The Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility released 109,000 metric tons of methane over 118 days in the biggest natural gas leak in U.S. history.

Today, the national law firm of Baron & Budd, as part of the plaintiffs’ steering committee, announced a $1.8 billion settlement with Southern California Gas Company and its parent company Sempra Energy over personal injury and property damage claims related to the 2015 Aliso Canyon natural gas blowout.

The Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility is located near Porter Ranch in Los Angeles County, California. Over 35,000 victims in the surrounding community were affected by the leak, including complaints of nausea, rashes, nosebleeds, respiratory problems, and other symptoms.

During the blowout, 8,300 homes had to be evacuated after 109,000 metric tons of methane were released into the environment over 118 days, making it the biggest natural gas leak in U.S. history.

“This settlement is a major success for the tens of thousands of area residents affected by the negligent actions of SoCalGas,” said Baron & Budd Shareholder, Roland Tellis. “Companies like SoCalGas have a duty to operate safely and responsibly in our communities and we will hold these companies accountable when they fail to do so.”

During the litigation, SoCalGas, Sempra Energy, and their counsel Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP were sanctioned over $5.7 million for wrongfully withholding over 150,000 documents, in one of the largest discovery sanctions in California history.

The area residents are represented by Baron & Budd alongside Panish Shea & Boyle LLP, Boucher LLP, Cotchett Pitre & McCarthy LLP, Kirtland Packard LLP, Kiesel Law LLP, Morgan & Morgan, Parris Law Firm, and Weitz & Luxenberg.

About Baron & Budd, P.C.

Baron & Budd, P.C. is among the largest and most accomplished plaintiffs’ law firms in the country. With more than 40 years of experience, Baron & Budd has the expertise and resources to handle complex litigation throughout the United States. As a law firm that takes pride in remaining at the forefront of litigation, Baron & Budd has spearheaded many significant cases for hundreds of entities and thousands of individuals. Since the firm was founded in 1977, Baron & Budd has achieved substantial national acclaim for its work on cutting-edge litigation, trying hundreds of cases to verdict and settling tens of thousands of cases in areas of litigation as diverse and significant as dangerous and highly addictive pharmaceuticals, defective medical devices, asbestos and mesothelioma, California wildfires and environmental contamination, fraudulent banking practices, e-cigarettes, motor vehicles, federal whistleblower cases, and other consumer fraud issues.

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