Twenty-seven different people from the Clyde area have banded together to file a class action lawsuit in federal court in Toledo, asserting the Whirlpool Corporation may be responsible for a "cancer cluster" in the area. One of the plaintiffs suffered a horrible loss back in 2009 when his precious 11-year-old daughter died from cancer.
Tragically, a total of at least 35 children in the general area have contracted cancer in recent years, with three of them dying so far, and many of the others waging a valiant battle to survive. The overwhelming majority reside in either Clyde itself or in nearby Green Springs.
The plaintiffs argue the cancer they or family members have suffered from may be caused by exposure to a compound known as benzaldehyde. This substance is being used by Whirlpool in their manufacturing plant, according to the plaintiffs. This is despite the fact it is a suspected carcinogen and a clearly recognized hazardous substance. The substance has already been identified as present in the attics of five homes in Clyde within a mile radius or closer in the Clyde area.
Dust samples collected in the area tested far higher for benzaldehyde than the US. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) allows in its standards. Damages sought in the lawsuit total a minimum of at least $5 million and ultimately might be higher. The lawsuit also charges that the company may have lied about the state about its knowledge of toxic chemicals found in the area, including at the location that used to be known as the Whirlpool Pool.
Some companies disregard the risk to the public, and indeed, to their own personnel when they use hazardous chemicals and then vent the waste or fumes into the surrounding area.
If you have questions regarding a class action lawsuit, contact an attorney. You may find he or she has the answers you to get you the financial compensation your deserve for your claim.
Source: The Blade, "27 plaintiffs sue Whirlpool over Clyde cancer cluster" Vanessa McCray, May. 05, 2013