When your home’s water supply has been contaminated, it can be challenging to know where to turn. It may seem like the only way you can seek justice is by filing a lawsuit against the responsible parties, but this can be a daunting and confusing process. Because of this, we have outlined everything you need to know about how to file a water contamination lawsuit. We’ll cover what steps you should take first, how soon you should file, who should file, and consider any necessary legal representation before taking action.
My Community Has Been Affected by Water Contamination. What Can I Do?
If you think your community has been affected by water contamination, there are several ways to find out. First, check the EPA website for your state to see if it has been listed as a contaminated site. Second, talk to your state attorney general’s office and ask them about any pending lawsuits or investigations into the matter.
Third, call the EPA directly and explain your situation (they will likely refer you back to state government resources). Fourth and finally, contact local health departments or water utilities. They may know more about possible problems with drinking water than anyone else does.
You can also check if any law firm in the affected area has set up a website to make it easier to file a lawsuit. It’s easy to find various firms handling class-action lawsuits for water contamination at Camp Lejeune. The case is intended to help over a million people affected by water contamination in North Carolina.
How Soon Should You File a Water Contamination Lawsuit?
To file a water contamination lawsuit, you must be able to prove that the water contamination caused your illness. If you have not contracted any diseases yet, it may be too soon to sue. However, it’s best to contact an attorney as quickly as possible so they can help you understand the time limitations for filing lawsuits dealing with toxic drinking water substances.
The statute of limitations is the number of years allowed within which a person can bring forth a claim against another person or entity for damages incurred. In most states, including California, there is no statute of limitations on personal injury claims for medical malpractice or gross negligence, so long as such claims do not exceed $250k worth of damages per victim involved in the said claim(s).
How Long Will It Take To Recover Damages From a Water Contamination Lawsuit?
As with most things in life, the answer to this question is “it depends.” Several factors will play into how long your case will take, including:
- The type of damages you are seeking. If you want to recover for medical expenses or lost wages due to illness, those factors will be more challenging to prove than if you were suing because someone died due to the contamination.
- The court where you are filing your lawsuit. Each state has laws regarding how long it takes before cases go to trial and then settle (or get dismissed). You may need more time than someone filing in another state, depending on your case’s stage when it’s transferred over there.
- The evidence available supports your claim and whether or not that evidence supports an invalidation of any prior settlements or verdicts against defendants who have already been sued successfully by others who have suffered similar harms under similar circumstances and conditions such as yours.
What Kind of Damages Can Be Recovered in a Water Contamination Lawsuit?
When you file a water contamination lawsuit, you may be able to recover damages for medical bills. You could also seek compensation for pain and suffering, lost wages or future earning capacity, property damage, loss of consortium (the relationship between you and your spouse or partner), emotional distress caused by the contamination, and punitive damages.
Who Can File a Water Contamination Lawsuit?
You could file a lawsuit if you were affected by the water contamination. If you are not the person who was exposed to the contaminated water but a family member of someone who was affected by it, then you also may be able to file a lawsuit.
Family members of those who died from exposure to contaminated water may also have legal rights under these circumstances. The same is true for family members of anyone injured from exposure to contaminated water (e.g., if your family member went blind after drinking bad tap water).
Bottomline
If you think you have a water contamination lawsuit, these are some things you need to know first. You need to learn about your rights and who was responsible for contaminating the water. You also need to know what kind of damages can be recovered in a case like this. And finally, there are some time limits that you should be aware of so that you don’t miss out on being able to recover from the people or companies who caused this damage.
With so many people affected by water contamination in America, it’s no wonder that lawsuits have begun popping up. If you believe your community has been affected by water contaminants, look at our post to learn whether or not you should file a lawsuit and what steps they can take if they choose to do so.