Access To Justice

Last week, Bloomberg reported that a jury found Exxon Mobil Corp. liable for poisoning New York City’s water supply and ordered the oil giant to pay was ordered to pay $104.7 million in damages.

The jury found that Exxon Mobil, the biggest U.S. oil company, contaminated five wells in Queens with methyl tertiary butyl ether, or MTBE.

The Exxon Mobil case is part of larger litigation with more than 70 lawsuits filed by water providers and state and local governments. The Exxon Mobil case was the first of those to go to trial.
According to Bloomberg:

“Exxon and Mobil, which merged in 1999, began using MTBE in the 1980s to boost octane. Additives such as MTBE are chemical compounds that raise the oxygen content of gasoline to make it burn more cleanly and efficiently. The U.S. Congress amended the Clean Air Act in 1990 to require companies to add an oxygenate to gasoline to reduce air pollution.”

The jury found Exxon liable for product liability for failing to warn about the possible dangers of gas with MTBE. It also found the company liable for trespass, public nuisance and negligence.

The Exxon Mobil verdict is the 13th largest in the U.S. for 2009, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

It’s a good reminder that toxins can be anywhere, in the air we breathe, or even the water we drink (and often take for granted).  If you or someone you know thinks they’ve been exposed to a toxin check out our website to learn more about your legal rights.