US Navy To Pay $680K Compensation To Families Affected By 2021 Jet Fuel Spill

A US federal judge has ordered that the Navy must compensate families sickened by a 2021 jet fuel spill that contaminated the drinking water at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii.

District Judge Leslie Kobayashi ordered the US government to pay over $680,000 in damages to 17 individuals from six families after finding the Navy negligent in its handling of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility.

The spill released nearly 19,000 gallons of jet fuel into a water system that served both military and civilian homes. This was the first trial linked to the disaster, which impacted thousands.

The plaintiffs-selected as bellwether cases-alleged they suffered from rashes, nausea, seizures, emotional distress, and other illnesses after drinking or showering in the contaminated water.

Although attorneys had sought over $6.5 million in damages, the court awarded lower sums, ranging from $3,000 to over $100,000 per person. Several families also received amounts for future medical care, and one plaintiff was compensated for economic losses.

Each family was also granted $1,000 for “loss of enjoyment of life.”

Judge Kobayashi concluded that the fuel had reached all parts of the Navy’s water system and that the chemical contamination could indeed cause the symptoms reported.

However, she declined to award compensation for ongoing medical expenses in most cases, citing insufficient direct proof.

The decision sets a precedent for more than 7,500 pending cases filed under the Federal Tort Claims Act. Those claims collectively seek about $156 billion in damages.

The total number of affected individuals may reach up to 93,000, including active-duty personnel, their families, and civilians. Plaintiffs’ attorney Kristina Baehr said the ruling was a step toward justice, despite the limited awards.

“These families can be proud that they helped prove to the world what truly happened when the navy poisoned the water supply near Pearl Harbor,” she said.

The Navy had admitted the spill occurred but disputed its extent and whether it caused the reported illnesses. Before the trial, the Department of Defense’s own investigation found that the Navy had mismanaged the Red Hill facility and failed to respond properly during the spill.

The massive underground fuel site, originally built in the 1940s, is now permanently closed. The Navy has since removed more than 100 million gallons of fuel from the site.

Cleanup and shutdown operations have cost over $2 billion.

Two more lawsuits- Whaley v. United States and Hughes v. United States- representing thousands of other plaintiffs, are still pending in Hawaii federal court. Legal teams say the latest ruling will guide future judgments in those cases.

References: NBCNews, Military.com

Source: Maritime Shipping News