Last month, an accidental toxic chemical spill at an industrial plant in the city of Corpus Christi left residents without usable water and scrambling to purchase bottles for several days. Now, in the wake of this accident, Attorney Sico has filed a suit against Valero Energy and Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions, Inc. for their negligence and lack of proper safety procedures in place to prevent such a danger from happening.
“Our lawsuit is not about directly whether there was detectable levels of contamination. It was the fact that the city and the TCEQ had no opportunity to do anything but shut our water off. Because those businesses did not have the recommended and required backflow preventers,” Sico told NBC 6 news investigators in an interview.
The TCEQ has been working with Valero and Ergon on determining the exact cause of these spills and the extent to which damage has been done. The initial bans on water usage were lifted on December 15th of last month for “Zone 1” residents, and then on Sunday, December 18th for “Zone 2” and “Zone 3” residents.
This suit is just one of many, as businesses and residents of the Texas city have lined up to file suit, particularly restaurants who had to shut their doors temporarily due to the lack of clean water. Hotels have also been seriously impacted, with many reservations being cancelled because patrons would not be able to use the water to shower.
Attorney Sico recently also obtained a restraining order against both Valero and Ergon Asphalt & Emissions, Inc. in order to prevent them from destroying any possible evidence in the case. This evidence is vital to help investigators determine the exact cause of any contamination, and the possible extent to which it occurred.
This is not Attorney Sico’s first water-contamination related case. He was previously successful in recovering more than a million dollars in compensation for the Texas State Aquarium, when a chemical supplier mislabeled hazardous materials and the marine life suffered damages.
Have you or a loved one suffered the consequences of a toxic substance exposure? At Sico, Hoelscher, Harris, & Braugh, LLP, we strive to protect the legal rights of victims all across the United States. We have a legacy of success both in and out of the courtroom, including landmark victories with multi-million dollar awards. Trust your case to our team and let us fight for you and your loved ones to get you the compensation you deserve.
Get a free case evaluation today! Call Sico Hoelscher Harris LLP now at (877) 653-3334.