Federal court approves $37.5 million FEMA trailer settlement

A federal judge gave final approval to a $37.5 million settlement between the manufacturers of FEMA trailers and storm victims who used the trailers following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. This class of 55,000 plaintiffs claimed they were exposed to formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, while living in the trailers.

In a toxic tort lawsuit, an individual seeks compensation for injuries, health problems or death resulting from dangerous exposure to toxins or hazardous materials. An individual can bring a toxic tort claim as a single plaintiff or as multiple plaintiffs through a class action lawsuit.

A class action lawsuit can have many benefits in toxic tort litigation. A class action lawsuit can be an effective toxic tort litigation tactic if multiple people suffer similar injuries after exposure to the same or substantially similar hazardous substances or materials. The presence of a large class may ease the plaintiffs’ proof of causation and may also pressure the defendant to settle the case to avoid even greater liability.

Proving causation in a toxic tort case can be extremely difficult for a plaintiff. An attorney experienced in handling toxic tort litigation can analyze the nature of your injury and determine whether a causal link can be established. If you believe you were exposed to dangerous chemicals or hazardous materials, call Broussard, David & Moroux at 888-337-2323(toll-free) or 337-337-2323 (local).