Does anyone know if it is possible to sue a county for asthma related problems caused by air pollution, where most of the pollution IS caused by the local government??? (as opposed to industry owned factories/etc...) If so, what would be the first steps to take in going about this? I figured this would be "World Events" because pollution IS a world event as it affects the environment for everybody. (global warming and such) Also, I am sure there are many other well too polluted places as well. It also seems quite a political topic, IMO, because you always have environmentalists (and non) in politics.
Hey, if people can sue McDonalds for their obesity, and cigarette companies for their lung cancer, why the heck shouldn't they be able to sue over air pollution? Being an avid environmentalist, I believe that it should be a right, not a privilege, to breath healthy, non-carcinogenic air. I think it is perfectly legitimate for one to sue over the fact that their asthma may have been exacerbated by pollution, or in the case of the citizens of Los Angeles, their cancer chances doubled. http://www.annieappleseedproject.org/losanairpold.html http://home.earthlink.net/~bdewey/EV_cancer.html We can't simply say to our citizens, (in the case of the US),"If you want clean, healthy air, move to Montana. If you choose to stay in a smoggy city, that's not our problem." It IS the government's problem. Here in the US we spend billions on defense and health care, both of which ultimately protect the heath and well being of our citizens, why shouldn't we spend more money regulating these oil and petrochemical refineries, and unnecessary and unsafe SUV's? Oh, it's a free country, right? Companies should be able to spew out carcinogens. Well they sure aren't permitted to put carcinogens in our cereal (well, to a certain extent), why should they be permitted to put them in our air? The problem is, if you want to sue uncle sam (or your respective government) for the carcinogens and respiratory irritants you breathe, the government will in turn have to slap some regulations on big oil, and large businesses, too many of whom, unfortunately, have some good relationships with important people in Washington. It turns into a huge political battle of liberals and conservatives, one which has been going on for god knows how long anyway. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see someone try to figure out a way of sueing the hell out of the government for pollution. After all, how can they prove it wasn't pollution that caused someone's cancer? It would just be a large-scale case of Erin Brockovich, right? Unfortunately, I'm not sure how easy this would be. My suggestion to you would be, move to Montana. :m:
Is it possible to sue over air pollution? Answer: You can sue anyone for anything. You could sue your landlord for making the carpet in your apartment tan. You could sue your mother for having you. Get the picture? So it's more than possible, you might even have a case. The problem is, it probably won't make it out of your lawyer's office. If it gets passed that, it'll never get passed the perliminary hearing. And by some miracle if it gets passed that you'll never get by the trial. Unless of course, you have Johnny Cochran as your lawyer, then you become a millionaire. "You ask me one more question and I'm beating the shit out of you" --- The Breakfast Club
