New Hampshire Jury Finds Textiles Coated International Liable for PFOA Contamination in Amherst, Awards $4.36 Million to Property Owner Class
Verdict comes after a three-week trial in a class action filed in 2017 on behalf of Amherst property owners near TCI’s former manufacturing site
AMHERST, N.H. — A Hillsborough County jury on Friday found Textiles Coated Incorporated liable on four claims brought by a class of Amherst property owners in a lawsuit involving PFOA contamination near the company’s former manufacturing facility. The jury awarded the class $4.36 million in damages for the diminished value of their properties. Singleton Schreiber Partner Kevin Hannon represented the class at trial alongside attorneys from Morgan and Morgan P.A. and Gottesman & Hollis, P.A.
Jurors in Hillsborough Superior Court’s Northern District found TCI liable for negligence, negligent failure to warn, trespass and nuisance. Judge Amy B. Messer presided over the trial, which began with jury selection on October 19. Additional proceedings for non-economic damages will follow.
The case, Hermens et al. v. Textiles Coated Incorporated (No. 216-2017-CV-00524), was filed in July 2017. It followed state environmental testing in 2016 that detected PFOA in private wells near TCI’s former facility at 105 Route 101A in Amherst. TCI operated the facility from approximately 1985 to 2006 and used chemicals containing ammonium perfluorooctanoate (APFO), the ammonium salt of PFOA.
“Amherst property owners have spent nearly a decade dealing with the consequences of contamination they never asked for, including the impact on the value of their homes,” said Kevin Hannon, Partner at Singleton Schreiber. “This verdict recognizes the economic harm these property owners have experienced and sends an important message that companies must be held accountable when their conduct affects an entire community.”
In addition to Hannon, the class was represented by John Yanchunis of Morgan and Morgan, P.A. and David M. Gottesman of Gottesman & Hollis, P.A.
About Singleton Schreiber
Singleton Schreiber is a client-centered law firm focusing in civil rights, environmental justice, mass torts/multi-district litigation, and personal injury/wrongful death. With a deep commitment to serving communities that have been marginalized and harmed, the firm has spent over a decade fighting for justice and holding powerful corporations accountable. Singleton Schreiber is also a leader in environmental litigation, advocating for those impacted by corporate negligence and environmental disasters.
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