Property Contamination Lawyer in Shreveport, Louisiana

Louisiana’s economy was built on the oil and gas industry. In fact, Louisiana ranks third in natural gas production in the nation, and it is estimated that one in six employees in the state is somehow connected to the industry. Unfortunately, fracking activities can not only cause serious oil field injuries to workers, but they can also cause serious destruction to the environment. In addition to damaging the earth’s land, current and future property owners can face financial obligations and serious risks to their health and safety. 

If your property has been affected by oil and gas operations, you may be able to file a lawsuit against the responsible parties. Contact Attorney at Law Joseph Greenwald, Jr. at the Greenwald Law Firm for legal help in the Shreveport-Bossier City area. We will provide you with a free consultation where we can discuss the specifics of your situation and determine if you have a valid claim.

How Does Property Contamination Occur?

Big oil and gas companies are often praised for the benefits they introduce to society, such as creating jobs in poverty-stricken areas. This can make it easy to overlook the real damage that these corporations introduce to the environment through oil rig operations such as hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking.” The truth is, many of these massive oil and gas companies recklessly endanger thousands of lives, not to mention the properties they live on. 

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the largest contributors to land contamination caused by oil and gas operations are oil spills and improperly constructed and/or maintained wells. An oil spill can occur due to any number of factors, notably human error and negligence, malfunctioning equipment, or natural disasters and storms. Poor well design and/or maintenance can lead to deadly blowouts and toxic chemicals leaking into the soil, contaminating necessary resources like water, land, and air.

Other instances of oil and gas-related property contamination include spills or leaks due to improper wastewater transport, corrosion of pipelines, poorly constructed or monitored wastewater storage systems, and the release of improperly treated wastewater into the environment. Just this year (2022), a “severely corroded pipeline” ruptured right outside of New Orleans, spilling more than 300,000 gallons of diesel fuel into the soil and just a few hundred feet away from the Mississippi River.

Many Americans are also familiar with the catastrophic oil spill that occurred in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. Deepwater Horizon, a marine oil drilling rig, exploded and sank in the gulf coast, killing several employees and leading to the largest oil spill in U.S. history. This disaster led to four million barrels of oil spilling into the gulf.

Property Contamination Causes and Examples

Though oil and gas contamination is certainly one of the largest contributors to property contamination, it is not the only cause. There are a number of things that can lead to the contamination of land, whether it be accidental, intentional, or naturally occurring. Examples of property, land, and water contamination include:

• Accidental oil and gas spills
• Mineral extraction
• Waste disposal
• Illegal dumping
• Pesticides
• Hurricanes and floods
• Leaking storage tanks
• Mine abandonment
• Contaminated surface water runoff and erosion
• Groundwater pollution
• Mold
• Brownfields
• Air pollution

Safety and Health Risks Associated with Property Contamination

Not only can oil and gas extraction cause environmental damage and leave your property destroyed, it can also pose a serious threat to your family’s health. Chemicals used in fracking activities and materials that are dug up during drilling can cause pollution the air and water supply that leads to hazardous health issues, including chronic headaches, intestinal problems, upper respiratory issues, and even cancer. In these cases, it helps to have a skilled Louisiana personal injury lawyer on your side fighting for your right to compensation.

What Injuries Can Property Contamination Cause?

Contaminated land and water causes far more problems than just environmental damage to the earth. People exposed to these contaminated environments can face serious illnesses, catastrophic injury, and in some cases, even wrongful death. Property contamination can lead to ailments such as:

• Cancer
• Lymphoma
• Birth injuries and defects
• Respiratory conditions
• Allergic reactions
• Heart disease
• Neurological conditions
• Skin conditions
• Burn injuries
• Kidney and liver damage
• Nervous system disorders
• Nerve damage
• Immune deficiency

If you or a loved one experienced any of these injuries or illnesses (or others not listed) following toxic exposure to contaminated land or water, you may have a personal injury claim. Joey Greenwald of the Greenwald Law Firm is an experienced personal injury attorney and can help you explore your legal options when it comes to filing a lawsuit for property contamination. If you lost a loved one, our Shreveport wrongful death attorneys can also help you file a lawsuit against the responsible entities and work to recover wrongful death damages for you and your family.

Who is Liable for Property Contamination?

Under environmental law, the owner or operator of a facility responsible for contaminating nearby land and property may be held accountable for any damage caused. So, if a region is contaminated due to the negligence of big oil companies and corporations, for example, affected landowners may be entitled to compensation for property damage as well as an injury or illness caused by the contaminant. In addition to oil and gas companies, mining corporations, government land contractors, and other manufacturers may hold responsibility for the contamination.

At the Greenwald Law Firm, our Shreveport attorneys are skilled in litigation for property contamination on Louisiana land. When you equip the help of our skilled legal team, we will get straight to work investigating your case so we can determine who exactly is responsible for exposing you and your family to hazardous substances and work to hold them responsible for any harm they may have caused. If you think you may have a viable lawsuit, please reach out to Joey Greenwald and his team as soon as possible.

Buying Contaminated Property in Louisiana

Property contamination can go undetected for years. If you are purchasing property that has been contaminated, whether it’s residential homes or commercial businesses, there are programs and benefits available to help you clean up the pollution. If you were unaware of the contamination before purchasing, please contact an experienced Louisiana liability attorney immediately.

Free Initial Consultation with Top Shreveport, Louisiana Property Contamination Attorneys

At Greenwald Law Firm, we are dedicated to helping victims harmed by the negligence of oil and gas companies and other liable entities recover compensation for the preventable injuries, illnesses, and damages they endured as a result of property contamination. Your best interests are our best interests, and we will do everything we can to help you obtain justice. The sooner a formal attorney-client relationship is established, the sooner Attorney Greenwald and his team can begin fighting for a fair settlement. If a settlement cannot be reached, we are prepared to take your case to trial and fight for you there.

In addition to toxic torts and personal injury, we also handle a range of other practice areas, including Shreveport criminal defense, class action lawsuits, Shreveport estate planning, successions in Louisiana, and more.