E & O Litigation - Berm Collapse: Slaughterhouse Waste Discharge

Abstract

During a sudden winter storm in the Midwest, an internal containment berm in a four cell covered anaerobic lagoon suddenly collapsed spilling approximately 14 million gallons of slaughterhouse waste from the wastewater plant at a Meat Packing Plant from one cell to another. The subsequent litigation by the Meat Packing Plant named Wells Engineers, as well as the various contractors, as the defendants and requested substantial compensation for damages. I was retained by the law fi representing Wells Engineers to determine the causal factor of failure and the contribution (if any) that may have been contributed by Wells Engineers.