Class Action Lawsuit Against DC Water Authority Begins With Father Suing For $200 Million
John Parkhurst, a single father of Capitol Hill, is suing the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority (WASA) for $200 million. He claims lead-contaminated tap water poisoned his twin sons as infants, causing them ongoing health problems.
According to this article by the Associated Press that appeared on Philly.com,
Parkhust claims that the water utility hid elevated levels of lead from customers and federal authorities between 2001 and 2004. He also says they failed to remedy the situation and left out information from public education campaigns that would have warned people about the problem. According to the personal injury lawsuit, WASA continued to encourage residents to drink the water.
The complaint followed a study that determined hundreds of D.C. children might be at risk of irreversible IQ loss, developmental delays, and behavioral problems linked to the lead levels. Considering such a drastic number of children have suffered, a mass tort lawsuit may be in order.
Parkhurst prepared baby formula and food for his sons, Jonathan and Joshua, using tap water from when they were 8 months old, when he adopted them from Vietnam, until they were 2 in 2002. It wasn't until then, during a yearly medical checkup, that Parkhurst learned the twins (now 8 years old) had dangerous levels of lead in their blood. Parkhurst’s attorney said Jonathan’s levels were so high, they were reported to the Centers for Disease Control. As the boys got older they developed anxiety and serious attention problems. After he read about the lead level study, he made the connection.
He expects to spend about $30,000 on medical expenses and therapies for his boys this year.
He has filed the lawsuit on behalf of himself and others in a similar situation. It seeks damages for children 6 and younger who drank D.C. water when lead levels were high; ongoing medical care, and educational and intervention services for them.
A class action suit effectively gives a group of consumers having similar experiences the ability to sound their disapproval of an undesirable product or action offered by a corporation.
At Cherry, Fieger & Marciano our Pennsylvania mass tort attorneys represent consumers, injured persons, and small business claims in class action lawsuits with the intention of receiving monetary or other damage claims within the Federal and Pennsylvania State court systems.
The purpose of a Philly class action lawsuit is to allow a group of individuals with like grievances against one company or other entity instead of dozens of similar cases tying up the courts. In the class action lawsuit, the group of plaintiffs is often represented by one or more within that group and if the conditions are right, the results may apply to not only the claims of those individuals but the claims of the entire group as well.
If you are currently a member of a class action suit at the Federal level or within the State of Pennsylvania, contact a Philadelphia class action lawyer at Cherry, Fieger & Marciano for assistance in assessment of your case.
