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Benzene Toxic Pit lead to deadly cancer in a California man

California Benzene Toxic Pit Lawsuit

A California jury in a trial in Santa Barbara awarded $63 million in damages against Chevron. The jury found the oil giant was liable for covering up a toxic chemical pit on land purchased by a man who built a house on it and was later diagnosed with a deadly blood cancer.

According to Kevin Wright’s lawsuit, he developed multiple myeloma after building his home directly over the chemical pit near Santa Barbara in 1985. Wright lived in that house for about two years but 27 years later, he was diagnosed with a type of blood cancer that can be caused by benzene exposure.

In 2015, Wright was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, has received two stem cell treatments, and is getting chemo once a month, and he’s going to continue to do that for the foreseeable future.

Kevin Wright alleged that starting in 1974, Chevron subsidiary Union Oil Company of California had operated a sump pit for oil and gas production, a process that left the dangerous carcinogenic chemical benzene on the property. Union Oil hid the use of a toxic chemical sump pit for production purposes in 1974, land that was eventually sold in 1983.

Wright bought the land and built the house in 1985. Nearly three decades later, he was diagnosed with the cancer that attacks plasma cells in the blood. Benzene, a known carcinogen, was discovered at toxic levels in the soil beneath his home in Santa Maria decades after the property was sold again.

Benzene Toxic Pit Punitive Damages

The jurors in Santa Barbara returned the $63 million verdict, awarding compensatory and punitive damages. “Chevron poisoned the ground, they poisoned this community, and they tried to poison the science to cover it all up,” said Jakob Norman, an attorney for Wright. “This case is a blatant example of environmental pollution and corporate malfeasance that directly caused immense physical harm to our client.”

The jury found Unocal (a k a Union Oil) and its parent company, Chevron grossly negligent for waiting 41 years to clean up a benzene-contaminated underground waste sump in what’s now a Santa Maria residential neighborhood.

Kevin Wright, who developed terminal blood cancer years after building his dream house directly above the sump site in 1985, was awarded $22 million for actual damages.

Wright is alive today, thanks only to relentless chemotherapy treatments that leave him so weakened he has to crawl up his stairs.

The jury also awarded Wright an additional $41 million for punitive damages. That translates to $1 million for each year Union Oil failed to abide by a California state law then in effect that required oil companies to excavate and remove the toxic remains, drilling muds, cuttings, contaminated water, and other industrial byproducts of oil drilling, before covering the site with fresh soil and selling the land for real estate development.

“They cut corners, and my life was turned upside down as a result,” Wright said in a statement. “Chevron’s continued denial of the harm they caused is a shameful reminder that this company values only profits, not people.”

Despite strict California laws related to the disposal of these toxic chemicals in the ground, Chevron denied any wrongdoing and supplied bogus research from the American Petroleum Institute that argued Benzene was less harmful.

Chevron Unocal was Grossly Negligent in the Benzene Toxic Pit Lawsuit

Union Oil and a partnership of five other oil companies created a mega Santa Maria oil patch in 1964,  called the Santa Maria Valley Oil & Gas Field,  on land that today is completely residential. For 10 years, this group of oil companies drilled and produced. Then they covered the land with soil.

Unocal should have hauled off the contaminated soil from the sump, which would become Wright’s home, it would have taken them a few hours in remediation efforts. When Chevron assumed control of the land in 2011, having purchased Union Oil in 2005, Chevron initiated the cleanup and remediation work. By 2016, 6,650 tons of oil-contaminated soil would be taken away, but this was too little too late.

PFAS Contamination lawsuit. Over 15,000 of these similar man-made chemicals are linked with cancer, severe diseases, and wrongful death.

This Kleenex PFAS Contamination Lawsuit is the first case involving facial tissues, though researchers previously found the chemicals in toilet paper.

PFAS and the related 15,000 man-made chemicals are going to be the biggest environmental disaster of the 21st century.

What is PFAS?

PFAS stands for Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. PFAS are a class of more than 15,000 man-made chemicals that have been widely used in various industrial and consumer products since the 1950s. PFAS are prized for their ability to repel water and oil, resist heat, and reduce friction. PFAS is supposed to be regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the federal government, but usually nothing comes of it and hence Private Citizens lawsuits like this one, to force the regulatory bodies to act.

PFAS have been used in a wide range of products including non-stick cookware, think Teflon, stain-resistant fabrics, think ScotchGard, water-repellent clothing, food packaging, think Pizza boxes, firefighting foams, and many others.

Why is PFAS dangerous?

The chemical compounds are linked to cancer, birth defects, liver disease, thyroid problems, decreased immunity, hormone disruption, and a range of other serious health issues. PFAS are known as “forever chemicals” because they do not naturally break down, and they also easily move through the environment, air, wind and water often ending up in drinking water.

PFAS are considered dangerous for several reasons:

Persistence: PFAS persist in the environment for a very long time without breaking down. This persistence means they can accumulate in the environment and the bodies of humans and animals over time.

