complex tort litigation | ENVIRoNMENTAL & TOXIC TORTS
Righting environmental harms today, and for tomorrow.
When corporations, manufacturers, utilities, or other entities contaminate drinking water, pollute soil, release hazardous chemicals, or damage property through environmental negligence, our Environmental & Toxic Torts attorneys are committed to helping you secure a measure of justice.
Holding Polluters Accountable. Protecting People, Property, and Communities.
Environmental contamination can diminish property values, interfere with the use and enjoyment of homes and land, and expose individuals and families to potentially dangerous substances. Our Environmental & Toxic Torts team represents communities, property owners, businesses, and individuals nationwide. We handle a broad range of environmental contamination, property damage, and toxic exposure matters, including:
- PFAS and other emerging contaminants
- Flooding, stormwater management failures, and water intrusion
- Industrial emissions, chemical releases, and airborne contamination
- Landfill, dumpsite, and waste disposal impacts
- Odor, dust, ash, smoke, and particulate intrusion
- Pesticide and herbicide drift
- Waste spills, seepage, and migration of pollutants
- Loss of property value and loss of use and enjoyment of property
Environmental harm often extends beyond contamination. Property owners can face reduced property values, expensive repairs, increased maintenance costs, impaired water systems, recurring flooding, and long-term impacts on the usability of their homes and land. We regularly work with a network of engineers, environmental scientists, hydrologists, construction experts, and valuation professionals to identify the source of damage and pursue recovery from those responsible.
Whether the harm arises from a utility’s failure to properly treat water, a manufacturing facility’s operations, inadequate stormwater management, industrial contamination, or other environmental misconduct, we help property owners seek accountability and compensation for their losses.
National Leaders In Environmental & Toxic Tort Litigation
We are frequently appointed by courts as lead or co-lead counsel to oversee large complex class actions or mass actions. Our experience includes handling two of the largest water contamination class action lawsuits in the United States—In re Flint Water Cases and Cape Fear River PFAS Litigation.
Toxic Exposure Litigation
Advocating for Individuals and Families Harmed by Dangerous Substances
Exposure to toxic substances can have lasting consequences for individuals, families, and entire communities. We represent people who have been exposed to hazardous chemicals, contaminants, and other potentially harmful substances released into the environment, workplace, or consumer products.
Our toxic exposure attorneys have handled cases involving:
- PFAS contamination and exposure
- Lead contamination
- Industrial chemicals and chemical compounds
- Contaminated drinking water
- Groundwater and soil contamination
- Airborne emissions and toxic releases
- Waste disposal and environmental releases
- Improperly labeled or misrepresented substances
- Exposure from manufacturing and industrial operations
We work with leading medical experts, toxicologists, epidemiologists, and environmental specialists to investigate exposure pathways, evaluate potential health impacts, and develop evidence-based cases.
PFAS Litigation
Fighting Against “Forever Chemicals”
PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), commonly referred to as “forever chemicals,” are a group of man-made chemicals that can persist in the environment and contaminate drinking water supplies. PFAS contamination has been linked to industrial facilities, manufacturing operations, airports, military installations, and the use of AFFF (Aqueous Film-Forming Foam) firefighting foams.
Exposure to PFAS can cause adverse health outcomes, including:
- Low infant birth weight
- Decreased fertility
- Elevated cholesterol
- Abnormal thyroid hormone levels
- Liver inflammation
- Weakening of the immune system
- Cancer
Cohen Milstein has been at the forefront of PFAS litigation and has held leadership roles in major PFAS and water contamination cases, including Cape Fear River PFAS Litigation.
We represent communities, property owners, and individuals seeking accountability from the companies responsible for contamination. Our team continuously tracks PFAS litigation, regulatory developments, scientific studies, and emerging evidence so that we can effectively advocate for those impacted. We bring together legal, scientific, environmental, discovery, and regulatory resources to help clients understand their rights and pursue meaningful remedies.
