Last week 7,500 gallons of 4-methylcyclohexane methanol leaked into the Elk River leaving 9 counties in West Virginia without clean drinking water. Since the chemical spill happened, 18 lawsuits have been filed against two companies.
According to Find Law , the lawsuits are for businesses that had to shut down because of the spill and West Virginia residents who claim that they have suffered personal injury, property damage, and loss of income.
Several law firms are taking advantage of the hard times residents have fallen on because of the spill. According to Reuters, Roger Decanio, who works at a law firm in Charleston, said that case have been rolling in. One lawsuit that Decanio's law firm is handling is about a dialysis patient whose kidney transplant was delayed because of a lack of clean water.
Residents from the 9 counties have been told not to drink, bathe, or cook with the hazardous water, and if they come in contact and have symptom to call Poison Control. Symptoms include, but are not limited to, nausea, burning sensation, rashes.
At the moment, it is not certain when the water will be ready to drink, according to CNN.