Bioaccumulation: PFAS can bioaccumulate, meaning they build up in the bodies of living organisms over time. This can occur through exposure to contaminated water, food, or air. Once absorbed into the body, PFAS can remain for years. This fact alone, means that there is no safe value of PFAS in the environment, because it continues to accumulate.

Health Effects: Exposure to PFAS has been linked to various adverse health effects in humans, including cancer (such as kidney and testicular cancer), immune system dysfunction, thyroid disease, reproductive problems, and developmental effects in infants and children. Some studies have also suggested associations with high cholesterol levels and other metabolic disorders.

Widespread Contamination: PFAS contamination has been detected in water sources, soil, air, wildlife, and human blood samples worldwide. This widespread contamination has raised concerns about the potential health risks associated with exposure to these chemicals.

PFAS Contamination Lawsuit Allegations

The PFAS chemicals are commonly used in paper production, and air emissions from the Kleenex plant have contaminated the region’s drinking water wells, significant amounts of PFAS have been found in drinking water, the air, and the soil around the plant. The plaintiffs are seeking $5m in damages and health monitoring costs.

As expected, Kimberly-Clark, Kleenex’s parent company, denied responsibility for the pollution.

Kleenex has produced paper goods at the New Milford plant since the 1950s. The facility was once used to manufacture diapers, to which PFAS is added as a moisture barrier to prevent leakage, and it continues to make 1m Kleenex tissue packages daily.

The lawsuit claims that PFAS are used as “wetting agents” in the process of turning the pulp wood into paper or tissues, and Kleenex’s manufacturing process causes “substantial “ air emissions.

How PFAS spreads in the environment?

In North Carolina, air emissions from a Chemours PFAS manufacturing plant are behind widespread contamination of wells near the plant. The North Carolina water contamination incident involving a DuPont (later Chemours) plant primarily centers around the Fayetteville Works facility located near the Cape Fear River in Bladen County, North Carolina. This plant has historically produced various chemicals, including PFAS, notably GenX.

GenX is a replacement chemical for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which DuPont phased out due to health and environmental concerns. However, GenX has also been associated with potential health risks.

The contamination of water sources around the Fayetteville Works plant became a significant concern after reports emerged of elevated levels of GenX and other PFAS compounds in the Cape Fear River, which serves as a drinking water source for nearby communities, including Wilmington, North Carolina.

Residents and environmental groups raised alarms about potential health risks associated with exposure to GenX and other PFAS compounds in drinking water.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) initiated investigations into the contamination, leading to increased regulatory scrutiny of the Fayetteville Works facility. The EPA also became involved in monitoring and assessing the situation.

Over 2,300 individual plaintiffs have filed lawsuits against DuPont and Chemours in two consolidated cases alleging that the Fayetteville Works plant has contaminated properties with PFAS. 

The plaintiffs claim that the 2,000-acre plant has been releasing large amounts of PFAS since 1980 into groundwater, surface water, soil, and air. The first six “bellwether” cases are expected to go to trial in 2024.

In New Hampshire, Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics has been the subject of lawsuits and regulatory actions related to PFAS emissions from its manufacturing plant located in Merrimack. Saint-Gobain is a multinational company that produces a variety of products, including plastics and performance materials.

The contamination issue arose when elevated levels of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), both types of PFAS, were detected in the groundwater near the Saint-Gobain facility. The contamination raised concerns about potential health risks to nearby residents who relied on private wells for drinking water.

Residents and environmental advocacy groups filed lawsuits against Saint-Gobain, alleging that the company’s emissions of PFAS had contaminated local water sources and caused harm to residents’ health and property values. The lawsuits sought damages and compensation for medical monitoring and remediation costs.

The company agreed to fund the installation of water treatment systems for affected residents, provide alternative water supplies, and undertake environmental remediation efforts to mitigate PFAS contamination in the area.

The water contamination issue in Parkersburg, West Virginia, is closely associated with a chemical plant owned by DuPont (now Chemours) located nearby. The plant had been producing a chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), also known as C8, since the 1950s. PFOA is a type of PFAS and was used in the production of Teflon, a non-stick coating for cookware, among other products.

The contamination in Parkersburg stemmed from the release of PFOA and other chemicals from the DuPont plant into the environment, primarily through air emissions and waste disposal practices. These chemicals contaminated the local water supply, soil, and air, leading to widespread exposure among residents in the area.

The contamination came to public attention through a series of legal actions and investigations. In 2001, residents of Parkersburg filed a class-action lawsuit against DuPont, alleging that the company’s emissions of PFOA had contaminated their drinking water and caused various health problems. This led to a series of court cases and settlements.

As a result of legal actions and regulatory scrutiny, DuPont phased out its use of PFOA and other long-chain PFAS chemicals. Additionally, the company agreed to fund medical monitoring programs and pay settlements to affected residents. Furthermore, in 2017, Chemours, a spinoff of DuPont, assumed responsibility for addressing the environmental impacts of the contamination in Parkersburg and other affected areas.

The Parkersburg water contamination incident has been widely studied and has raised awareness about the potential health and environmental risks associated with PFAS exposure.

Developed Cancer from PFAS and PFOS?

