental protection groups have concern that some chemicals used in the process may be carcinogenic or linked to birth defects in instances of prolonged exposure. After the Chesapeake Energy accident, authorities rushed to stop the overflow from the well that they estimated released thousands of gallons of contaminated water into a local water supply. Emergency measures were put into place to keep nearby farmers from allowing their livestock to have access to groundwater as a precaution. The overall effects of this disaster are yet to be determined.
Our Indianapolis class action environmental claim attorneys have the skill and resources to litigate environmental class actions, and we have a reputation for standing up for the rights of residents of neighborhoods suffering from environmental pollution or toxic chemicals. For example, CohenMalad, LLP successfully pursued an environmental claim against the world’s largest magnesium recycling plant, which resulted in environmental remediation of the contamination area and cash payments to nearby residents.
Contact us at 317-636-6481 or tell us about your issue through our contact form here on this page and speak to one of our class action lawyers about an environmental issue you are facing.
