Central Florida Homeowners Radiation Lawsuit
Legally Reviewed By: Alex J. Brown
Managing Attorney | Business Litigation
- Page Last Updated:
- June 20, 2024
Legally Reviewed By: Alex J. Brown
Managing Attorney | Business Litigation
- Page Last Updated:
- June 20, 2024
We have reached a settlement with Drummond Company Inc. over allegations that it constructed our client’s home on the site of a former phosphate mine with full knowledge that the site emitted dangerous radiation levels. Our client, a resident of the Grasslands subdivision in Polk County, sued the company in 2017, alleging that it failed to warn residents about the hazard and even offered assurances that there was no danger.
Approximately 1,000 homeowners in the Grasslands and Oakbridge subdivisions may have been exposed to unsafe levels of gamma radiation. With the help of our environmental contamination attorneys, residents of the Grasslands and Oakbridge neighborhoods can seek to hold Drummond accountable and pursue significant financial compensation for their lost property values, and potentially, health monitoring expenses and physical harm.
Radiation in the Grasslands and Oakbridge Developments
According to the lawsuit, Drummond built the subdivisions on a 1400-acre mining site the company acquired in the 1970s. Drummond mined the property until 1985, when it transitioned to real estate development.
As a phosphate mining corporation, Drummond would have known that phosphate rock released uranium during mining operations, contaminating the soil. The industry widely knew about such uranium contamination. Drummond even tested the site in 1985, demonstrating that it knew or should have known that the site emitted radiation before it started building homes. The EPA and Department of Energy confirmed the presence of dangerous levels of ionizing radiation in 2003.
According to co-counsel Chris Nidel of Nidel & Nace, PLLC:
The mining enhanced the uranium levels in the soil. That leads to radiation in the soil and gamma radiation above the soil for residents that is anywhere from three to six times background. The uranium levels in the soil are as much as five to ten times background. This creates a health risk for people who are living and recreating in the neighborhoods that are called Oakbridge and Grasslands that were developed by Drummond back in the 70s and 80s, and they’re still being developed by Drummond and other homebuilders currently.
The Effects of Radiation in Drummond’s Housing Developments
An estimated 1,000 homeowners may have experienced devastating financial consequences and an increased risk of the following serious health effects while living in Drummond properties:
- Various forms of cancer
- Birth defects
- Mental retardation
- Sterility
- Thyroid disorders
If you were exposed to radiation for three or more years on Drummond’s property, you will likely require health monitoring for the rest of your life.
Uranium can remain in the soil for billions of years. The presence of radioactive uranium in the soil can make real estate virtually worthless. As a result, homeowners in Oakbridge and Grasslands may be unable to sell their homes for a high enough price to pay off their mortgages or purchase another home.
What the Settlement Means for Homeowners in the Grasslands and Oakbridge
Drummond has spent the last seven years filing numerous motions to dismiss our client’s lawsuit and evade responsibility for knowingly exposing him to an unreasonable health risk while allowing the property value to plummet. While working on the case, we gathered compelling evidence from respected environmental scientists worldwide, including experts from Fukushima, Japan, and international government agencies.
The court repeatedly denied Drummond’s motions to dismiss, paving the way for our client’s settlement and other homeowners in Drummond’s developments to seek significant compensation.
Do I Have a Case Against Drummond?
You may have a case against Drummond if you have lived in or near the Grasslands or Oakbridge subdivisions in Polk County and suffered financial losses from the decline in the property value.
Even if you are unaware of any health effects, you may be able to pursue a settlement for the increased health monitoring if you resided in either subdivision for three or more years. Your settlement could be as high as six figures for the decline of your property value alone. If you have developed cancer or experienced other serious health effects caused by the contaminated soil, your settlement could be even higher.
Is There a Class-Action Lawsuit Against Drummond?
The court has declined to grant class-action status to the cases against Drummond, which means you must file your case individually. We have already gathered insurmountable evidence against Drummond, and this will not create an added burden on you when you hire our law firm. We will handle all of the legalities and investigate the following:
- When and how long you lived in a Drummond development
- The value of your home at the time of purchase compared to its value today
- An analysis of the property values in nearby unaffected neighborhoods
- How radiation exposure has impacted your health
- The cost of the lifelong health monitoring you will require
We will file your lawsuit for you and use this information to negotiate the best possible settlement. You can trust that we won’t accept less than you deserve.
Contact the Lanier Law Firm If You Were Exposed to Ionizing Radiation in Drummond’s Housing Developments
If you have lived in the Grasslands or Oakbridge subdivisions in Polk County, you may be eligible to recover hundreds of thousands of dollars for your lost property value, increased health monitoring, and any health effects you suffered.
Call us today at 1 (800) 723-3216 or contact us online for a free consultation.
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