California gas leak compared to BP oil spill

According to news sources, the recent methane leak in California may rival the 2010 oil spill of Deepwater Horizon into the Gulf of Mexico in terms of litigation and personal injury claims. Southern California Gas Co. may find themselves next to British Petroleum after all is said and done.

The leak took place in Aliso Canyon and involved the release of 80,000 metric tons of methane at the natural gas well. It began on October 23, 2015 and was only stopped recently in February. Almost 5,000 households living within the vicinity of the leak moved away during the crisis. Lawyer and activist Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Erin Brokovich conducted town meetings in which locals aired grievances and discussed legal options.

The co-founder of the Center for Catastrophic Risk Management at the University of California, Berkeley, Robert Bea, said a primary concern is the lack of proper safety measures at the Aliso Canyon facility, specifically, a missing well valve that was removed for repairs in 1979 and never replaced.

Our attorneys at Ritter & Associates in San Diego will do everything we can to help you recover from the injuries you sustained as a result of someone else’s negligence. To discuss your case, call our offices today at (619) 296-0123.