Weitz & Luxenberg Lawyers to Visit Loxahatchee in Palm Beach, Florida

Weitz & Luxenberg is no longer accepting cases concerning the Acreage cancer cluster. This information is provided for informational purposes only.

Lawyers to Discuss Possible Cancer Cluster in Special Town Hall Meeting in Loxahatchee

Weitz & Luxenberg lawyers, who have a commitment to helping families who have fallen victim to corporate polluters, have responded to worrisome events in the Acreage, Fla. area.

Recently, residents of the Acreage, a rural suburb of West Palm Beach, contacted famed environmental advocate Erin Brockovich, who is now affiliated with our firm, about a possible cancer cluster in their community.

When Brockovich alerted the firm's environmental lawyers, they mobilized to investigate the problem.

"We have seen this scenario far too often, where families living near and around toxic chemical leaks become concerned for their health and want answers," said Lemuel Srolovic, an environmental attorney in the Toxic Torts unit of Weitz & Luxenberg.

The community is home to four elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school.

The Acreage/Loxahatchee area is governed by the Indian Trail Improvement District, which maintains 500 miles of canals, provides roads and drainage services, and operates a network of nine parks, including the 40-acre Acreage Community Park and the seven-acre Hamlin Equestrian Park.

Srolovic and fellow attorneys are currently conducting a preliminary background investigation of the Acreage, which includes those living in and around Loxahatchee, Unincorporated West Palm, Royal Palm Beach and Jupiter.

"We are actively investigating pollution discharged to the area and that pollution's likelihood to be responsible for the residents' illnesses," said Srolovic.

The Florida Department of Health is looking into the possible cancer cluster. Its investigation, which was requested in May 2009, is in its first phase.

According to the Palm Beach County Health Department, a number of residents have provided information on their medical history.

Epidemiologists are now focusing on brain and central nervous system cancers. The DOH is expected to announce if a brain cancer cluster exists in the Acreage late this month.

Nearly all 50,000 Acreage residents rely on well water. Many in the community have cited a perceived high incidence of children and adults living in close proximity to one another with illnesses such as brain tumors.

Residents have raised concerns over Pratt & Whitney's aerospace complex a few miles from the effected neighborhood, The Palm Beach Post reported.

The rocket and jet engine developer has accumulated a long list of toxic leaks and spills on its 7,000 acres dating back to at least 1979 - including one that spread into the neighboring J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area, The Post said.

“I heard the honest, worried inquiries coming out of this community—people who know that contamination can threaten health and welfare,” said Brockovich, who has seen what such negligence has wrought first-hand, bringing a corporate giant to its knees to the tune of a $333 million settlement, and spawning a blockbuster movie about her success. “I am living proof that caring can make a difference,” she said.

Find out about a possible Acreage Lawsuit
If you have lived in Loxahatchee or another area of the Acreage and been affected by pollution, we may be able to help. Please complete the form below for a free legal review of your potential environmental lawsuit. A representative of our firm will be in touch shortly.

see also:

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