Garden Grove California Chemical Emergency

Working with Residents Forced to Evacuate

We are speaking with Orange County residents forced to evacuate due to the extremely dangerous chemical leak that occurred at the Garden Grove, CA-based GKN Aerospace corporate campus.

Authorities ordered mass evacuations of roughly 50,000 Orange County, CA residents as it was feared that a defective chemical storage tank may result in a highly toxic leak or explosion. School closures in the affected area were also ordered.

According to W&L partner Devin Bolton, of our Environmental, Toxic Tort & Consumer Protection litigation unit, “The Garden Grove tank crisis raises serious questions about hazardous chemical storage safety and whether known risks were ignored before tens of thousands of residents were placed in danger. Anything less than rigorous safety and integrity management is unacceptable.”

Residents who were ordered to evacuate are advised to protect their legal rights, even as the full impact of the situation on your future has yet to fully unfold. To do so, please call us at (917) LAWYERS for a free, confidential and informative consultation.

Company Has a Record of Compliance Issues

GKN Aerospace manufactures cockpit windows and shields for military aircraft. In this incident, one of the company’s tanks containing methyl methacrylate (MMA), “cooled only after it cracked just enough to relieve pressure without unleashing a chemical explosion,” reports CalMatters. “The tank kept getting hotter. A valve in the tank’s cooling system had failed.” ⁽¹⁾

This is not the only issue involving GKN Aerospace. “Air quality regulators had flagged compliance problems years before the crisis,” says CalMatters. The company has received environmental compliance notices after three previous inspections within the last 10 years. Each time, “the facility was classified as a ‘minor source’ of emissions within the district’s permitting program,” which meant that regulators did not inspect the facility frequently. ⁽²⁾

In 2020, GKN reported issues itself that “led South Coast air regulators to inspect the facility and review its records. The air district’s investigation found that the company was out of compliance with multiple rules stretching back to 2017.” ⁽³⁾

According to reports, GKN “had failed to maintain required records about its emissions, was operating new equipment without permits and was using equipment that didn’t match the description in its existing permits.” ⁽⁴⁾

As a result, South Coast air regulators reclassified GKN as a “major source of emissions” requiring annual inspections. ⁽⁵⁾

A Toxic Chemical Can Hurt You

MMA is a dangerous chemical because it is volatile, flammable, and reactive. It is toxic and even deadly.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notes that MMA exposure is associated with increased incidences of colon and rectal cancers. ⁽⁶⁾

Symptoms of MMA Exposure

Exposure to MMA can have acute and chronic effects. Below are some of the more troubling symptoms of exposure: ^{(7) (8) (9)}

• Allergic reaction to dermal exposure.
• Irritation of eyes, skin, and mucous membranes.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Respiratory issues, including coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, difficulty breathing, and reduced peak flow.
• Neurological issues, such as lethargy, lightheadedness, headache, and sensation of heaviness in limbs.

If you have been exposed to MMA and experience any of the above symptoms, seek medical attention immediately.

W&L Sues Environmental Polluters Nationwide

W&L has been involved in environmental litigations on both the local and national levels for nearly 40 years. We have held leadership roles and achieved prime results for clients adversely affected by negligence. We go after environmental offenders whose negligence harms the innocent.

W&L maintains an office in Los Angeles, as well as several other locations across the country. Our clients have come from all 50 states.

Our team of attorneys have significant experience in environmental litigation and the resulting catastrophes. Here are a few of our cases:

• A $1.8 billion settlement reached with SoCalGas for a gas leak blowout in Southern California. The communities of Porter Ranch, Northridge, Chatsworth, and Granada Hills were affected when natural gas leaked from underground storage wells.
• A $600 million settlement for victims of a train derailment, explosion, and fire in Ohio. The disaster was near the Pennsylvania border and involved a Norfolk Southern train carrying combustible materials in pressurized tanks. The derailment spewed toxins for miles. Tens of thousands of people were affected.
• The BioLab chemical plant fire in Georgia is ongoing litigation. The BioLab fire released the toxic chemicals chlorine and bromine. It spewed dark smoke all over Atlanta. The long-term medical effects on people are still not confirmed.

Companies Are Negligent

GKN demonstrates a history of negligence. Records confirm that the company was in violation of rules and had been for years. Had it been in compliance, it could have prevented the Memorial Day “near miss” disaster scenario.

Negligence cases pivot on the concept of duty of care. This means the responsible party must behave in a way that “a reasonable person would have exercised under the same circumstances,” indicates the Legal Information Institute at Cornell Law School. ⁽¹⁰⁾

Clearly, GKN failed in its duty of care toward the community of Orange County, California and should be held accountable.

Residents could benefit from joining our lawsuit against GKN. You may be entitled to monetary compensation (damages) for things such as:

• Personal injury.
• Emotional distress.
• Annoyance.
• Discomfort.
• Property damage.
• Loss of use and interference with peaceful enjoyment of property.
• Economic loss.

If you have been affected by the Garden Grove chemical emergency, reach out to W&L at (917) LAWYERS or fill out the form on this page. The initial consultation is free of charge and one of our attorneys can respond to you.