GKN Aerospace, the company responsible for the unstable chemical tank in Garden Grove, is already facing a class action lawsuit.
GKN Aerospace, the company responsible for the unstable chemical tank in Garden Grove, is already facing a class action lawsuit over the potential disaster.
Two residents who live in the evacuation zone are named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit, but the class action status covers anyone in the evacuation zone. With 50,000 under evacuation orders, the number of plaintiffs is expected to grow.
The lawyers behind the suit say evacuated families deserve answers, accountability and representation now. They say they're focused on protecting property rights, preserving evidence and making sure residents have a voice.
"You got to consider the fact that when you're storing highly toxic, highly volatile chemical compounds, you take on a responsibility. These are things that can be lethal in very small doses. and can create massive damage. So, if you don't act in a prudent way, you become responsible for your actions," said Filippo Marchino, the founder and managing partner of the X-Law Group. "So, to boil it down to answer your question, yes, we have a strict liability claim, but we also have simpler claims, like for example, negligence, which are equally powerful under the law."
The X-Law Group and Presidio Law Firm are leading the class action lawsuit.
While not making a direct comment on the lawsuit, the company did release a statement which says, in part:
"We are continuing to work around the clock with the OCFA, the EPA and all relevant federal, state and local agencies to mitigate the ongoing risk of a leak... We apologize for the ongoing disruption this incident is causing, and our priority remains its safe resolution, so that residents can return to their homes as quickly as possible."
Attorneys point out that the active costs of displacement can add up very quickly, for example, the price of eating out, getting gas and paying for a hotel.
When you factor in the loss of the use of your own property, the attorneys believe conservative estimates for the damages could reach hundreds of millions, if not billions of dollars.