Baron & Budd Files Suit on Behalf of North Carolina Residents to Hold DuPont Responsible for Contaminating the Water Supply
The plaintiffs own property contaminated by GenX and other toxic chemicals that were discharged into the environment by Chemours and DuPont.
Today, the nationally recognized attorneys from Baron & Budd announced they have filed a lawsuit on behalf of over 200 North Carolina residents against Chemours and DuPont for the companies’ roles in contaminating the water supply and environment around Chemours’ Fayetteville Works facility. The plaintiffs own property contaminated by GenX and other toxic chemicals that were discharged into the environment by Chemours and DuPont. The suit was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina on May 20, 2020 (Case No. 5:20-cv-00208-D).
For decades, Chemours and DuPont have manufactured chemicals called perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) that are used to make nonstick, stain-resistant, or waterproof products. The companies have known for decades that PFASs can be hazardous to human health, but the company continued to knowingly discharge thousands of pounds of PFAS into the environment around the Fayetteville Works facility. Studies have shown that there is a probable link between exposure to certain PFASs and major health conditions, such as high cholesterol, kidney cancer, thyroid disease, testicular cancer, ulcerative colitis, and pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia.
The lawsuit seeks damages to compensate the plaintiffs for reduced property values; the cost of filtering water or obtaining a source of uncontaminated water; the cost of cleaning and replacing contaminated plumbing; and the loss of use of contaminated property.
“Our clients have truly suffered at the hands of Chemours and DuPont,” said Baron & Budd attorney, Brett Land. “Not only must our clients avoid using water in their own home, but many of them have also stopped using their swimming pools or growing fruits and vegetables in their gardens. And on top of that, many of our clients have invested their life savings into their homes, and now their properties are worth considerably less.”
According to the lawsuit, Chemours and DuPont had a duty to conduct their operations in a manner that would not unreasonably endanger human health and the environment, however, the company was negligent in the manufacture of their PFASs and operation of the Fayetteville Works facility and caused the contamination of air, groundwater, surface water, soil, and river sediment around the facility.
“We believe that for nearly forty years DuPont misled state and federal regulators and secretly released their toxic chemicals into the community around Fayetteville Works,” said Baron & Budd Shareholder, Cary L. McDougal. “They have shown a blatant disregard for the health and safety of the community.”
Contamination has been found at more than 3200 residences – some of which are over 10 miles from the Chemours facility. Tests performed on the groundwater wells of residents in the community found contamination at levels many times greater than health goal limits.
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Baron & Budd, P.C. is among the largest and most accomplished plaintiffs’ law firms in the country. With more than 40 years of experience, Baron & Budd has the expertise and resources to handle complex litigation throughout the United States. As a law firm that takes pride in remaining at the forefront of litigation, Baron & Budd has spearheaded many significant cases for hundreds of entities and thousands of individuals. Since the firm was founded in 1977, Baron & Budd has achieved substantial national acclaim for its work on cutting-edge litigation, trying hundreds of cases to verdict and settling tens of thousands of cases in areas of litigation as diverse and significant as dangerous and highly addictive pharmaceuticals, defective medical devices, asbestos and mesothelioma, California wildfires and environmental contamination, fraudulent banking practices, e-cigarettes, motor vehicles, federal whistleblower cases, and other consumer fraud issues.
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