Erin Brockovich, Trial Attorney Mikal Watts, and Representatives from Ohio Law Firm Bevan & Associates Speak at East Palestine Justice Town Hall Meeting

EAST PALESTINE, Ohio, Feb. 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Joined by famed environmental advocate Erin Brockovich, local attorneys of Bevan & Associates LPA, and scientific experts, lead mass tort attorney Mikal Watts spoke on Friday night to more than 1,000 residents of East Palestine about the environmental damage caused by the derailment of the Norfolk Southern train in East Palestine on February 3, 2023, and their right to hold Norfolk Southern accountable.

Norfolk Southern burned the chemical contents of the derailed cars, polluting the community. Two derailed train cars held vinyl chloride and butyl acrylate, two substances used in industrial production and known to cause harm to human and animal life. These chemicals have seeped into the ground and leached into the air, polluting the critical resources of East Palestine and potentially causing long-lasting physical harm to its residents and their property. As we now know, the EPA estimates that more than 43,000 fish have died as a direct result of the crash, and we continue to receive reports of residents experiencing a range of symptoms.

"You want to be heard, but you're going to be told it's safe, you're going to be told not to worry," Brockovich said. "That's just rubbish because you're going to worry. Communities want to be seen and heard. Don't expect somebody to give you the answers. Unfortunately, this is not a quick fix. This is going to be a long game. We want you to get information that you can take home so that you're better informed."

The consequences of this crash will require a long-term remediation plan for the town and continuous, attentive, and transparent testing of the town's waterways, air, and soil. Norfolk Southern owes the residents of East Palestine financial support to recover, rebuild, and ensure the safety of their community. The corporate wrongdoing, negligence, and greed involved in this incident require justice for the people of East Palestine. Attorneys at Watts Guerra and Bevan and Associates LPA are leading a lawsuit to hold Norfolk Southern accountable for its negligence and get families the compensation they deserve.

"The company chooses to ship the most deadly, the most toxic, the most dangerous chemicals ever made by man in railcars right through populated cities. If you are going to ship these kinds of chemicals through populated areas or small towns like this, you damn sure have an obligation to make sure you don't jump the tracks," said Mikal Watts on Friday night.

Watts Guerra is the leading mass tort law firm in the United States. Led by celebrated lawyers Mikal Watts and Francisco Guerra, the firm has secured billions of dollars in awards to victims of misdeeds of utility companies in California, automobile manufacturer malfeasance, and pharmaceutical company lies. Watts Guerra is committed to not only winning compensation for the residents of East Palestine but also deeply committed to preventing future crises like this.

East Palestine Justice is a team of attorneys, environmental activists, and scientific and medical experts representing community members affected by Norfolk Southern's negligence.

ADVERTISEMENT: Thomas Bevan of Bevan & Associates LPA Inc. is the attorney responsible for the content of this advertisement. Mikal Watts is Board Certified in Personal Injury Law by the Texas State Supreme Court. The Office of Douglas Boxer attorney is licensed in California. Unless otherwise indicated, the attorneys listed are not board certified. The principal offices of Watts Guerra LLC are located in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. Past results afford no guarantee of future results. Services might not be available in all states. All product and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders, and use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them. *Erin Brockovich is not an attorney.

SOURCE East Palestine Justice