Environmental Litigation



Perhaps more than ever before, we live in a world confronted by environmental challenges and impacted by environmental awareness. Whether we consciously realize it or not, these challenges and this awareness affects and directs how we act and much of what we as a society do in our everyday lives - from the recycling bin we pull to the curb each week, to the removal of gas pumps and underground storage tanks at the corner store where we always got our gasoline, to concerns over industry and industrial development causing water contamination and pollution of drinking water, to water quality warnings and bans on swimming in our rivers, sounds and beaches due to contaminants in the water. Increasingly, the environment and concerns for its quality affect us all.

Lewis & Roberts is knowledgeable about many environmental issues and has interpreted and applied the complex federal and North Carolina laws, codes and regulations governing these claims in order to achieve just results for its clients. Both directly and through associations with experienced environmental practitioners, we have handled matters involving old leaking underground storage tanks (USTs), contamination to surface waters and groundwater by benzene, methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), and chlorinated solvents such as trichloroethane, perchloroethene (PCE) and tricholoroethylene (TCE), as well as deplorable water quality of community water systems. These cases involve toxic torts to damaged citizens resulting in property devaluation, personal injury, and medical monitoring of health risks. Our relationships with experts in the scientific and medical fields, including geology, hydrology, hydrogeology, fate and transport of chemicals, property appraisal, toxicology and various medical specialties, enable us to thoroughly investigate the facts behind the environmental situation and put together a knowledgeable and well respected team to assist us in advancing our clients' claims.