Mother claims child died due to BP refinery pollution

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/news/international/Mother_claims_child_died_due_to_BP_refinery_pollution.html?cid=25087230

Aug 19, 2010 - 19:33 Mother claims child died due to BP refinery pollution

By Erwin Seba

HOUSTON (Reuters) - A woman sued BP Plc's North American subsidiary on Thursday, claiming excess pollution from the company's refinery in Texas City, Texas, contributed to her infant child's death.

The lawsuit, which seeks $10 billion (6.4 billion pounds) in punitive damages, is one of thousands being filed in Texas over excess pollution from the giant Texas City refinery, which this month agreed to pay a $50.6 million fine to the U.S. government for safety lapses related to a 2005 explosion that killed 15 workers. snip

BP also faces a probe by the Texas attorney general and a $10 billion federal class-action lawsuit over the April-May release of 500,000 pounds of excess pollution, including about 17,000 pounds of benzene, which the company reported to state pollution regulators as due to a malfunction.

[PDJane]

1. Very likely true.........

but I'd be surprised if she wins.

[Lisa0825]

8. I know her lawyer.... he's pretty damned good.

He has won a lot of big suits against corporations.

[Xenotime]

2. More blood on BP's hands.

[KittyWampus]

3. Tough to prove in court, ideally shouldn't this become a class action lawsuit?

[ensho]

4. it won't stop her grieving but I hope she wins

nt

[Lance_Boyle]

5. Someone smelled deep pockets.

I hope BP doesn't elect to settle to make this go away. Proving that BP "contributed to" the child's death will be difficult. Was there even an autopsy?

Damned ambulance (OK, mini-hearse) chasing lawyers.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

6. Yup.

[tammywammy]

7. Agreed n/t