Oil Well Blowouts Injuring Workers
The Deepwater Horizon Disaster is the most infamous and dramatic blowout in recent memory. Many workers were killed and injured when this well lost control in the Gulf of Mexico. This is not an isolated incident. Injuries can and do occur periodically when oil wells blow out. Fortunately, the law provides recovery to injured workers. […]
Widespread PFAS Drinking Water Contamination
PFAS includes a family of synthetic chemicals, PFOA and PFOS, used in a variety of consumer products and industrial processes. Many call PFAS the “forever chemical” because it persists in the environment. While these chemicals are highly useful, studies link PFAS to a number of health and environmental risks. A review of certain statistics highlight […]
Price of Pesticides: DC v. Velsicol Chemical
On October 13, the Attorney General for the District of Columbia sued a pesticide manufacturer for polluting D.C. waterways and natural resources. That company, Velsicol Chemical, LLC, was the sole manufacturer of chlordane, one of the most widely used pesticides in the United States until it was banned by the EPA in 1988. The District […]
Do you have a right to a healthy environment?
Most people may assume that the right to clean air and water is a given in the United States. We are a first world nation and global leader. However, the amount of environmental contamination and environmental disasters in this country demonstrate that a healthy environment is not guaranteed. Right to a Healthy Environment in State […]
Water Treatment for PFAS Contamination
PFAS chemicals, both PFOA and PFOS, present a significant threat to drinking water supplies in the U.S. PFAS travels through soil and leaches into groundwater because it has a high-water solubility. Once it is in the environment, it persists. PFOA and PFOS fails to break down over time in the natural environment. Therefore, cities and […]
Settlements of Firefighting Foam Lawsuits
Clients often ask, “How much money is my case worth?” Attorneys find this question difficult to answer because it is hard to accurately predict the future. Lawyers don’t want to mislead their clients. Also, they don’t want to create unrealistic expectations. Moreover, there are many unknown factors that can impact the settlement value of each […]
EPA Proposes Rule for PFAS CERCLA Liability
On August 26, 2022, EPA issued a long-anticipated proposal to designate two of the most widely used PFAS chemicals (PFOA and PFOS) as hazardous substances under CERCLA. The adoption of this rule would increase transparency around releases of these harmful chemicals, assist in identifying contaminated areas, and help to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up […]
PFAS in Fire Fighter Turnout Gear
The scientific community identified PFAS as a hazard in fire fighter turnout gear in several studies. They call these chemicals “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down in the environment. Forever chemicals also stay in the body for many years. This creates additional risk of exposure to the public and fire fighters. The Environmental Protection […]
Staying Informed on Air Quality and Pollution
Air quality and air pollution represent major environmental and health concerns in the United States and around the world. If you’ve ever walked outside to a sky filled with haze or had difficulty breathing outside, air pollution may have been to blame. Particle pollution represents a unique challenge because it has natural sources (for example, […]
Arkema’s Appeal of Class Cert Ruling Denied
In a big win for Plaintiffs and the community impacted by the 2017 Arkema plant fires, the Fifth Circuit has denied Defendant’s Motion for Leave to Appeal Judge Ellison’s Class Certification Order. This means that the Fifth Circuit will not review Judge Ellison’s class certification decision and the chemical plant fire case will proceed to […]