Exposure to toxic hydrogen sulfide caused range of health issues for nearby residents
HOUSTON – A Nederland, Texas, resident has filed a lawsuit alleging that a Houston-based tank-cleaning company is responsible for a massive chemical release that left her and other nearby residents in the Jefferson County community exposed to dangerous levels of hydrogen sulfide gas vapors.
According to the lawsuit filed yesterday afternoon in Harris County, employees of Nederland Truck Wash failed to follow proper safety precautions when cleaning a transport trailer, leading to the release of the toxic chemical on Saturday, December 11. Nearby roads were closed by city law enforcement, while residents were prevented from entering the neighborhood or ordered to remain inside their homes if possible.
The lawsuit states that lead plaintiff Tina Davis suffered a range of debilitating respiratory effects and recurrent headaches from the incident, consistent with warnings about hydrogen sulfide issued by the Centers for Disease Control. The litigation also requests a temporary restraining order for the company to preserve any evidence related to the release, including any videos or documents.
Located on Interstate 10 in the Beaumont-Port Arthur metropolitan area, Nederland Tank Wash provides a variety of services for the trucking industry, including the interior cleaning of tankers which may have contained petroleum products, resins, polymers and other chemicals. The company operates a similar facility near Baton Rouge in St. Gabriel, La.
“This is a business that apparently conducts this sort of work all the time, and there’s no excuse for the negligence and failure to follow proper procedures that led to this event,” says Derek Potts of the Potts Law Firm, attorney for Ms. Davis. “Our goal in this litigation is to compensate these residents for the injuries they’ve suffered, and prevent a similar event from occurring, perhaps with even more tragic consequences.”
The lawsuit is Davis v. Nederland Truck Wash Inc., No. 2021-81826 filed in the 334th District Court in Harris County.
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Barry Pound
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barry@androvett.com
