Toxic Injuries in California

Sometimes, people are injured indirectly as a result of someone else’s impact on the environment. For instance, many large-scale American companies produce vast amounts of industrial waste. These byproducts can be toxic and can cause ill health or even death for those exposed to them. Fortunately, injured parties can recover from injuries sustained when another party negligently creates an environmental hazard. While recovery is possible, these cases are notoriously difficult to try, due to problems with identifying the cause of the illness or the source of the toxins.

Toxic injuries occur when chemicals disturb the body’s normal functions. For instance, some toxins change the speed of bodily functions, causing problems like slowed breathing or an increased heart rate. Effects can range from headaches and nausea to cancer, seizures, and even death.

Many of the substances used by businesses contain dangerous chemicals. Typical locations where hazardous toxins can be found in large quantities include:

• Chemical manufacturing plants;
• Chemical waste storage facilities;
• Oil refineries;
• Landfills;
• Machine shops; and
• Incinerators.

Accidents at these types of businesses are often the cause of injuries sustained as a result of chemical exposure.

Typical causes of environmental injuries include:

• Hazardous waste crashes;
• Industrial chemical accidents; and
• Chemical crashes and spills.

Injuries sustained as a result of these types of accidents often manifest relatively quickly in the form of burns, skin rashes, and swelling. But exposure to toxic substances can also occur over an extended period of time, as when dangerous chemicals from a manufacturing plant slowly leach into the surrounding soil and eventually into the local water supply.

Injuries that can result as a consequence of exposure to toxic substances include:

• Various types of cancers affecting the kidneys and brain, as well as mesothelioma, leukemia, and lymphoma;
• Miscarriage or infertility;
• Birth defects when the mother is exposed before or during pregnancy;
• Depression;
• Learning disabilities, such as ADD and ADHD;
• Respiratory problems, such as difficulty breathing and allergies;
• Neurological problems, including nervous system disorders;
• Cardiovascular issues;
• Gastrointestinal problems;
• Liver conditions; and
• Problems with the kidneys.

The seriousness of an injury is often dictated by the length of exposure to the toxic substance, as well as the amount to which a person was exposed.

When a person or company willfully or negligently pollutes the air, soil, or water with chemicals that they know to be dangerous, and thereby exposes innocent bystanders who suffer health issues as a result, that party can be held liable for its actions. The advice of an experienced attorney can be instrumental in helping to streamline the process and maximize a victim’s recovery. If you or someone you know has been injured as a result of someone else’s negligent or reckless handling of a toxic substance, please contact the experienced San Jose personal injury attorneys at Corsiglia, McMahon & Allard, L.L.P. for a free initial consultation today, at (408) 289-1417.

• Beyond Tort: Compensating Victims Of Environmental Toxic Injury