Law Suit Filed for Toxic Plume in Bethpage, New York

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - September 13, 2016) - Napoli Shkolnik PLLC has filed a class action lawsuit against Northrop Grumman Corporation and Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (collectively "Grumman") on behalf of fifteen Bethpage residents who have been injured by a massive toxic plume emanating from Grumman's operations. For the past sixty years, Grumman has caused the release of numerous toxic contaminants, including trichloroethylene ("TCE"), tetrachloroethylene ("PERC"), and other volatile organic compounds ("VOCs"), as well as polychlorinated biphenyls ("PCBs"), arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, and mercury into the ground at its facilities. Grumman never timely warned the surrounding community of the contamination and has continuously failed to remediate the contamination.

The facility, formerly known as the Grumman Aerospace-Bethpage Facility Site, includes Northrop Grumman, the Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant, and Grumman Steel, and is approximately 600 acres in east central Nassau County. Grumman began manufacturing and testing airplanes, weapons, and eventually satellites, beginning in the 1920s. It shuttered its doors in 1996.

The toxic groundwater plume injuring Plaintiffs resulted from Grumman's degreasing, plane painting operations, and metal finishing processes at the Nassau County Site, and continues to move, travel, and spread under residential homes in Bethpage. As a result of the chemicals' extreme volatility, the contaminants are migrating up as vapors through the soil and into the residents' yards, basements, and homes.

Settling ponds, created to house soil laden with TCE and PCB that had leaked from tanks and floor drains, along with heavy metals, are now the home of the ball fields at Bethpage Community Park, another source of residents' exposure.

Exposed residents are at risk of liver damage, kidney damage, cardiovascular damage, impaired immune system function, bladder cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, renal cell carcinoma, as well as other illnesses and cancers. Pregnant women are especially at risk, as ingestion could impair fetal development. Impacted families, such as long-time residents like Rosalie Romano, were never warned of the danger. Ms. Romano, who frequently visited the Bethpage Community Park, has been diagnosed with breast cancer, as has Maria Spicer, Jayne Mann, and Denise Florio, who all live a mile away from each other. Others, such as Daniel Gallante and Sal Raucci have been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Napoli Shkolnik PLLC is seeking $500 million in damages for personal injury and property damage claims, as well as punitive damages. The complaint also seeks the establishment of a medical monitoring program to pay for past and future costs of obtaining necessary medical care to treat the injuries suffered due to the contamination.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer or own property in Bethpage that may have damages related to the contamination, we encourage you to contact a Napoli Shkolnik PLLC attorney today.

About Napoli Shkolnik PLLC
Napoli ShkolnikPLLC is a national litigation firm, providing representation to victims of , environmental contamination disasters, aviation accidents, defective prescriptions drugs and medical devices, asbestos-related illnesses,complex litigation, wrongful convictions and Civil Rights violations, and other serious personal injury matters. With their principal offices in New York City and additional offices in California, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas and affiliates through the United States, Napoli Shkolnik PLLC is readily available to clients.