If you or a loved one worked as a firefighter, military personnel, airport worker, and were exposed to the firefighting foam chemicals and developed any of the following serious medical diseases and cancers, Testicular Cancer, Kidney Cancer, Pancreatic Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Breast Cancer, Liver Cancer, Bladder Cancer, Thyroid Cancer, Thyroid Disease (Hypothyroidism or Hyperthyroidism), Graves Disease, Hashimoto’s Disease then the Dr. Shezad Malik Law Firm is here to help with filing a PFAS Contamination Lawsuit.

You can speak with one of our representatives by calling 214-390-3189, or by filling out the case evaluation form on this page.

Our law firm’s principal office is in Dallas and we have offices in Fort Worth, Texas. Dr Shezad Malik Law Firm represents clients in dangerous drug and dangerous medical device lawsuits nationwide.

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Synovo Hip System defects linked to hip joint loosening, difficulty walking, and pain requiring expensive revision surgery. Injured? Call Dr. Malik Law Firm 214-390-3189

Synovo Hip System Concerns. If you or a loved one suffered side effects of a Synovo hip replacement, call Dr. Shezad Malik  Law Firm now at (214) 390-3189 for a free case review.

The lawsuits also claim that the THS has not been sufficiently tested and that the safety and effectiveness of the modified parts have not been proven.

What is the Synovo lawsuit about?

As with all the previous lawsuits against hip manufacturers over the past 15 years, this is nothing new. These hip implant companies take shortcuts in their rush to get to the marketplace, do insufficient or incomplete safety testing, find out problems or defects with their product and fail to notify the FDA or the public.

The Synovo hip implant lawsuits are primarily related to issues with the Synovo Total Hip System, which was altered from its original design approved by the FDA. These modifications, made in 2019, have raised concerns about the safety and effectiveness of the implants.

The FDA warned healthcare providers not to use the Synovo Total Hip Resurfacing System due to these significant changes, which could lead to device failure and require patients to undergo costly and complex revision surgeries.

Patients who received these implants and experienced complications, such as pain, loosening, grinding noises, or difficulty bearing weight, may be eligible to file lawsuits against the manufacturer. These lawsuits aim to provide compensation for the injuries and financial burdens caused by the potentially defective devices.

The Synovo lawsuit is over Synovo’s THS using hip implant components that were modified from what the FDA approved. Unfortunately, the safety and effectiveness of these modified parts haven’t been proven yet. Patients with Synovo’s THS implant may experience pain, difficulty bearing weight, or weakness in the hip area. Some may even need surgery to correct the device.

Synovo Hip System Concerns. FDA Recommends Not Using Synovo THS

The FDA was notified in 2022 that significant modifications had been made to the Synovo Femoral Resurfacing Cup, the Acetabular Fixation Cup, and the Acetabular Bearing parts of their Total Hip System hip implant.

After an investigation, the FDA issued a Warning Letter to Synovo. The Warning Letter listed several violations and instructed the company to immediately stop manufacturing the modified devices and take prompt action to correct the violations addressed in the letter.

In January 2024, the FDA recommended that orthopedic providers stop using Synovo Total Hip Replacement System implants and closely monitor patients with the device.

According to the FDA’s investigation, significant changes have been made to three components of Synovo hip devices after getting the FDA approval. The FDA has called the safety and effectiveness of the Synovo THS implants into question.

The FDA’s investigation found the following three components of Synovo devices may have been altered:

• Acetabular Bearing
• Acetabular Fixation Cup
• Femoral Resurfacing Cup

The FDA has stressed that if the Synovo THS is made with parts that don’t meet FDA standards, the THS device may break down or fail to function properly.

Synovo Hip Replacement Side Effects

Side effects from a Synovo implant device include:

• New or worsening hip pain
• Hip grinding noises
• Problems bearing weight
• Loosening of the hip device
• Muscular weakness in the hip area

Synovo Hip System Concerns. Lawsuit Claims against Synovo Total Hip Implants

If you, or a loved one was implanted with a Synovo Total Hip System replacement since 2019 and required revision surgery or experienced pain or other side effects you may qualify for a Synovo lawsuit.

Please use our contact form to connect with our defective metal hip attorneys or call toll free 24 hours a day at 214-390-3189.

Our law firm’s principal office is in Dallas and we have offices in Fort Worth, Texas. Dr. Shezad Malik Law Firm represents clients in dangerous drug and dangerous medical device lawsuits nationwide.

We are investigating product liability and personal injury claims for patients affected by the Synovo Total Hip Resurfacing System recall and it is time to act now. Contact Dr. Shezad Malik Law Firm today at 214-390-3189.

We work on a contingency fee basis, which means attorney fees are only earned if and only when you receive a settlement for the harm and injury caused by this defective Synovo Total Hip System medical device. Reach out to our team for a free case evaluation, and let us assist you in processing the Synovo Total Hip Resurfacing System lawsuit.

Patients affected by the Synovo Total Hip Resurfacing System recall it’s time to act. Contact Dr. Shezad Malik Law Firm today at 214-390-3189.

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