Ex-Students Sue Oil Firms
Erin Brockovich and attorney Ed Masry filed a lawsuit Monday against various oil companies on behalf of two dozen former Beverly Hills High School students who had cancer.
The suit claims that, over decades, the companies operated oil and natural gas wells on the high school campus and exposed students to toxins.
For the record:
12:00 a.m. June 11, 2003 For The Record
Los Angeles Times Wednesday June 11, 2003 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 50 words Type of Material: Correction
Brockovich lawsuit -- An article in Tuesday’s California section incorrectly reported the amount of a settlement reached between environmental activist Erin Brockovich and attorney Ed Masry and Pacific Gas & Electric Co., which was found liable for polluting water around Hinkley, Calif. The amount was $333 million, not $33 million.
Some of the plaintiffs named in the suit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, have died.
“This case is about the inexcusable and knowing failure of the oil and gas industry and municipal and administrative bodies to protect schoolchildren,” states the suit, filed by the firm Masry & Vititoe.
The more than two dozen companies include Venoco Inc., Beverly Hills Oil Co. and Chevron USA Inc.
Masry and Brockovich were portrayed in the 2000 movie “Erin Brockovich” for their work in winning a $33-million settlement against Pacific Gas & Electric. The company was found liable for polluting the water around Hinkley, Calif., with chromium 6.
In Beverly Hills, the firm also has filed more than 200 claims against the school district and the city.
There are 38 natural gas and oil wells on the Beverly Hills High campus. Nineteen of them are actively operated by Venoco.
Mike Edwards of Venoco said in response to the initial allegations that the South Coast Air Quality Management District did several tests around the high school. “They concluded air quality was normal,” he said.
