Claims contamination has hurt property values
June 06, 2011 9:13 PM By SANFORD J. SCHMIDT The TelegraphEDWARDSVILLE – Three law firms have filed a class action lawsuit in Madison County, alleging a 1986 Shell Oil Co. benzene spill and intrusion into residences have damaged the groundwater and reduced the value of people’s homes.
The suit is different from other benzene suits in that it seeks compensation for property damage, rather than damages for health effects, including cancer.
Property values have dropped, and residents cannot sell their homes, leaving them “trapped in their homes,” the suit claims.
