Texas Accident Victims - News You Can Use

Texas Wrongful Death Cases Filed Regarding Chemical Contamination

Over 250 residents of Midland, Texas, have filed lawsuits against several companies claiming that the companies contaminated their water with hexavalent chromium, a known carcinogen.

According to the Midland Reporter-Telegram, the families are suing four companies: Dow Chemical, Schlumberger Technology Corporation, Schlumberger Unlimited, and Lear Corporation. The lawsuits cite a wide range of damages, including diminished property value, emotional distress, medical issues, future medical costs, and several cases of wrongful death. The complaints are grouped into two lawsuits.

Court documents say that the contamination has been found south of I-20 near Cottonflat Road, and that all four companies named in the lawsuit have facilities upgradient from the area.

In June 2009, the community discovered that their ground water was contaminated in hexavalent chromium, the same chemical compound that was the center of the Hinkley, California controversy in the mid-1990s involving activist Erin Brockovich. Brockovich is also involved with the Midland case. One well that was tested by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality contained 50 times the amount of hexavalent chromium that is safe or acceptable. Forty-six other wells had high levels of the chemical. The area of contamination is thought to be about 260 acres in size.

None of the four companies have commented on the injury and wrongful death lawsuits, except to say that they are reviewing the case.

back to top