Orlando Lockheed Martin Toxic Tort Lawsuits

On Monday, September 28th, 2020, a personal injury lawsuit and a class-action lawsuit were filed in the Middle District of Florida against Lockheed Martin Corporation alleging that their Missiles and Fire Control (MFC) facility outside of Orlando was negligent in the handling and disposal of hazardous waste materials. This had led to a severe contamination of local soil and groundwater as well as countless illnesses and injuries to MFC workers, neighboring companies, and local communities due to prolonged exposure to these toxic, cancer-causing substances.

Background

With its headquarters based in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin Corporation is an international aerospace and defense manufacturer who specializes in the “research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services,” according to their website. Located at 5600 Sand Lake Road in Orange County, the company’s Missiles and Fire Control (MFC) facility that has been named in both lawsuits, is situated within an industrial complex referred to as Tangelo Park and is home to over 8,000 employees. This particular branch focuses on the research and development of defense systems and weaponry for the United States military and worldwide foreign allies.

Golf Channel Lawsuit

The first of two grievances filed against Lockheed Martin’s MFC branch is a personal injury lawsuit that has been brought forth by 13 employees from the Golf Channel cable network who have claimed that their severe illnesses are a direct result of the company’s negligence. The lawsuit states that this facility has allegedly failed to properly dispose of dangerous waste runoff which includes industrial solvents, cyanide, heavy metals, and other volatile organic compounds that are created during their manufacturing process. As a result, numerous toxic contaminants and cancer-causing carcinogens have polluted the breathing air, groundwater, and soil at the Tangelo Park industrial complex, including Golf Channel office facilities which are located across the street from Lockheed Martin.

Local Class-Action

A similar, but separate class-action lawsuit has also been filed against the manufacturing giant on behalf of multiple local business owners and residents who live or work in the “high-risk” communities surrounding the plant. It alleges that Lockheed Martin’s MFC facility has been illegally dumping toxic waste runoff into onsite ditches at the Tangelo Park complex, that damaged tanks and pipelines have gone unrepaired for years causing a continuous flow of cancer-causing chemicals to seep into the soil and groundwater, and finally, that the company failed to properly vent and seal dangerous air pollutants - a byproduct of their manufacturing process - and instead allegedly released them into the outside atmosphere at their full toxic capacity.

Medical Repercussions of Toxic Exposure

Victims of environmental toxic exposure can suffer from a wide variety of debilitating afflictions & illnesses, including:

• Birth defects such as missing limbs and malformations, spina bifida, and cleft lip or palate.
• Brain, lung, and other various types of destructive and deadly cancers.
• Developmental setbacks & disorders like autism and cerebral palsy.
• Multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Severe pulmonary, immune, and vital system deteriorations.

The ever-rising cost of proper healthcare, medications, prescriptions, and oftentimes lifelong treatments for these types of illnesses (even with insurance) is astronomical. Furthermore, most of these victims have drastically reduced their hours of employment or have become unable to work due to the severity of their sicknesses. This has put many victims in a dire situation as they are now struggling with the loss of their medical coverage and surmounting bills, as well as trying to figure out how to feed their families while fighting for their lives all at the same time.

Orlando Legal Representation

Large corporations like Lockheed Martin frequently have an entire team of attorneys that are dedicated to tying up the court systems with unnecessary filings and proceedings in order to put off and procrastinate their client’s eventual payout if the verdict is not in their favor. This is just one of the many reasons why it’s important to hire a reputable and knowledgeable environmental toxic tort lawyer. Regardless of whatever hurdles the opposing counsel has in store, here at the Law Offices of James O. Cunningham, P.A., we firmly believe that our clients deserve fair & just compensation for their injuries. If you have been the victim of a toxic exposure from hazardous materials in the environment, please fill out a contact form or call our firm at 877-FL-INJURY to schedule a free 30-minute case evaluation.