Our experience includes large-scale toxic tort litigation, class actions, and mass actions involving environmental contamination and chemical exposure. We have successfully represented communities and individuals in cases involving some of the most significant environmental disasters and contamination events in the United States.
Property Damage Litigation
Protecting Property Owners Impacted by Environmental Misconduct
Environmental contamination and infrastructure failures often cause significant damage to homes, businesses, farms, and undeveloped land. Property owners may experience flooding, water intrusion, contamination, erosion, structural damage, reduced property values, and long-term interference with the use and enjoyment of their property.
Our attorneys represent property owners in litigation involving:
- Diminished property values
- Loss of use and enjoyment of property
- Repeated flooding and stormwater runoff
- Water intrusion and drainage failures
- Groundwater and soil contamination
- PFAS and other chemical contamination
- Industrial emissions affecting residential property
- Landfill and waste disposal impacts
- Utility and infrastructure failures
- Environmental nuisance and trespass claims
We work closely with engineers, hydrologists, environmental consultants, appraisers, construction experts, and economists to identify the source of damage, evaluate losses, and pursue recovery from those responsible.
Whether property damage results from industrial contamination, inadequate stormwater management, landfill operations, utility failures, or other environmental misconduct, we help clients seek compensation for repair costs, diminished value, loss of use, remediation expenses, and other damages.
Why Clients Turn to Us
- Leadership roles in nationally recognized environmental cases
- Extensive experience in class actions and mass tort litigation
- Deep knowledge of environmental regulations and agencies
- Access to leading scientific, medical, and environmental experts
- Proven experience handling both property damage and toxic exposure claims
- Commitment to protecting communities impacted by environmental contamination
If you believe your property has been damaged by environmental contamination or you or a loved one has been exposed to a potentially harmful substance, our team is prepared to evaluate your situation and help you understand your legal options.
Please contact us at (877) 515-7955 or use the CONTACT US BOX BELOW.
Current Cases
Flint Water Crisis Litigation
Flint Water Crisis Class Action Litigation (E.D. Mich.): Since 2021, Cohen Milstein has helped more than 90,000 Flint residents and businesses achieve $659.25 million in settlements from those responsible for the Flint Water Crisis. This includes a landmark $626.25 million settlement against the State of Michigan, the former Governor Rick Snyder, and other defendants for their roles in re-directing toxic levels of lead-contaminated water from the Flint River into the City of Flint’s drinking water system to save money. Litigation against the EPA continues.
Cape Fear River PFAS Litigation: Nix, et al. v. The Chemours Company FC, LLC et al.
Cape Fear River Contaminated Water Litigation (E.D.N.C.): Cohen Milstein is representing North Carolina residents and homeowners along the Cape Fear River in this certified toxic tort class action against DuPont and Chemours for allegedly dumping toxic GenX chemicals, a form of PFAS aka “forever chemicals,” into the Cape Fear River, impacting the drinking water and homes of more than 770,000 residents throughout the region.
Edenville and Sanford Dam Failure Litigation
Edenville and Sanford Dam Failure Litigation (Mich. Crt. of Claims; Cir. Crt., Cty. Saginaw, Mich.): Cohen Milstein represents residents and businesses in two separate property damage lawsuits against Michigan state government agencies, including the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes & Energy and Michigan Department of Natural Resources for blatantly mismanaging and failing to properly maintain the Edenville and Sandford dams, which catastrophically failed on May 19, 2020.
Past Cases
Quinteros, et al. v. DynCorp, et al.
Quinteros, et al. v. DynCorp, et al. (D.D.C.): Cohen Milstein represented over 2,000 Ecuadorian farmers and their families who suffered physical injuries and property damage as a result of aerial spraying of toxic herbicides on or near their land by DynCorp, a U.S. government contractor. A bellwether trial on behalf of the first six Ecuadorian clients came to a conclusion in April 2017, when the ten-person jury unanimously determined that DynCorp was responsible for the conduct of the pilots with whom it had subcontracted to conduct the chemical spraying after April 2003. This resolution allowed for a successful case settlement.