Water contamination is a big problem in the world. The contaminated water affects millions of people, and their health is badly damaged. There are many ways to get safe drinking water, but these methods were not enough to prevent this issue.
Many companies cause this problem deliberately or accidentally. They must be held accountable for the issues that arise from this situation. You can file a lawsuit against those who have caused health damages due to contaminated water. You can get compensation if your case has merit regarding injuries sustained because of it.
It is necessary to find out what type of damages you have suffered before filing a lawsuit against them. It will help you claim the maximum compensation possible under the law.
Table of Contents
Understand Whether Health Damages are Due to Water Contamination
It is difficult to decide whether the health damages are or not by water contamination. You may feel that your health has deteriorated, but other factors may cause this. You can check the following factors to determine if you have health damages due to water contamination.
Check the symptoms of water contamination. Water contamination can cause many physical and mental health problems. It includes vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, and headaches. However, these symptoms can also be caused by other illnesses such as food poisoning or some general feeling of sickness. You can find yourself in a similar situation after eating something wrong for your body.
Consult a doctor if you are unsure whether the reason for your physical symptoms is related to contaminated water. Look into what kind of contaminants are present in your drinking water source. It is the way you can determine if there was a specific contaminant that could have caused any damage to your health. Every contaminant will affect different people, depending on their age, gender, and medical background.
Find Out Who or What was Responsible for Your Health Conditions
You must determine who or what was responsible for making your water unsafe. You must also be able to show that the contamination caused you harm. Water contamination is the reason behind your health damage. The court will likely dismiss your lawsuit if you cannot prove either of these things.
You can file a lawsuit against anyone who might be responsible for contaminating your drinking water supplies, including:
- The government agency that monitors drinking water quality
- The company that owns a private well near where you live
Be Sure Before Going for a Lawsuit
If you are sure that your water is contaminated, then you can go for a lawsuit. You can file a lawsuit, sue, and claim compensation against the people who have contaminated your water. You must collect all relevant documents and other evidence from your side as well as from their side before filing a lawsuit against them. After collecting all these documents, take legal advice from an expert about how best to claim compensation. Try not to miss out on any necessary steps while filing the case or any other related aspect.
Decision on Damage Claiming
You must decide which damages you claim in the lawsuit, like medical expenses, lost wages, pain, suffering, etc.
It is important to note that you can claim compensation for all these damages or only part of them. Likewise, you can ask to compensate for all the damages you have suffered or only a part.
Research Water Contamination Lawsuits in Existence
Finding out if a lawsuit already exists for your health problem is an essential step in the process. Your attorney can tell you about similar cases where you may be able to join the lawsuit. It will give you a better idea of whether this is something that could help with your case.
An example of finding out if there are similar lawsuits is going online and searching using Google. You can use keywords like water contamination lawsuits and see what comes up. You may find several water contamination lawsuits on the internet, like the Camp Lejeune Lawsuit, where around a million people have suffered health problems from water contamination since 1953. This method works best because it lets you see what other people say about these situations. It can help you decide if they may apply to yours as well.
If you find a case that looks promising and fit with what happened in your situation, contact the attorney who represented those people during their trial phase. You should also ask them about their experience with these kinds of cases. But, again, it is a way to assure you’re getting good advice from someone who knows what they’re talking about.
Choose an Attorney to File a Lawsuit
You need to decide whether you can afford an attorney or not, as it is necessary to file a lawsuit. The cost of hiring an attorney can vary depending on their experience, reputation, etc. You can find an attorney who will represent you for a reasonable fee, but if you can’t afford the lawyer’s fees, you should represent yourself.
Try finding a lawyer who will represent you for free. You can search for a lawyer who fights for justice and human right and not for fees. These types of attorneys are passionate about their profession and stand for the honor and integrity of their clients.
Getting Compensation Is Difficult But Not Impossible
It may be difficult but not impossible to get compensation for health damages due to contamination. Find out who was responsible for the contamination. You need to know the governing law of your locality and decide whether you can afford an attorney or not.
Determine who or what was responsible for making your water unsafe. Find out whether there were any government agencies or businesses so that you can file a lawsuit against them. There are possibilities that a municipality has caused harm to your health because of negligence in maintaining public utilities such as sewers and storm drains. If it has happened, they must pay compensation when someone gets sick from polluted water.
Your health and well-being are the most crucial things in your life, so you should not compromise them. If you find out that someone or something has damaged your health, you should take legal action to claim compensation. Don’t hesitate to ask for medical expenses, lost wages, pain, and suffering.
Read also: How Do I Start a Class Action Lawsuit?