Navy is dodging responsibility after fuel spill sickened hundreds of people, lawsuit alleges
In a federal lawsuit against the U.S. government, more than a hundred people, including military families near Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, have sought compensation for severe and lasting medical issues caused by toxic exposure from jet fuel leaks into the drinking water supply.
The updated lawsuit, filed by Hosoda Law Group and personal injury law firm Just Well Law of Austin, Texas, accuses the government of negligence, trespass, nuisance, and medical malpractice. The suit alleges that the Navy maintained that the water was safe to drink while destroying water samples and denying the illnesses were fuel-related.
Since then, person injury law firm Just Well Law founder Kristina Baehr said families have only gotten sicker, but that the Navy denies their illnesses were caused by toxic exposure from the jet fuel.
"It's medical gaslighting at the highest levels," Baehr told Fox News. "And it's forcing our clients to go on a wild goose chase to get the medical care they need."
The initial lawsuit filed in August claimed negligence related to the leaks and failure to inform the public promptly under the Federal Tort Claims Act. The jet fuel spills occurred at the WWII-era Red Hill storage facility, affecting hundreds of military members, families, and civilians.
Despite government assurances of water safety, affected individuals continue to report illnesses from the toxic exposure. The lawsuit, representing over 800 people, expects to grow, seeking accountability, truth, and change.
The Navy has not commented on the August lawsuit or the updated complaint.
Key Takeaways:
Over a hundred people, including military families, have joined a lawsuit suing the federal government, seeking compensation for severe and long-lasting medical issues caused by jet fuel leaks into the drinking water supply near Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
The updated lawsuit alleges that leaks from the Red Hill storage facility sickened hundreds, with the Navy maintaining for weeks that the water was safe to drink. The government is accused of destroying water samples, and the lawsuit claims medical gaslighting, forcing affected families to pursue proper medical care.
Hosoda Law Group and personal injury law Just Well Law in Austin, Texas, initially filed the lawsuit on behalf of four families in August, asserting negligence related to the leaks and the government's failure to promptly inform the public. The suit, under the Federal Tort Claims Act, represents over 800 people affected by the spill, with expectations of further growth.